In autumn there are chestnuts in abundance. Children's favorite natural material can be found in the forest, in the park and wherever chestnut trees grow. From the age of 2, collecting chestnuts is one of the most popular autumn activities for little ones. The brown, ball-like fruits are an excellent material for playing and getting creative. In this article we have collected several cute ideas on how you can make animals and figures out of chestnuts with the children. Try these great craft projects this weekend!
Making figures out of chestnuts: what should you pay attention to?
For chestnut animals and figurines, it is better to use chestnuts when they are still fresh as their skin is easier to pierce and cut. Collecting chestnuts is a lot of fun. Involve your children and enjoy an autumn walk in the forest or park together. In addition to chestnuts, look for other natural materials and fruits that you can think of. It will be even more fun to create interesting figures from different materials.
Adults can also make interesting decorations – such as an autumn wreath – out of chestnuts and natural materials. You can find instructions for thisin this article.
To make crafts with chestnuts, you will need a chestnut drill (or hand drill or graver) and possibly also a chestnut holder. These are also offered in special craft sets. If the chestnuts are fresh, you can also pierce them directly with toothpicks or skewers.
What can children make with chestnuts? Great ideas to try
Children can use the finished chestnut figures both for playing and for decorating the children's room. The main thing is that you spend quality time with your children and have fun. And now for the ideas!
Make cute little men
It couldn't be more classic or simple! The chestnut men are a great craft project that has been made by several generations during their childhood. You only need a few materials and the little ones are always happy with the result. Another advantage: this craft idea is a great exercise for fine motor skills! You can also find more ideas for figures made of chestnuts and acorns in the article:“Crafts with chestnuts, acorns and other natural materials: 5 cute animals and figures!”
For crafting you need:Chestnuts, toothpicks or matches, hand drill
- Take a closer look at your chestnuts and choose suitable parts for the head, body, hands and feet. Ideally, you should have collected chestnuts of different sizes and shapes.
- A simple chestnut man consists of 5 chestnuts: the largest for the body, the middle one for the head and four small ones for the hands and feet.
- Drill holes in the appropriate places and insert the pieces of wood into the holes. Then connect the individual parts of the mannequin to finish it.
If the classic chestnut men are too boring for you, you can use other natural materials and decorations and decorate the figures as you wish. Hats, dresses, shoes and even small accessories – with a good idea in mind, everything is possible.
The natural material is ideal for animals
In addition to the males, animals are also great ideas for interesting chestnut figures. Depending on the shape and size, the brown fruits can be used to design the head, body or feet. Sometimes even a single chestnut is enough to make an animal. That's the casefor example in hedgehogsor owls, which you can simply paint and transform into your child's favorite animal.
Otherwise, larger animals such as horses, caterpillars and even moose can be made from several chestnuts. If you have a bag full of the natural material, you can create an entire collection that will guarantee long hours of fun for your children.
Make cute animals and figures with small children out of play dough and chestnuts
Another material that can bring your chestnut figures to life is modeling clay. Colorful modeling clay is perfect for creating different features and details. Whether small ears, legs, a tail, a mane or whatever characterizes the animal, the modeling clay certainly leaves nothing to be desired.
Cute caterpillars
The caterpillar is perfect as a craft idea for the smallest children because you can also make it without drilling. The individual chestnuts are simply glued together, either with hot glue or, even better, with all-purpose glue, and then decorated with colorful plasticine as desired.
Colorful snails
These colorful snails can be made without drilling and are therefore a good choice for small children. First you shouldPainting chestnutsto make the snail shells. Then knead some modeling clay to shape it like the snail body. Use something sharp to carve a smile, stick two leaf stems into the head as feelers, and glue googly eyes. The sweet snails are ready!
Craft with chestnuts for Halloween
You didn't really think we forgot Halloween, did you? In preparation for the spooky festival, you can paint some chestnuts with the children and make spooky figures. Let your creativity run wild - whether pumpkin faces, ghosts, spiders or skulls, all of these ideas reflect the spirit of Halloween.
