It has been a rainy Summer! It’s been a little unfortunate with how little of time we have been able to spend outside as a family. This past week we said well, lets throw on the rain boots and go collecting, regardless of the weather! It was lovely to be outside in the misty rain. There is something so whimsical about being in nature during rain storms. We found so many little treasures to do a nature crowns craft!
Nature Crowns Craft
This craft encourages exploration and identification! I use it as a teaching opportunity. My girls love to listen and learn about all of the different items we are collecting. We talk about how to identify trees, flowers, mushrooms, berries and more! We also study the things we collect and where/how they are growing and what animals benefit from them.
Over the years I have purchased some really wonderful nature learning books that we often bring a long for our outdoor adventures…
- Exploring Nature Book for Kids: 50 Creative Projects to Spark Curiosity in the Outdoors
- Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?
- Tree Identification For Kids
- Foraging With Kids
There are so many different ways that you can make these wonderful nature crowns! We kept ours simple but if you wanted to you could make them very complex! Instead of just a construction paper base you could even do some leaf weaving or make a twig base.
You Will Need:
- Construction paper
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue sticks
- Paint or markers
You will want to start by cutting the paper in whatever line pattern you’d like. Be sure to leave enough space for the crown to wrap all the way around the child’s head and secure.
Next, allow them to do some decorating with markers, crayons, paint or even pressed flowers!
You will need to make sure that your findings are nice and dried. Then arrange and use the hot glue fun to secure them to the paper crowns.
Once they are finished….go back to exploring, but now you can do it as a part of royalty amongst the wildflowers!
Are you looking for fun educational questions to ask your children on your gathering adventure? Here are some great ones!
- Is my soil sandy, loamy or filled with clay?
- What makes a plant a weed?
- What are clouds made of?
- What is the first stage of all plants life cycle?
- What do you call the hard outer layer that protects most insects?
- What are the young of frogs and toads called?
Remember, there is a world right outside your doorstep filled with learning opportunities, creative fun and therapeutic adventures!
Get outside and go explorin’!
Love, light and a little grace…
-Olivia
Olivia Whalen is mama to three young girls who is devoted to creative learning, exploration and free range imagination. Olivia enjoys thinking outside of the box when it comes to preparing homemade baby food or meals for her family. She most enjoys allowing the little minds in her life to flourish and with that you will see her write about creative kid crafts, recipes that fit a family budget and keep everyone asking for more, tips and tricks for a tiny babe, and beginner homesteader fun! Some of her hobbies include gardening, hiking, reading, cooking or just basking in motherhood.