Children learn creativity and motor skills through crafts.
Children love nothing more than playing outside and getting dirty, but they can also learn quite a bit from nature. Use nature crafts to teach children about plants, seasons and art. If you live in a snowy area, collect plenty of nature items before the snow starts to fly. Check to be sure there are no bugs living on your leaves or branches, then store them to use for projects when children are longing to get outside again.
Collage
Commemorate each season with a nature collage. Give each child a piece of poster board and show her how to divide it into four sections. Take children outside once during each season to collect leaves, twigs, shells or handfuls of dirt. Children can cover a section of the poster board with glue, then attach all the nature items. At the end of a year, the poster board will show the changing seasons. Children can also make a collage showing only one season and sort the items by color, size or shape.
Mobile
Make mobiles to keep a little bit of nature inside all year long. Ask children to collect branches to use as the top of the mobile, along with smaller twigs, acorns, feathers or small rocks. Tie a string around each object, then tie the other end of the string to the branch. Cut each piece of string to a different length so each object hangs at a different height, then tie a thicker piece of string or yarn to the center of the branch. Hang the mobile from the ceiling.
For the Birds
Children can not only enjoy creating a birdhouse or bird feeder, they can observe the birds that their crafts attract. To make birdhouses, give each child an empty plastic water or milk bottle. Cut a hole in one side of the bottle that's large enough for a bird to fit through. Tie a loop of string on top and pass out brown masking tape. When children cover the feeder with brown tape, it will look like a tree to the birds. To make a simple bird feeder, children can cover a pine cone with peanut butter. Hang the feeder or house from a tree outside a window so children can watch the birds that come to visit.
Prints
Use leaves to create wrapping paper or artwork. Collect several types of leaves, then give each child a large piece of paper. Pass out small bowls of paint and paintbrushes. Show children how to gently coat the underside of each leaf with paint, then press them onto the paper. Painting each leaf will leave a thinner coat of paint than dipping the leaf into the bowl, and this will allow the pattern of the leaf's veins to show on the paper. Feathers, shells, twigs or any other objects that have patterns can also create prints.
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