Nature Crafts for Kids: Sticks, Stones and Leaves

Nature crafts begin with a walk. Collecting leaves, sticks, stones, pine cones and petals is half the fun, and turning them into art connects children with the outdoors. These crafts work in every season and suit ages 3 to 11.

Collecting rules

Teach children to collect respectfully:

• Take only what has fallen: leaves, sticks, pine cones and petals on the ground.
• Never pick wild flowers or pull plants up.
• Leave some for animals and other people.
• Don't take anything from nature reserves, where collecting is often not allowed.
• Wash hands after collecting.

Bring a bag, a basket or an egg carton for small treasures.

Leaf crafts

1. Leaf rubbings. Put a leaf under paper, vein side up, and rub with the side of a crayon.
2. Leaf creatures. Glue leaves onto paper to make animals: a fox, a hedgehog, a fish or a butterfly.
3. Leaf suncatcher. Arrange leaves between two sheets of sticky contact paper and hang in a window.
4. Leaf printing. Paint the back of a leaf and press it onto paper.
5. Leaf crown. Staple leaves onto a strip of card.

Stick crafts

1. Stick picture frame. Glue or tie four sticks into a square and decorate with wool.
2. Stick weaving. Tie two sticks in a cross, then wind wool around them to make a "God's eye."
3. Stick people. Wrap sticks with wool and add faces with markers.
4. Magic wands. Wrap a stick in ribbon and add a star at the top.
5. Rafts. Tie sticks together with string and float them in a puddle or stream.

Stone crafts

1. Painted rocks. Paint smooth stones as ladybirds, faces, or patterns.
2. Story stones. Paint simple pictures (a house, a tree, a dog, the sun) on stones and use them to tell stories.
3. Stone towers. Balance stones on top of each other (and take them down after).
4. Rock pets. Add googly eyes and give them names.

Flower and petal crafts

1. Pressed flowers. Press garden flowers between sheets of paper in a heavy book for one to two weeks. Use them in cards and bookmarks.
2. Petal pictures. Glue fallen petals onto paper to make pictures.
3. Flower crowns from daisies or garden flowers (with permission).

Pine cones, seeds and shells

1. Pine cone animals. Owls, hedgehogs and turkeys with paper and googly eyes.
2. Bird feeders. Roll pine cones in seed butter or peanut butter (no allergies) and birdseed.
3. Seed mosaics. Glue seeds, lentils and beans onto card in patterns.
4. Shell art. Glue shells onto a frame or a box.

Nature art (land art)

Make temporary art outside with what you find: a mandala of petals, a spiral of stones, or a face made of leaves. Take a photo before the wind rearranges it. Our mandala coloring pages are great inspiration.

Seasonal nature crafts

• Spring: petals, blossom and pressed flowers. See spring crafts.
• Summer: shells, stones and sand.
• Autumn: leaves, conkers, acorns and pine cones. See fall crafts.
• Winter: pine cones, evergreen sprigs and ice art. See winter crafts.

Learning through nature crafts

• Science: identify trees from their leaves, learn about seeds and seasons.
• Math: sort finds by size, color and shape, then count and graph them. Try our graphing worksheets.
• Literacy: use story stones to tell stories.
• Art: explore patterns and symmetry. Color nature pages and bug pages afterwards.

Ideas by age

Ages 3–5: leaf rubbings, petal pictures, painted rocks and sorting treasures.

Ages 6–8: leaf creatures, stick weaving, story stones and bird feeders.

Ages 9–11: land art, pressed flower cards, rafts and identifying trees.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Picking living plants. Collect only fallen items.
• Using fresh leaves. They curl. Press them first.
• Forgetting allergies. Check before using nuts or certain plants.

Frequently asked questions

How do I press flowers?

Place them between sheets of paper inside a heavy book for one to two weeks.

What's the easiest nature craft for toddlers?

Sticking leaves and petals onto sticky contact paper.

Are nature crafts messy?

Some are, but most are easy to clean up. Do painting outdoors if you can.

A nature crafts kit to take on walks

Fill a small bag or backpack with:

• A paper bag or egg carton for treasures
• A magnifying glass
• Paper and crayons for rubbings
• A small notebook and pencil
• Wet wipes
• A camera or phone for photos

Having a kit ready makes it easy to turn any walk into a craft adventure.

What are story stones?

Stones painted with simple pictures (a house, a tree, a dog, the sun). Children pull them out of a bag one at a time and use them to tell a story.

How do we make a nature mandala?

Choose a flat spot. Put something special in the middle, like a flower or a pine cone, then arrange rings of leaves, stones, sticks and petals around it.