Although the weather shows no signs of it yet, spring is getting closer and closer. And there is nothing more beautiful in spring than oneWalk in nature. If the weather gets a little warmer, take the kids and go outdoors. Whether in the park or in the forest, a trip is good for the body and soul. You can also collect beautiful things in the great outdoors and get creative with them. As inspiration, we have collected lots of ideas for crafting with natural materials for the coming spring, which your children will surely find great.
What can children make with natural materials?
Crafting with natural materials is one of the most popular activities for children. Nature has something to offer in every season - fromcolorful leaves in autumnto pretty shells in summer. But in spring the diversity is perhaps greatest. Green leaves and moss, early bloomers, colorful flowers and twigs are just a small part of the treasures that can be found outdoors. The children can use this to make beautiful decorations, take creative pictures themselves and have a lot of fun doing it. Read on to discover some great ideas.
Paint a branch colorfully and make atmospheric spring decorations yourself
Our first idea is wonderful for kindergarten-age children. All you need is a branch, paints (finger paints are also fine, especially for small children) and possibly colorful decorations such as pompoms or stones to stick on. The procedure is super simple. Line the table with paper or oilcloth to protect it, place the branch on it, and get the paints and brushes ready. The children should now paint the branch in any color and decorate it with other decorative elements as desired. When finished, let the paint and glue dry and then decorate anywhere in the home.
Decorate the paper crown with flowers and leaves
Children love to play princes and princesses. And what cannot be missing from a game like this is the crown. You can have onedo it yourself with the children, if you use some paper (a kraft paper bag works perfectly), wide tape and pretty flowers and leaves.
First, measure the circumference of the child's head and use that measurement (plus a few extra inches for the seam) to cut out a two-inch wide strip of paper. Cut a second strip of paper the same length, but this time cut one side straight and the other side jagged. Measure out a piece of tape the same length and place it on a flat surface, sticky side up. Now attach the first strip to the bottom edge and the second to the top. Most of the tape area should be left clear. The children attach the natural jewelry to this adhesive strip to create a wonderful crown.
Create a habitat for animals
Crafting with natural materials can not only keep children busy for hours, but also teach them to appreciate nature. Plus, these craft ideas cost almost nothing. Do your children have small animal figures such as turtles or predators in their toy box? Use some sticks, stones and leaves and build them a habitat or hiding place in an old cardboard box. First, let the child choose the appropriate places for the natural materials and then use the glue gun (not suitable for children under 8 years old) to secure everything in place.
Make pictures with natural materials in spring
You can create beautiful pictures on paper with more than just pens or paint. The art of decorating a template with various elements is now more popular than ever. You can, for exampleUse leftover sharpeners and create original images. This also works quite well with natural materials. We'll show you a few interesting ideas below.
Make men and faces
Have you seen pictures like this where the model is dressed in everyday items in a fashion drawing? Your children can make similar pictures themselves using natural materials. Draw or print out a suitable template, provide various materials from nature such as flowers, berries, leaves, blades of grass, etc., and let the child develop their creativity.
Design animals on print templates
Print templates are a great alternative if you can't draw well. Animals such as rabbits, chicks and sheep are perfect for spring crafts. If the children want to attach the natural materials to the paper, they will also need glue. In this way, the resulting pictures can also be attached to the wall or, for example, the refrigerator.
Decorate with natural motifs
But liquid glue is not the only way to make great pictures from natural materials. It works much cleaner with double-sided adhesive tape. Stick a few strips on the areas to be decorated and remove the protective film. Then it starts.
Here are two examples of great images inspired by nature. A flowering tree, for example, can easily be made with a few green leaves and a few flowers. For the butterfly, however, you need two (almost) equally sized leaves to create the wings. Flowers and petals can also be used to create beautiful patterns on the wings.
Sticks and branches are also great for these pictures. Just note that heavier items, such as a thicker stick, will require a stronger adhesive to attach to the sheet.
Creating a whole picture
Images can also be designed completely without pens or templates. For example, instead of a sheet of paper, the lid of a shoebox is used for this picture. Empty toilet paper rolls were used to outline the individual elements. The combination of flowers and weeds ultimately created a beautiful work of art. A good alternative for the rain, for example, would be blue instead of sequinscolored riceto use.
Painting with natural materials
Nature offers plenty of inspiration – and unique tools. Let your children collect grasses, leaves, stems and flowers in the park and use them as original painting brushes. For example, you can use simple clothespins as handles. This creates uniquely structured brushes that little ones can use to paint beautiful patterns.
Whole flowers or branches with stems are also suitable for painting. This can also be used to stamp pretty shapes on the sheet.
Insects craft with natural materials in spring
The coming spring can be recognized by the constant buzzing of insects. So this is the best time to make little bugs with the kids. Here you will find a few ideas that you can imitate using natural materials.
Make colorful beetles out of walnuts with children
Whole walnuts are needed for these pretty beetles. These are first cut perfectly in half, which takes some practice but isn't all that complicated. And in the process, you and the children can snack on delicious walnuts, which are also very healthy.
When the walnut shells are halved, a third of the shell is painted in any color and decorated with a few white dots. Then the mouth is painted on and googly eyes are glued on. The wings can either be made from felt or you can use maple propellers. Glue the selected wings in place and you're done.
DIY idea for a colorful butterfly
There may be hardly a child who doesn't find butterflies fascinating. These beautiful insects can be easily made from the green leaves of the trees and a thin twig. You need two leaves of the same size for the upper wings and two smaller leaves for the lower ones (also the same size). Then let your child first decorate the leaves with beautiful patterns. Chalk markers are perfect for this. Then select a suitable branch and glue the painted leaves with the glue gun.
Insects make crafts with natural materials on cardboard
The insects made from natural materials come into their own on a piece of painted cardboard. They can also be stuck on quite well with Mod-Podge glue.
DIY Libellen aus Ahorn-Propellern
The maple fruits, also known as nose pinchers or propellers, are particularly popular among children. For example, you can make these dragonflies in spring. This requires thin branches for the bodies and antennae. This craft becomes even more beautiful when the children paint the nose pinchers in colors of their choice.
Make a collage out of natural materials outdoors
With some contact paper you can make a pretty oneCollage made from natural materialscraft. You can cut the paper into any shape or stick it around a tree with the sticky side facing out, as in the example above. Now the children should glue natural materials to the contact paper to create the collage.
DIY Feenhaus
Older children can also make a fairy house using natural materials. No instructions are necessary for this. Simply collect the materials, assemble any shape and decorate as you wish.
Making cones with bird seed with children in spring
Spring is also the perfect time for making bird feeders. Instead of a classic house, you can try this tenon alternative. The project is great for children aged 2 and over and can be done during the excursion in nature.
Try to find cones that are as large as possible so that your bird feeders are big enough. To get the bird seed to stick to the cone, children should first spread some peanut butter onto the cone using a plastic knife or popsicle stick. The messier the better. Once the pine cones are covered in peanut butter, toss them in a bowl of bird seed. This means the bird seed sticks to the peanut butter. Finally, a piece of twine can be tied to the top of the peg to hang the bird feeder from a branch.
