Outdoor backyard Tinkering STEAM build maker Projects kids
tinker time For Kids
"Tinkering often looks like children making and creating new things, or exploring different parts to investigate how they work together."
To enhance the tinkering experience, early childhood educators will want to offer a variety of materials for exploration. Tinkering can be supported by asking children open-ended questions like “I wonder what would happen if…?”, by encouraging children to try a variety of approaches, and by reinforcing the satisfaction children can experience when they learn how things work.
Tinkering is the hands-on, playful exploration of materials and systems, directly relating to science by fostering core scientific practices like ** curiosity, experimentation, observation, problem-solving, and iterative design**, developing understanding of cause-and-effect, and building confidence in figuring things out, laying foundational skills for formal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) learning. It's purposeful play where you test ideas, learn how things work, and build deeper conceptual knowledge through direct experience, mirroring the actual processes scientists and engineers use.
Key connections between tinkering and science:
Inquiry & Experimentation: Tinkering involves asking "what if?" and testing those ideas, much like scientific investigation.
Understanding Phenomena: By playing with levers, circuits, or natural objects, you learn physics (like balance, slope, velocity) and material properties firsthand.
Engineering Design Cycle: Tinkering mirrors the scientific/engineering process: design, build, test, redesign, and refine solutions, building resilience.
Problem-Solving: It develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills as you figure out how to connect, balance, or fix things.
Developing a "Tinkering Mindset": This builds confidence (agency) and curiosity, making individuals more receptive to scientific learning and exploration.
Foundation for STEM: Tinkering with everyday items builds foundational skills (fine motor, tool use, material understanding) essential for more complex engineering and technology.
How it looks in practice:
Kids: Taking apart old electronics, building structures with sticks and stones, creating imaginative contraptions.
Adults: Building balancing sculptures, exploring gear mechanisms, or simply playing with loose parts to understand concepts like weight and structure.
Making Deeper Learners - National Science Teachers Association
Tinkering and making do not replicate formal engineering practices, but they reflect the everyday ways in which individuals—includ...
Small Hands, Big Ideas: Exploring STEM Through Tinkering, Making ...
These are the thinking processes and actions that scientists and engineers use. Tinkering, making, and engineering are valuable ex...
Sep 26, 2024 — Tinkering isn't just for kids—it's a powerful learning tool for adults too. Engaging in hands-on experimentation allows you to exp…
For older children, tinkering can be done in a group setting. This offers an opportunity for children to work together and learn important skills in teamwork, problem-solving, collaboration, experimentation, and perseverance.
Tinkering, Making & STEM
Often, you will hear the word tinkering in conversations related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, specifically the engineering component of STEM. According to NAEYC, “tinkering is the more playful relative of the more serious activity of engineering…Engineers solve problems by making things that work or by making things work better.”
The work of an engineer follows a process of brainstorming, building, testing, revising, and sharing. Children can follow similar steps as they work with different materials while tinkering. This facilitates a rich, hands-on learning-by-exploring experience that is full of real-world applications.
While tinkering, making, and engineering are similar terms, they describe unique approaches. To better understand the differences, check out the diagram above from the NAEYC article, which explains that, “Tinkering and making are often used interchangeably, but making lies somewhere in between tinkering and engineering. Tinkering is using stuff. Making is using stuff to make stuff (that sometimes does stuff, but sometimes is just cool). Engineering is using stuff to make stuff that does stuff.”
An Environment for Tinkering: Creating a Makerspace
A “makerspace” is a term used to describe a dedicated space for tinkering and creating. The space is shared by all children, with opportunities for both individual and group projects. Whether you have a small makerspace area in your classroom or an entire makerspace room in your program, children will enjoy an opportunity for creativity and project-based learning.
What kinds of things might you find in a makerspace?
In a makerspace, you will usually see a variety of different materials children can use to explore and create. The materials will be easily accessible and displayed so that children are able to view all of the different items that are available to use.
Of course, educators should always consider the age of children in their care and ensure the materials used are safe and developmentally appropriate. Smaller pieces are best for children who are older and less curious about exploring items with their mouths.
An art bar is a table or shelf that displays a variety of art materials for children, such as markers, tape, paper, crayons, stickers, paint and brushes, yarn, or any other materials you have available that children can use for artistic expression.
Legos, or other blocks and building materials are commonly found in makerspaces. Children love to build with open-ended materials that allow them to use their imagination and creativity. Legos and blocks made of wood or foam are great for children to practice building. You might even use empty cardboard boxes or plastic containers for children who want to construct on a larger scale.
Books about science, construction, electronics, or influential people from the STEM field can be a great source of creative inspiration for children. You can make the books feel more accessible to the little ones in your classroom by displaying them upright with the book covers at the children’s eye level.
Recycled and found materials, such as paper towels and toilet paper rolls, empty plastic containers, egg cartons, corks, and other found materials are great for children to create with — and they offer an opportunity to engage in conversation about reusing materials!
Guide to Creating Learning Spaces in Small Places.
These Inspiring outdoor playscapes are amazing!
Racheous shares their creative outdoor play space set up for an inspiring artist.
Childhood 101 shares a really cool pirate's hide-away adventure.
Rhythms of Play shares this easy DIY outdoor chalkboard. What a fabulous idea.
Happy Hooligans added large Logs and Stumps for a natural outdoor play space
Our idea of Natural Learning Inside and outside.
Painting natural materials in nature.
Exploration and discovery of natural objects for our Spring Nature Table
Portraits in Chalk
These framed chalkboard masterpieces from DoodleBuds are an excellent way for children to draw outside…
Music Stations
Outside is a wonderful place to make music, wouldn’t you agree? Your children can create as much noise and racket, or should I say beautiful melodies, as they wish without experiencing the sights and sounds of nature. Fun at Home with Kids has a backyard sound wall/music station, composed mainly of items you would find in your kitchen. These everyday household items could easily be found in your own cupboards, dollar stores, or thrift stores…
Another inexpensive way to create a backyard music area is with recycled materials. My Nearest and Dearest has a beautiful recycled outdoor music station made up of cans and jar lids. If I close my eyes, I can almost hear the ringing of those bells…
Of course you can always incorporate real musical instruments into your outdoor space, as well. Filth Wizardry shows us how it’s done with their wonderful music wall…
Water Walls
Water play is always a summertime favorite. Water walls can be inexpensive and easy to make. Best of all, they will keep your children entertained and cool all summer long! Tinkerlab uses recycled bottles for her simple DIY water wall…
Familylicious has another fantastic water wall and ball run, complete with funnels and gutters…
We have a simple cardboard water easel that you can throw together in a pinch too!
Using Natural Elements
Logs and stumps are a great addition to any outdoor play space. They are the perfect uneven surface for developing gross motor skills while climbing on and crawling over them. We have lots of logs that we turned into a maze for playing fun games like follow the leader. The children also love to use the logs as balance beams…
Mud Kitchens
For many adults, an outdoor kitchen would be a dream come true. The same can be said for children. Mud kitchens are another endless source of play for children. Adventures at Home with Mum has a fantastic mud kitchen set-up for her children…
Loose Parts
All of the outdoor playscapes I have shared with you thus far are just beautiful and so inspiring! But I also think that it is pretty inspiring to see what type of play children can create on their own when given a few loose parts. Loose parts are odds and ends that can be brought outside for building, climbing, or for creating adventures. We use loose parts a lot around the preschool as children construct and deconstruct using a variety of materials. Here we have scrap wood that the children have turned into balance beams and building blocks…
And Next Comes L has small pavers available for her little guys to make DIY outdoor roads…
Mummy Musings and Mayhem offers shells, pebbles, bowls, scoops, and so much more in the loose parts area of her backyard. Be sure to take your time to peruse her blog because she really knows how to create outdoor play spaces and experiences for her daycare children…
Nature’s Gifts
And don’t forget the beautiful and inspiring tools for play and exploration that nature itself provides like collecting flowers…
Or the challenge of climbing big rocks…
Or taking a walk in the woods or down your neighborhood sidewalk…
I may have squealed when I saw this playscape. The only thing missing is a sign that says “Never-Never Land.”
There are many ways to inspire outdoor play. What are some other playscape ideas that inspire you?
Maria Montessori and other well-known educators knew that a child’s outdoor play space and safe exploration in nature are truly important. Whether you love everything about Montessori, Waldorf, Charlotte Mason, Reggio, or Unschooling you all have a deep common bond. NATURE!
CLICK HERE FOR A DIY OUTDOOR PLAY AREA
It includes Easy DIY Science Table – Mud Kitchen for kids plus so much more.
Set up Your Play Centers—Art Center
Set Up Your Play Centers—Water Play
Set up Your Play Centers—Mud Kitchen
How to Make an Outdoor Easel
DIY Water Pump for Kids
How to Make a DIY Water Table
DIY Mud Kitchen for Kids
Kids Outdoor Play Spaces
Provide the materials and let them build their own space.
Half the fun of an outdoor playscape is imagining what could be so let them take the lead for a little bit!
Collect wood, stones and building materials and let their imaginations run wild.
Backyard Nature Fun
Exploring nature with kids doesn’t have to mean hitting the trail, heading to the mountains or going camping (though those are all fine ideas). Connecting with nature is as easy as heading out the back door.
I hope this blog will give you some ideas to make exploring nature in your backyard simple and fun. And don’t worry if your backyard is tiny or even nonexistent – the ideas I share can be enjoyed at a local park or any other natural area in your neighborhood.
Where should I start?
If you only have a few minutes to peek around, bookmark this page! Then check out the top five Backyard Nature Fun reader favorites:
How can I search your archives for more great backyard nature fun?
I’m glad you asked! The best place to start is back on the home page, where you’ll find the Backyard Nature Fun posts sorted by season (look right under the blog’s logo). You can click on any of the seasons for timely play ideas. Or you might prefer to enter a term into the search bar in the top right-hand corner of the page to see what comes up.
To get you started right here, I’ve featured the top three reader favorites in a variety of topic areas.
Gardens/Flowers/Trees
Gardens, flowers and trees can be usually be found in just about any neighborhood, making them a simple way to connect with nature.
Holiday Activities
Here’s where you’ll find ways for families to get outside and into nature during the holidays.
Idea Lists
I like making lists. All kinds of lists. Which is a good thing, because they seem to be pretty popular around here.
Imaginary Play
One part magic, one part imagination, this is where nature and imaginative play come together.
Nature Crafts
I make no claims to be crafty, but most kids are huge fans of crafts. Thankfully, nature and crafting go together nicely.
Nighttime Nature Activities
Sometimes it’s fun to explore nature when the sun goes down. See some of the activities we’ve tried.
Rainy Day Fun
Wondering what to do when it’s pouring outside?
Scavenger Hunts and Nature Walks
Here you’ll find plenty of ways to turn an everyday walk around your backyard, neighborhood or local park into an adventure in nature.
Simple Pleasures
It doesn’t take a lot for kids to have hours of fun outside. A little dirt, a little sand and a little water will often do the trick.
Snow Play
Winter’s snowy weather is no excuse to stay indoors. If you need some ideas for getting outside, we’ve got a few.
Sun/Sky/Wind
Short on time? Sometimes connecting with nature is as simple as taking a look up.
Wildlife Watching
Even our urban backyard is teeming with wildlife – birds, bugs and more.
A list of STEAM Activities for Each Month of the Year
Do you teach by themes? It is an effective way of teaching because it is an effective way of learning for kids. If you do, this is your dream place for science activity ideas — organized seasonal science activities for each month of the year. It is seasonal by holidays, seasons, weather, and natural changes, such as plants, trees and animals. Altogether there are over 500 activity ideas, each theme includes activities for preschool to high school students.
Year-Long Science Activities for Kids
January Science Activities
It is the beginning of the new year, let’s celebrate it with science! It is also cold in most areas, so we can do some science with the cold temperature.
8 STEM Activities to Celebrate the New Year, most activities have science components in them.
8 Cold Science Experiments to Amaze Kids
6 Fun and Easy Snow Science Activities
You will get more ideas from over 200 Winter Science Activities for Kids.
February Science Activities
It is still cold, so try some indoor science activities. Of course, no one can forget the Valentines.
9 Heart Science Activities for Kids for Valentine’s Day.
Make the Interlocked Mobius Strip Hearts as Valentine’s gifts
Exchange Science Themed Valentines with friends
8 Science Activities to Learn About Color
8 Science Activities about Salt
5 Science Experiments Using Pepper
March Science Activities
It starts to warm up, but there are always ups and downs, so this is a good time to study the weather. If you start growing seeds, make sure to invite kids and do some science exploration with them.
10 Weather Science Activities for Kids
9 Science Activities for Kids to Learn about Seeds
Explore Plant Science Secrets while Growing Bean Sprouts with Kids
Additionally, our collection of over 75 Spring Science Activities has a lot of wonderful science ideas for kids of all ages.
April Science Activities
In our area, we get a lot of windy days during this time of the year. It is also a good time to study the sun before it gets too hot. Many times Easter falls in April, and for kids, it is about eggs.
8 Fascinating Science Activities with Eggs
7 Wind Science Activities for Kids
10 Science Experiments about the Sun
Related: 75 Spring Science Activities for Kids
May Science Activities
Summer starts in the northern hemisphere. It is getting warmer, plants are growing, and insects are active.
Make sure to visit our collection of over 100 Summer Science Activities for Kids
8 Simple Science Activities about Bugs
10 Plant Science Activities for Kids
June Science Activities
This is a month with blooming flowers. It is also the time you will see a lot of fresh vegetables. Many kids finish the school year in June and families have more time to be outside.
Definitely try these amazing backyard science activities with kids.
9 Amazing Flower Science Activities
With so many fresh food varieties, it is a good time to learn about taste with these 7 Taste Science Activities.
Related: 100 Summer Science Activities for Kids
July Science Activities
It is summer break, and the beach is a popular place to go, a place with a lot of sand. Many places also see a lot of rain. When it is hot, it is always nice to play with something cold, like ice.
7 Sand Science Activities for Kids
8 Science Activities to Learn About Rain
8 Ice Science Activities for kids
August Science Activities
It is still hot in many places, so it is the perfect time to play with water. This is also the time I don’t care if kids stay up late till it is dark.
10 Science Activities for Kids to Do after It is Dark
During the day, they can study light with these 9 Science Experiments about Light
Related:70 Fall Science Activities for Kids
September Science Activities
Although the fall starts in August, September is the time it really feels like the autumn season. It is also a good time to go out at night to observe the moon and stars.
Check out these 70 Autumn Science Activities for Kids
7 Science Activities about the Moon
7 Activities to Learn about Stars and Constellations
October Science Activities
Apples, pumpkins, and yellow leaves are signs of October. Kids will also love Halloween at the end of the month.
7 Science Activities using Apples
9 Pumpkin Science Activities for Kids
7 Leaf Science Activities for Kids
For Halloween, try these 10 Skeleton Activities to learn about the human body. I also like these 10 Interactive Apps about the Human Body.
November Science Activities
It is the start of the winter season. Leaves are falling. It is Thanksgiving, when families are getting together, and cooking together.
Find some fun ideas from 200 Winter Science Activities for Kids.
8 Pine Cone Science Activities for Kids
6 Kitchen Science Activities for Kids
December Science Activities
It is cold, and it is the Christmas season for many countries. People all over the world are getting ready for the New Year.
9 Science Activities of Christmas Tree
These 9 Magnet Science Activities are perfect for a cold winter day.
It is always fun to watch how others perform science experiments on these interesting science YouTube channels.
Hope these will keep you busy for the year, or maybe several years.
If you are looking for more science activity ideas with more detailed instructions, and even go broader to STEAM (Science Technology Engineer Art Math), check out these 52 STEAM Activities for Kids. The video below shows what the activities look like in action. As you can see, there are 52 activities designed for kids from ages 5 to 12. Each activity has a list of materials needed, a step-by-step guide on what to do, and pictures to show you what it is like.
I love the part that explains what kids are learning through the activities. I also love they categorize it into Science, Technology, engineering, Art, and Math, as well as by kids’ actions – Build, Color, Play, Sense, and Grow. Each activity also has suggestions for extension activities if your kids want to do more.
At the end of the book, there is an activity planner. It helps organize the activities by week and has a weekly material list.
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LEGO Storage and Organization for More Efficient Building
One question that I get asked regularly since writing my LEGO book is how do we organize our… Read More
Free hands-on STEM activities for kids age 4-16
How to Build a Windmill sponsored by HughesNet and the 4-H STEM Lab – free hands-on STEM activities for kids age 4-16.
Build a Robot Craft | Inspiration Laboratories
The story is so full of robots that even the book turns into a robot! We were inspired to make our own robot craft.
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In Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, the dinosaurs set a trap for poor Goldilocks. Design and build your own trap for the dinosaurs!
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Try this simple stone craft. Stone towers are sure to spark the imagination and are perfect for pretend play.
20 Ways to Build a Rocket: Experiments and Crafts
I thought I would gather up some of the best ways to build a rocket from around the web. You'll find ideas for rocket experiments and rocket crafts.
LEGO JUNIORS Inspires Young Makers
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20 Ways to Build a Rocket is also pretty popular around here. You'll find rocket experiments and crafts that kids will love.
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25 Activities Using Blocks
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Why is it that building blocks are still a must-have resource in the backyard and beyond?
A spacious environment where pupils can spread out and build sizable objects such as castles, rockets and cars allows children to build comfortably in groups. An outdoor space is ideal for building, allowing plenty of freedom for movement.
Construction toys are best kept in their own storage box or container, with clear labels.
Useful Prompts for Block Play in EYFS
Block Play can form an essential part of the EYFS Areas of Learning and Development. The following prompts show how communication and language skills, physical development and social skills can be enhanced through the use of block play.
Building blocks are a completely open-ended resource that create a world of possibilities for children. Pupils can work independently or with others when making their creations, allowing their imaginative ideas to flow. Communication is strengthened when children play with blocks as they learn to express their ideas and talk about what they have created. Problems can be solved as children determine which block will fit or how a structure will remain stable. Pupils develop resilience and solutions through trial-and-error approaches and hands-on learning.
Building blocks of all kinds are a worthwhile investment for a home or school setting. Children begin to play with blocks as they start their learning journey as young babies, progressing to toddlers and beyond. When engaging with blocks children move through several stages of play and development .
1 Exploring and Carrying Blocks
At first young children will explore blocks as objects without building. They will usually hold them, shake them, taste them and even throw them as they explore all of the tactile properties blocks have to offer. They may hold a block in each hand and hit them together or knock down a structure built by somebody else, exploring sounds and sensations.
Infants and toddlers will begin to carry blocks around, perhaps transporting them using bags and toy vehicles. Blocks will be collected and can be sorted by colour or shape.
2 Stacking
Toddlers begin to make vertical and horizontal rows with blocks and they will enjoy repeating this process.
Blocks will be stacked on top of each other to make a tower until they fall, providing young children with an understanding of cause and effect. When children have mastered building rows and towers, they may progress to multiple rows to resemble walls and floors.
3. Making Bridges
Simple bridges can now be made by placing two blocks side by side with a space in between them, with a third block placed on top. Children need to consider the size and length of their towers/blocks but once this skill is mastered pupils can build bridges on top of bridges and will enjoy transporting objects and themselves across bridges.
4 Enclosures
In this stage, children are able to make a closed circuit with blocks. They will need to understand how to turn and place blocks for this to happen and may begin by making a square-shaped enclosure which can be added to by connecting many squares. Once mastered, children will experiment with the size and shape of their enclosures, choosing to make them for themselves or their toys.
5 Patterns
Structures are now built that include symmetry, patterns and balance. Models become more complex as children express their creativity. Towers, rows, bridges, enclosures and decorative patterns may be evident in a single build.
6 Constructing and Naming
Pupils have a plan before they build and blocks may be used to aid play. A build may take on a name, have a particular purpose or resemble a known structure. Familiar features such as doors, windows or wheels may be present and pupils can add their own props/loose parts to support role play and aid understanding
THE LOOSE PARTS PLAY SERIES
Loose Parts Play Space + 48 Ideas
Loose parts are collections of objects that can be used as open-ended learning materials. They are also sometimes called manipulatives or tabletop toys.
These could be things found in nature, recycled materials from around the house and school, or materials purchased for this specific purpose.
Let’s take a look at what this type of play is all about, examples to get you started and a few loose parts of play benefits for children.
What is Loose Parts Play for child development?
Loose parts play examples include sorting, categorizing, sequencing, counting, stacking, matching, designing and building with any materials or loose parts.
Children move, adapt, rearrange, put together, and take apart the materials. The use of loose parts can take place indoors on various surfaces, such as table tops and floors.
Loose parts played outdoors could happen on the ground or at a picnic table. Many of the materials lend themselves nicely to working with sand, water and mud, as well.
Although loose parts play is open-ended, that does not mean that no products ever result; and wonderful art pieces, such as sculptures, can be designed with varied materials.
Natural, outdoor materials can also be combined with indoor supplies, such as leaf rubbings made with crayons and paper or pressed pinecone designs in playdough.
48 Ideas for Loose Parts
Although you can purchase cheap loose parts materials, be on the lookout around the school, scraps piles from a hardware store or building site, thrift stores or Restore for Habitat for Humanity, at home and while outdoors for free objects to recycle.
Keep in mind, of course, that very small pieces are not suitable for toddlers or babies.
Offer the materials organized in buckets, boxes and baskets. Children can be responsible for helping to keep their supplies organized.
Some tools that are often considered loose parts and which can always be offered along with other materials include plastic cups, buckets, strainers and an assortment of kitchen utensils.
In addition, offer a wide variety of art supplies, along with tape, pipe cleaners and clips, to hook things together.
Loose parts play ideas include the following kinds of objects:
acorns
animal figurines
balls
beads
bottle caps
boxes of all sizes
bubble wrap
buttons
canning lids and rings
cardboard
clothespins
corks
cotton balls
dominoes
driftwood, large and small
egg cartons
empty plastic containers of all sizes
fabric swatches
feathers
flowers
foam shapes
ice cubes (or water frozen in small bags)
leaves
logs
marbles
newspaper
nuts and bolts
packing “peanuts”
pastas
pegs
pinecones
pom poms
ribbons
rice
rings
rocks/stones
ropes
screws
seeds
shells (watch for sharp edges)
spools
sticks (watch for sharp ends)
straws
tiles
tubes of cardboard
wrapping papers
Check out our other posts on loose parts play
Why Loose Parts Rule the World of Play
Loose Parts Forts – an exploration of fort building in playscapes
Loose Parts Natural Pieces – a short list of our favorite natural pieces. Thy take a while to collect and prep. But they are free!
A fantastic infographic on loose parts and nature play.
An honest look at managing loose parts – Why Loose Parts Make me Want to Tear My Hair Out!
Get you own loose parts play kit
These easy woodworking projects for kids will have them creating and learning with wood in lots of fun and creative ways that don’t require any prior woodworking knowledge or skill!
Wood crafts for kids don’t always have to involve hammers and nails. These creative wood projects for kids will inspire you to give woodworking a go with your kids!
Wood is a fabulous medium for kids to explore and create with, but it’s not something that is used often, and it can be a little daunting if you are not handy a hammer and nails yourself.
Traditional woodwork offers lots of learning opportunities, but there are lots of ways kids can work with wood that aren’t just hammering nails. These creative woodworking ideas for kids will help you to think a little differently about woodwork for kids, while also offering kids lots of opportunities to develop fine and gross skills, practice creative thinking, work on problem solving skills, and more!
What you need to do is try
woodworking with kids.
You can purchase a children’s woodworking set, but we’ve found it is better to create your own so you can add exactly what you want.
Our list for what to include in a kids woodworking set has information about how to choose the best tools and what extras to add.
You’ll also need some wood!
Collecting wood for kids' woodworking projects doesn’t have to be expensive. You’ll be surprised at how much wood you find when you start looking for it!
Soft untreated wood such as pine is a great option, and you can often find lots of off cuts at construction sites that they may give you for free.
If you know a wood turner or furniture maker they also have lots of off cuts and scrap wood that they may donate or you can purchase for a small price.
Most hardware stores and craft stores, and even dollar stores will have packs to craft wood.
You can also find lots of wood in nature that you can use – look for fallen branches that you can slice up and even bark and nuts.
Ideas for Easy Kids Wood Projects
These ideas are all great wood activities for preschool children and older kids.
All children need to be supervised when using woodworking tools, and young children may need more adult help to use some tools
Easy Ideas for Using Woodworking Tools with Kids
Hammering, nailing, drilling and sawing are loads of fun and teach lots of skills. Here are some ideas for making it work with preschoolers.
Woodworking tools for Kids
Lots of ideas for how we use simple woodworking tools with our preschooler.
Hammering into a big stump from My Montessori Journey
This is a really simple way for beginners to learn to use hammers and nails
Stump Geoboard from The Empowered Educator.
Turn your hammering stump into a fun geoboard with this simple beginner woodworking project!
Managing Safety Issues while using Woodworking Tools
This is a great article from Teacher Tom about how to manage tool safety with young children.
DIY Marble Run from You Clever Monkey
Once your kids get the hang of using a hammer and nails they can make this super simple, but supper fun marble run.
DIY Wooden Texture Stamps from Mother Natured.
Kids will love hammering items into pieces of wood to make texture stamps you can use with playdough paint.
Chalk Board Blocks
This is an easy project to practice using a saw to cut wood off cuts into smaller blocks, just add some chalk board paint for some extra fun!
Porcupine Woodworking Craft from How Wee Learn.
This cute little porcupine is made from a wooden door stop and is a great project for kids who are mastering a hammer and nails.
Easy Woodworking Projects for Kids Without Tools
Wood doesn’t have to be nailed together, here are some ideas for making wood constructions without tools.
Wood Constructions with Hot Glue
This is my kids favourite way to build and create with wood. It’s easy to do and perfect for using all kinds of scrap wood to make amazing wood constructions.
Building With Wood from Merri Cherry
Use regular white school glue (PVA) to make these cool wood buildings and sculptures.
Wood Working with Toddlers from Merri Cherry
You can even use a simple glue stick to stick wood together (non-permanently) which is a great option if you are doing woodwork with toddlers.
Building with Wood and Playdough
Adding some playdough to your wood scraps is a great way to make non-permanent wood structures that kids will love!
Clay and Wood Block Structures from Babble Dabble Do
Clay is another great addition to a woodworking project.
Things Kids can Make from Wood
Wood is a fabulous medium for lots of creativity, art making and STEAM activities. It’s great for making sculptures, you can make lots of crafty projects, and you can even make art onto wood!
Try some of these creative woodworking activities for kids.
Easy Wood Sculptures from The Artful Parent
Make simple 3D sculptures using wooden beads and wood glue.
Build Wooden Towers with Kids from Artbar
Kids will love building these simple, but super cool wooden towers using wooden pieces, glue and paint.
Straw and Stick Constructions
Use wooden skewers you can find at the store for this fun STEAM activity.
Painting on Wood
Use off cut wooden boards for water colour paintings – kids will love this new and interesting surface to paint on.
Drawing on Wood Panels from Buggy and Buddy.
Using a wood panel to draw on is another new and interesting art surface for kids to explore.
Painted Twig Wall Art from Pink Stripey Socks
Even a simple wooden stick can be used to make art!
Wooden Robots from Adventure in a Box
Make these cute little steampunk robots from wood, screws and metal scraps!
Flexicube Blocks from Babble Dabble Do.
Kids will love making this super cool flexicube woodwork project with wood blocks and tape!
Painted Wooden Blocks from Art bar Blog
This is a great wood project for preschoolers or even toddlers, and they would make a lovely gift.
Wooden Number Game from Laughing Kids Learn.
You could cut your own tree cookies or buy them to make this fun wooden game.
Decorate Peg Dolls from Happy Whimsical Hearts
This is a simple yet fun wood project using store bought wooden peg dolls and paint.
Outdoor Tinkering And Horticulture
Tinkering relates to nature and horticulture (gardening) through hands-on experimentation, designing solutions (like self-watering pots), improving tools, restoring habitats, creating art with natural materials, adapting plants, and fostering deep learning through trial, error, and observation, reflecting a playful, iterative process of making and understanding nature
Tinkering can be supported by asking children open-ended questions like “I wonder what would happen if…?”, by encouraging children to try a variety of approaches, and by reinforcing the satisfaction children can experience when they learn how things work.
Horticulture – The science and art of cultivating flowers, fruits, vegetables, turf, and ornamental plants in an orchard, garden, nursery, or greenhouse, on a large or small scale. Horticulturist – A specialist in horticulture.
DIY Solutions: Building compost bins, self-watering planters, or trellises from scrap materials.
Tool Improvement: Adding comfortable handles or modifying existing tools for better function.
Habitat Creation: Intelligently adding plants, shrubs, or features to boost local biodiversity.
Garden Art: Using natural items like cones, twigs, and leaves to create temporary sculptures or decorations.
Learning by Doing: Gardening offers open-ended experiences, teaching problem-solving (e.g., how deep to plant) and scientific concepts through direct engagement, much like tinkering.
Intentional Evolution: Humans have tinkered with plants for millennia, selectively breeding traits to create the foods we eat today, a form of "unnatural" intervention on nature.
Reflection & Iteration: Both gardening and tinkering involve observing results, reflecting on what works, and trying again, fostering patience and resourcefulness.
Fixing & Improving: Gardeners often "tinker" by pruning, reshaping, or rearranging, creating aesthetic or functional improvements.
Provide Loose Parts: Offer natural materials (leaves, rocks, pinecones) and recycled items (corks, string) for exploration.
Designate a Space: Give children their own patch or pots to design, plant, and care for.
Encourage Inquiry: Ask open-ended questions like, "What could we build with this trowel?" or "Where should we plant the strawberries?".
Tinkering A Creative and Rewarding and Pastime Feb 10, 2023 — 3. Garden Tools and Equipment: If you have a green thumb, you can tinker with tools and equipment to make your gardening experienc...
Conceptual & Learning Connections
Fostering Tinkering in Gardens (Especially for Kids)
Tinkering With Nature - Early Science Matters Jul 17, 2022 — Loose parts allow children to develop and use models to represent their ideas, observations and explanations through their designs...
Tinkering with Nature's gifts
I’m sharing with you how you can play, create and learn using leaves, flowers, sticks, seed pods and bark. Danya Banya’s Ultimate Guide to Crafting with Flora.
You can draw or paint on flowers, leaves, bark and seed pods
1. Nature Art by Danya Banya
2. Learning With Leaves by Laughing Kids Learn
3. Painted Sticks by Be A Fun Mum
4. Flower Stencil Spray Painting by Learn with Play at Home
5. Painting Seed Pods by Mother Natured
6. Leaf Art by A Little Learning for Two
7. Using Nature as Your Canvas by Mother Natured
8. Painted Leaves by A Little Learning for Two
9. Painting on Seed Pods by Danya Banya
10. Paint Leaves by Be A Fun Mum
You can paint with flowers, leaves and sticks instead of a paint brush
11. Painting with Nature (and a Peg) by Danya Banya
12. Poppy Seed Pod Painting by Happy Whimsical Hearts
13. Painting with Leaves by The Eyes of a Boy
14. It’s Flower Paint by Happy Whimsical Hearts
15. Painting With (and On) Sticks by Danya Banya
You can create jewellery any parent would be proud of
16. DIY Nature Bracelet by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
17. Nature Crowns by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
18. Threading Leaves by A Little Learning for Two
19. Nature Bracelet Making by Paint on the Ceiling
20. Floral Wreath by Be A Fun Mum
You can make an awesome collage
21. Tree Collage by Danya Banya
22. Colour With Nature by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
23. Flower Fairy Cards by Just for Daisy
24. Nature Faces by Happy Hooligans
25. Leaf Art by Be A Fun Mum
26. Invitation to Play With Nature by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
27. Nature’s Glitter by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
28. Fun with Leaves by My Little Bookcase
You can laminate, contact, press or laminate flowers and leaves to preserve and examine them
29. Nature on the Light Table by Racheous – Lovable Learning
30. Leafy Inspiration by Hinterland Mama
31. Contacted Leaves by Laughing Kids Learn
32. Wax Paper Flower Hangings by A Little Learning For Two
33. Hammer Pressed Flower Prints by Hinterland Mama
34. DIY Flower Press by Just for Daisy
You can make Martha-Stewart-esque home decorations
35. Gum Tree Organisers by Happy Whimsical Hearts
36. Hole Punched Nature Candle Holders by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
37. Tree Jewellery by Hinterland Mama
38. Magnetic Tree by A Little Learning for Two
39. Creating with Flowers, Leaves & Twigs by Creative Play Central
40. Nature Fridge Magnets by Hinterland Mama
41. Jingle Sticks by Danya Banya (post coming soon)
42. Christmas Nature Garland by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
43. Outdoor Fairy Tree by A Little Learning For Two
44. Nature Spider Web by Wildlife Fun 4 Kids
45. Sticks by Hinterland Mama
46. Simple Lanterns by Red Ted Art
47. Nature mobile by Danya Banya
You can make dolls, houses, boats etc – great for roleplay
48. Bush Critters by The Craft Train
49. Seed Pod Boats by One Perfect Day
50. Stick People by Danya Banya
51. Stick Raft by A Little Learning for Two
52. Pebble Fairy House by Be A Fun Mum
53. Seed Pod Cradles by Hinterland Mama
54. Fairy Garden by The Craft Train
55. Gumnut Babies by My Little Bookcase
56. Natural Fairy House by Be A Fun Mum
57. Fairy Furniture by Hinterland Mama
58. Playing with Seed Pods by Hinterland Mama
You can add natural materials to play dough, clay and other sensory dough play
59. Play Snow by Danya Banya
60. Making an Impression by The Inspired Treehouse
61. Exploring Clay with Preschoolers by One Perfect Day
62. Garden Treasures Play Dough by Octavia and Vicky
63. Fall Sensory Bin by Wildflower Ramblings
64. Play Dough Garden Centre by The Imagination Tree
65. Sensory Florist Fun by Mummy Musings and Mayhem
66. A Play Dough Nature Walk by How Wee Learn
You can make learning fun! Flora can be used in all sorts of ways to play and learn about art, maths, science, language, colour, categorisation, the environment, team work…
67. Leaf Matching by A Little Learning for Two
68. Numbers and Natural Materials by Learn with Play at Home
69. Flower Experiment by Ladybug’s Spots
70. Number Recognition Play by Danya Banya
71. Introducing Adjectives by My Little Bookcase
72. Patrick Dougherty Inspired Sculpture Art by Artchoo!
73. Floating Art by Learn with Play at Home
74. Counting and Grouping with Sticks by Learn with Play at Home
75. Colour Changing Roses by Octavia and Vicky
76. Why Leaves Change Colour by How Wee Learn
77. Leaf Scramble by The Inspired Treehouse
78. Rainbow Leaves by Be A Fun Mum
79. Drawing Nature by Hinterland Mama
80. Leaf Categorisation by The Inspired Treehouse
81. Deconstructing Flowers by Be A Fun Mum
82. Acorn Hopscotch by The Inspired Treehouse
Science activities in nature or in the woods involve exploring physics, biology, and ecology through nature journaling, building solar ovens, studying plant life cycles with seed experiments, creating water quality tests, observing animal habitats, and using natural materials for art or engineering challenges like building shelters or boats that float. Activities range from simple observations like leaf rubbings and scavenger hunts to hands-on projects like dirt batteries or making sun prints, all using the forest as a living laboratory.
Biology & Ecology
Nature Journaling: Sketch plants, record animal sightings, and document weather changes over time.
Plant Life Cycles: Plant seeds in clear jars to watch germination or dissect flowers to identify parts.
Tree Studies: Do leaf/bark rubbings, identify trees with spotter sheets, or measure tree height without climbing.
Insect & Animal Habitats: Use a white sheet to shake bugs from a tree or look for animal homes.
Water Quality: Test local water for pH or other factors using simple kits.
Physics & Chemistry
Solar Power: Build a solar oven from a pizza box or make sun prints with special paper.
Air Pressure & Flight: Launch bottle rockets or test parachutes for different toys.
Forces & Motion: Swing a water-filled glass to learn centripetal force or study friction with a slide.
Dirt Battery: Create a simple battery using dirt, wires, and a small light.
Engineering & Design
Shelter Building: Use sticks, leaves, and natural materials to build structures that can withstand wind or rain.
Boat Building: Construct twig boats and test if they sink or float.
Egg Drop Challenge: Design a container to protect an egg from a fall.
Observation & Art
Scavenger Hunts: Find specific items like a smooth stone, a certain leaf, or an animal track.
Nature Mandalas: Arrange leaves, stones, and twigs into circular art patterns.
Sundial: Become a human sundial to track the sun's movement.
Mar 5, 2014 — Science in the Forest * Autumn is a brilliant time of year for outdoor science activities in the forest. Find out why leaves change.
61 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities
May 20, 2024 — More Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities * Fly a kite. You can learn a lot about physics when you make and fly your own kit...
Here you will find loads of fun things to do with sticks. My children are forever collecting sticks. Sticks have to be the ultimate toy or craft material. Children just love them. I love how children’s imaginations come to life with a simple stick. I’m going to share lots of ideas for the humble stick. Find more Nature activities for kids here.
Things to do on a walk with sticks
My kids love collecting sticks on walks. They’re one of our favourite things to collect on a nature walk. It always keeps them happy. Perhaps yours do too. Have you ever wondered though about what to do with sticks? Below you’ll find loads of stick ideas.
There are so many things you can do with sticks on a walk. Here’s a few idea for activities with sticks to get you started with.
Use them as a walking stick
Sometimes the most simple ideas are enough to keep children entertained on a walk. A stick seems to bring our my children’s imaginative play and their inner explorers too!
Play pooh sticks
Do you remember playing pooh sticks as a child? All you need is a stick each and a bridge over a flowing river or stream. Simply all throw your sticks in at the same time, on the side of the bridge where the water is flowing away from you, run to the other side and see whose stick comes through first. Sounds simple but kids love it. Just watch their competitive or investigative side come out. What kind of stick goes fastest? Is it better in the middle or near the sides of the stream?
Make art on the floor
Collect some sticks, fallen leaves, pine needles and other natural loose parts and create art on the floor. Perhaps you’ll make a beautiful mandala or a simple pattern or even a picture. Find some summer art activities to try here.
Create a stick maze
Lay sticks on the ground to create the pattern of a maze. If you create it large enough you could challenge someone to walk through it or perhaps just roll a conker through a smaller maze.
This is one of our favourite winter activities for kids.
Can your kids create a stick maze?
Make a journey stick
My girls love creating journey sticks. They’re really fun to create on walks. They are a collection of natural things that your child finds on your walk. Anything from leaves, feathers and wildflowers.
There are different ways to do it depending on the age of your child. The simplest way is to take some tape to stick things to a stick. For older children, take some coloured wool or * garden twine and tie the bits of nature to your stick.
Find step-by-step instructions for two easy ways to create a journey stick here.
Sticking flowers to her journey stick
Play fetch
Perfect if you have a dog but my kids actually like to pretend to be dogs and play this sometimes too.
Make a stick den
My girls love finding stick dens on walks. Why not have a go at den building yourself though? One large enough for your child is not always possible but how about creating a small one for a toy? Find out how to build a den with sticks here.
Find more fun forest school activities here.
Measure how deep a puddle is
Try guessing how deep a puddle is and then use a stick to measure. You don’t need to take a ruler to measure exactly but it’s a great maths activity for preschool and primary school if you do.
How deep is this puddle?
Nature crafts to do with sticks
This is the section for you if you have ever wondered what can I make with sticks? I have lots of stick craft ideas for you.
My children love creating as much as they love being outdoors so we love to combine the two. Nature crafts are also perfect for bringing nature inside rainy days. Crafts are also a good way to practice fine motor skills as your child will be handling small pieces in all these fun ideas.
You can do many of these crafts out and about if you have a few basic supplies with you or they are a great way to use that ever growing pile of sticks at home. These are the supplies we love:
* String or twine
You might choose to collect the sticks on your walk and do the crafting at home. In this case you need a * children’s treasure collecting bag. My kids love collecting nature on our walks.
Create wool-wrapped sticks
A really simple nature craft is to tie a piece of wool to a stick and tightly wrap it around the stick and then tie off at the other end. You could do them all one colour or change colours to make a pattern.
Create a nature loom weaving
Make a frame using four sticks and some garden twine, string or wool which you use to bind the corner together. Once you have your frame tie a piece of wool to the frame and wrap it around the frame from one side to the other side. Then simply fill it full of nature such as leaves, long grass and flowers. This is one of many Forest school activities for 2 year olds.
Make a bow and arrow
For this, you will need a flexible stick for the bow and a shorter, straight stick for the arrow. Start by making the bow by securely tying some wool to one end, bending the stick into an arc and tying the string at the other end. You can decorate your stick with feathers, wool and washi tape. As well as using cardboard to make a point for your arrow.
Make flags
Sticks are perfect for making flags. The ones below are triangles of decorated paper, attached with * masking tape. So simple but kids will love making them, displaying them, using them as plant markers in the garden or running around using them as batons in a relay race.
Make a stickman
We love the Julia Donaldson book * Stickman. Why not make your own with sticks bound together with some wool. Perfect for children to use in their own storytelling sessions.
Make a stick wind chime
How about using some painted sticks to make a wind chime for your garden like this one?
Make a god’s eye
This is a great craft that uses sticks and wool to make a god’s eye, this one is ideal for older kids. Find out how to make them Gods eye weaving. They’re not only fun but they’ll use up all those tangled-up wool scraps too.
Make a stick boat
Stick rafts or stick boats are really simple to make and then you can take them outside to float their little boat in a puddle, stream or even the seashore.
Make a wand
There are many different ways to make a magic wand. The one below is made with flowers and leaves tied to the stick, a real flower fairy wand. We’ve also made them with ribbons, beads and pipe cleaners. Simply choose the most fun way for your child.
Use them in a bug hotel
This is a really simple bug hotel to make. Simply thread a length of string through an empty kitchen roll tube and tie the ends together to make a loop. Then fill the tube with sticks. You could also do the same with a plastic bottle with each end cut off to make a more weatherproof and permanent bug hotel.
Use them with clay to make creatures
Air-dry clay is a great art material to combine with natural materials. Sometimes my kids will make creatures like this cute little hedgehog. Short sticks are great for spikes but also legs and arms in other creatures. Find * air dry clay here. You could also use play dough for young children.
Decorate them
Why not wrap * pipe cleaners around sticks? you could even add beads or other decorative objects to some of the pipe cleaners. A great fine motor activity.
Paint them
Washable * poster paints are great for worry-free painting with young children. For older children, acrylic paints will give more vibrant colours. I love these * acrylic paints for kids (UK only).
You could even decorate your sticks further with pipe cleaners and beads once dry. This is always such a fun activity.
Painting sticks with washable poster paint
Make a nest
Use sticks, moss, straw and anything else you can find that is suitable to make mini bird nests.
Make a stick picture frame
Create a really simple frame using 4 sticks bound together as we did for the nature loom above.
Make nature paint brushes
Painting with nature is so much fun. In the autumn we love painting with leaves and conkers (see my post on autumn process art for more details). Nature paint brushes can be made all year round with anything you find. Think fallen leaves, dandelions, feathers and moss. Simply tie your chosen natural material to a stick. Then give your child the nature paintbrushes, some paint and paper and watch them explore the different marks each brush creates.
Find more Easy nature art for kids here.
Make a stick butterfly
This is a really simple to create stick butterfly craft with kids. All you need are sticks, coffee filter paper, felt tips and pipetts. How beautiful are they?
Other things to do with sticks
Make a mud pie
Kids love mud. Sticks are great for using to mix things like soil and water or perhaps your child will choose to make a magic potion with water and flower petals. They can use a stick to mix up this potion.
Make a campfire
Toasting marshmallows over a fire has to be one of the highlights of forest school sessions for my kids. Pictured below is a * Kelly kettle.
Make sure you pack a * fire steel and these * kneeling mats are lightweight and great for kneeling on damp grass.
Pretend it’s a broomstick
I’m sure your kids will come up with even more things to pretend the stick is. Tell me your favourite stick activity in the comments.
Where to next?
We love outdoor activities for children like walking and nature crafts.
Leaves are another great natural material to use in activities. Find loads of autumn leaves activities for toddlers here.
Find more ideas for outdoor activities for toddlers here.
If you’re particularly looking for outdoor activities, then you need Autumn outdoor activities for kids
I know how difficult it can be to keep kids happy on a walk. I’ve got you covered with 25 things to do on a walk with kids.
Do you want even more ideas for things to do outside with kids?
Perhaps you need ideas for things to do outside at home? There are so many things you can do in your garden, driveway or even a small balcony.
Find my favourite inspiring outdoor play quotes here.
How to Prepare Pinecones for Crafting
Before we get started with the crafts, though, here are a few tips about preparing your pine cones for crafts. You don’t HAVE to do any preparation if you don’t want to, but since pine cones can often harbor tiny bugs, I always recommend using one of these quick prep solutions to avoid introducing any pests into your home.
Prep Pine Cones with Vinegar
In your sink or a bucket, make a vinegar solution that is 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Soak the pine cones for 30 minutes in the solution and then allow to dry completely before using them for crafting.
Prep Pine Cones in the Oven
To rid the pine cones of any pests, preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Place the pinecones on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes (larger pine cones can be baked for up to 60 minutes if necessary). Baking the pine cones into the oven will also cause them to dry out and open up a bit more, which is really handy for crafting!
Prep Pine Cones with Both Methods
Of course, you could also opt to dunk your pinecones in the vinegar solution and then dry them in the oven. This is actually my favorite method, and it fully ensures that your pinecones are clean, free from any living organisms, and ready for crafting.
Fun and Creative Pine Cone Crafts!
Click on the images below to explore these 14 Creative Pine Cone Crafts from our friends! Please leave a comment on your favorites so our bloggy friends know you found them at Mom Does Reviews! ~ Happy crafting, Diane
Pinecone Snowman
DIY Pine Cone Candle Holders
DIY Cotton Stem - Farmhouse Style Decor
DIY Pinecone Wreath
Pinecone Owls
Elegant Yarn Wrapped Pinecone Ornaments
DIY Snowy Pine Cone Wall Hanging
Holiday Pinecone Crafts
Pinecone Roses
Beautiful Pinecone Place Card Holders for Your Holiday Table
DIY Gold Pinecone Topiary
How To Make A Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Faux Succulent Vertical Hanging Wall Garden
DIY Rose Petal Holiday Tree
Wonderful Fall Leaf Crafts Ideas
When it comes to fall crafting, nothing beats fall leaf crafts!
It’s one of the most fun and frugal nature crafting materials ever, and you can easily plan your fall leaf projects for every age group – there are a whole lot of possibilities!
We love making all kinds of crafts with real leaves as it’s different shapes and colors allow many creative projects. You can make all kinds of different animals and creations with imagination being your guide.
When it comes to toddlers and preschool, our favorite thing to make is to supply kids with a bunch of leaves, googly eyes, glue and a sheet of paper and just let them create their arts and crafts. You’ll be amazed at all sorts of crazy cool things they will be coming up with (you’ll find some inspiration right here too).
We also have some cool ideas to share with you that will be great to use with a themed unit.
Fall Leaf Art With Printable Prompts
Draw simple forest animals or use our fun printable leaf art prompts to create a gorgeous fall-themed display. If you press and preserve leaves these artworks will stay as they are for years to come.
Easy Leaf Printing Art for Kids
Why use regular brushes when you can use leaves as one? Paint the leaves and make all kinds of wonderful artsy creations. We have a simple-to-follow leaf art tutorial that will guide you through all the steps for making a fall forest scene.
Bat Leaf Art
Gather maple leaves and transform them into the one and only flying mammal – the bat. See how we made our leaf bats.
Lion Leaf Craft for Preschoolers and Kindergarten
This magnificent lion leaf craft comes with a fun template for kids to color in, so it’s a great activity with leaves that focuses on fine motor skills and pencil grip.
For a more open-ended process, skip the template and have the kids design their own lion head with a variety of materials offered to them – construction paper, paints, fabric, googly eyes…
Leaf Crafts With a Paper Plate
This paper plate hedgehog craft is one of my personal favorite paper plate crafts ever. Oh, the pointy spikes! Adorable!
And with deep paper plates, this one will easily stand on its own – with regular ones just tuck a paper roll between them to spread them a little, and it will work out just fine.
Why only use paints and paper when you can make an awesome-looking hedgehog with real leaves? Can there really be a more fitting fall leaf project than this one?
Paint them
Give your little ones some paint and let them get super creative transforming real leaves into little creatures of all kinds…
They could be making leaf ladybugs, bugs, foxes, or anything really.
Draw on them
Give the kids a selection of dry leaves and a black marker and watch them create. From silly faces to these adorable hedgehogs. Only their imagination is the limit here!
Pair Paper Rolls with Leaves
When two super popular crafting materials clash… Magic happens!
Combine leaves with paper rolls and create wonderful creatures. We loved making this paper roll turkey, and we just know a peacock would turn out pretty cool too.
Make Flowers
Gorgeous-looking flowers are another fun thing you can do. You can make them stand up like we did with this sunflower craft or have the kids glue the leaves on a sheet of paper.
Another Leaf and Paper Plate Combo
Use a paper plate as a base to stick all your leaves on and create a wonderful turkey craft or even a peacock one.
Pinceone + Leaves
Why stick with one material from nature when you can have two? Pick up a pinecone and let the crafting fun begin!
More Wonderful Leaf Arts and Craft Ideas
Art activity – get crazy creative with this simple activity from Arty Crafty Kids.
DIY crowns – what better way to celebrate fall season than to make yourself a wonderful crown out of nature’s materials like Red Ted Art did.
Pressed dishes – combine clay and leaves to make the most adorable little dishes – a great tutorial from The Best Ideas for Kids
Bookmarks – this cool technique from Buggy and Buddy can be used to make the most gorgeous fall bookmarks ever.
Dreamcatchers – falling asleep will be easy with these gorgeous dreamcatchers made by The Craft Train.
Zombies – the silliest idea from Mother Natured.
Mobile – you won’t believe how amazing a mobile made out of leaves can be! by hello, Wonderful
Leaf Prints – oh so colorful! I Heart Crafty Things
Another crown – this time it comes with a template you can decorate with either real leaves or other fun materials. by Twitchetts
Suncatcher – you can make great suncatchers with leaves, just check this one by Fireflies and Mud Pies
Threading Leaves – another wonderful fine motor activity by Kids Crafts Room
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Science activities in tnature in the woods involve exploring physics, biology, and ecology through nature journaling, building solar ovens, studying plant life cycles with seed experiments, creating water quality tests, observing animal habitats, and using natural materials for art or engineering challenges like building shelters or boats that float. Activities range from simple observations like leaf rubbings and scavenger hunts to hands-on projects like dirt batteries or making sun prints, all using the forest as a living laboratory.
Biology & Ecology
Nature Journaling: Sketch plants, record animal sightings, and document weather changes over time.
Plant Life Cycles: Plant seeds in clear jars to watch germination or dissect flowers to identify parts.
Tree Studies: Do leaf/bark rubbings, identify trees with spotter sheets, or measure tree height without climbing.
Insect & Animal Habitats: Use a white sheet to shake bugs from a tree or look for animal homes.
Water Quality: Test local water for pH or other factors using simple kits.
Physics & Chemistry
Solar Power: Build a solar oven from a pizza box or make sun prints with special paper.
Air Pressure & Flight: Launch bottle rockets or test parachutes for different toys.
Forces & Motion: Swing a water-filled glass to learn centripetal force or study friction with a slide.
Dirt Battery: Create a simple battery using dirt, wires, and a small light.
Engineering & Design
Shelter Building: Use sticks, leaves, and natural materials to build structures that can withstand wind or rain.
Boat Building: Construct twig boats and test if they sink or float.
Egg Drop Challenge: Design a container to protect an egg from a fall.
Observation & Art
Scavenger Hunts: Find specific items like a smooth stone, a certain leaf, or an animal track.
Nature Mandalas: Arrange leaves, stones, and twigs into circular art patterns.
Sundial: Become a human sundial to track the sun's movement.
Mar 5, 2014 — Science in the Forest * Autumn is a brilliant time of year for outdoor science activities in the forest. Find out why leaves chang.
61 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities
May 20, 2024 — More Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities * Fly a kite. You can learn a lot about physics when you make and fly your own kit...
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Fun Nature Activities for Kids: How To Create A Nature Tray
NATURE CRAFTS
These nature crafts articles include simple activities that help kids learn about nature. Get ideas for entertaining and educational nature crafts.
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Detective Activities for Kids
Science Activities for Kids
There's no better way to connect with nature than to get up close and personal with a tree -- and the tree crafts for kids found on the following pages are a great way to get started. Learn more about tree crafts for kids in this article.
Try these nature projects for kids and gain an appreciation and understanding of our environment. Learn more about these nature projects for kids. With names such as a recycling project, star-gazing project, and an egg roll activity, you'll be sure to have tons of fun.
Nature Weaving Crafts for Kids
These nature weaving crafts for kids are ideal for children who are curious about weaving and art crafts. Try these nature weaving crafts and you'll see how easy they are to do.
Rock and Mineral Activities for Kids
Try these rock and mineral activities for kids and learn more about all sorts of rocks. Learn more about these rock and mineral activities for kids. With titles such as semiprecious barrettes activity and rock paint activity, you'll be sure to have tons of rocky fun!
From a tiny seed can grow an enormous tree. How does it happen? These fun tree activities for kids will reveal the many mysteries hidden in seeds and trees. They'll also remind you how important nature's giants really are.
Nature Craft Projects for Kids
Nature craft projects for kids are fun, and they will learn a lot, too! With titles such as Plaster Forever Fish, Apple Tree Centerpiece, and Seashell Box, you'll be sure to discover an entertaining nature craft. Learn to do all sorts of nature craft projects for kids in this article.
Our beautiful earth offers lots of nature experiments for kids and parents to enjoy. Learn how to make a toad shelter and how to play the whifflepoof trail game in this article. Learn more about nature experiments and activities for kids.
Nature Garden Activities for Kids
Nature garden activities can provide various exciting playspace experiences. Plant a box garden, build a pumpkin tunnel, or grow carrots with nature garden activities for kids. Read this article for more fun nature garden activities.
Plant activities for kids engage children in outdoor playspace projects. Check out plant activities for kids, and get your children exploring today. With names such as plant a rainbow, bottle terrarium, and taste test garden, you'll be sure to have lots of fun.
Easy Nature Activities for Kids
Easy nature activities for kids take them outside to learn and have fun, from hollow logs, tree limbs and more. Learn easy nature activities for kids, such as counting tree rings, walking like animals, and how to make a grass whistle.
24 Nature Weaving Projects to Try
Enter the captivating world of nature weaving, where the beauty of the great outdoors merges with the creativity of crafting.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 24 enchanting nature-weaving projects that will spark your imagination and connect you with the natural world uniquely and artistically.
These projects offer a delightful blend of artistry and eco-friendliness, using materials sourced directly from the environment.
So, grab your basket, venture into the woods or your backyard, and get ready to weave a bit of the wild into your life with these inspiring and eco-conscious projects.
Nature weaving projects
1. Craspedia DIY
Craspedia DIY from Fibers and Klaus Wagener and his team from BLOOM’s Deco for the designs and Danziger.
2. Branch Weaving and More Nature Weaving
Branch Weaving and More Nature Weaving from Fibers and Design Weaving
3. Nature Weaving Craft
Nature Weaving Craft from Hearth and Vine
4. Nature Weaving
Nature Weaving from How to Draw with Laura Norris
5. Weaving with Nature on a Homemade Loom
Homemade Loom from Brandywine Museum of Art
6. Wildlife Wednesday: How to Do Natural Weaving
Wildlife Wednesday: How to Do Natural Weaving By Wildlife Watch UK
7. Branch Weaving DIY – Perfect Introduction to Weaving
Branch Weaving DIY – Perfect Introduction to Weaving from Cactus Lady Creation
8. Weaving on a Rock Loom Nature Weaving Tutorial
Weaving on a Rock Loom Nature Weaving Tutorial from Spring Bird Studios
Foraged basket weaving
9. Pine Needle Basketry
Pine Needle Basketry from Textile Indie
10. How It’s Made – Coconut Leaf Square Basket
How It’s Made – Coconut Leaf Square Basket from World Food Gallery
11. Bushcraft Containers: Basket Weaving, Clematis
Bushcraft Containers: Basket Weaving, Clematis from The MCQBushcraft
12. How to Make Bramble Cordage
How to Make Bramble Cordage from Woodlands TV
Nature weaving with kids
13. Get Outside and Make a Nature Loom
Nature Loom from Figment Creative Labs
14. DIY Cardboard Butterfly Nature Weaving
DIY Cardboard Butterfly from Woodlark Blog
15. How to Make a Nature Weaving
Nature Weaving from Learning and Explore Through Play
17. Nancy Zerbo Residency – Nature Weaving Loom
Nancy Zerbo Residency – Nature Weaving Loom from OT Creative Space
Preparing cordage
18. Daffodil String
Daffodil String from Mr C Outdoors
19. Cordage from Natural Materials for Beginners
Cordage from Natural Materials for Beginners from Susan Taylor Brown
20. How to Make Cordage from Day Lily Leaves
How to Make Cordage from Day Lily Leaves from S Ashley
21. Yucca Cordage Made Easy
Yucca Cordage Made Easy from Hunt Primitive
22. Basic Nettle String
Basic Nettle String from Sally Pointer
23. Preparing Burdock for Use in Basketry
Preparing Burdock for Use in Basketry from Sally Pointer
24. How to Make Natural Cordage from Bramble
How to Make Natural Cordage from Bramble from Zed Outdoors
Questions about nature weaving
Where can I find natural materials for my weaving projects?
Nature provides a vast array of materials suitable for weaving that can be found in various places. Here are some common sources:
Local parks and forests: Explore nearby natural areas like parks, forests, or nature reserves. Fallen branches, twigs, leaves, and grasses can be collected sustainably.
Your backyard: Your garden or backyard can be a treasure trove of weaving materials. Pruned branches, vines, and flowers can often be used.
Beaches: Seashells, driftwood, and beach grasses are excellent materials for coastal-themed weavings.
Fields and meadows: Wildflowers, dried grasses, and reeds can be collected in open fields or meadows.
Countryside walks: Take a leisurely walk in the countryside to discover a variety of materials such as willow branches, wild herbs, and feathers.
Can you provide tips for sourcing and preparing materials from nature?
Here are some tips for sourcing and preparing natural materials for your weaving projects:
Sustainability: Choose materials that are abundant and sustainable in your area. Avoid over-harvesting or damaging ecosystems.
Cleaning: Thoroughly clean and dry any materials you collect to remove dirt, insects, or contaminants.
Storage: Store your collected materials in a cool, dry place to prevent mold or rot. Use containers or bags with good ventilation.
Processing: Trim, cut, or strip materials as needed. For example, remove thorns from branches or separate leaves from stems.
Drying: If your materials are green, allow them to dry completely to prevent mold growth in your finished weaving.
Treatment: Some materials may require treatment to enhance durability. For instance, soak willow branches in water before weaving to make them more flexible.
Creativity: Don’t limit yourself to traditional materials. Experiment with unconventional items like feathers, pinecones, or seashells.
Are there any safety concerns or considerations when working with natural materials?
While nature weaving is a rewarding and eco-friendly craft, it’s essential to be aware of safety considerations:
Allergies: Some people may be allergic to certain plants or materials. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin or allergies.
Thorns and splinters: Be cautious when handling materials with thorns, prickles, or splinters. Wear protective gear as needed.
Insects and pests: Inspect materials for insects or pests before bringing them indoors. Freezing or heating materials can help eliminate unwanted critters.
Toxic plants: Some plants may be toxic when touched or ingested. Familiarize yourself with the local flora to avoid harmful materials.
Sharp tools: When cutting or processing materials, use sharp tools carefully and follow proper safety guidelines.