Nature Crafts for Kids

Let young crafters take inspiration from their natural surroundings. With a little imagination, flowers, leaves, twigs, and shells can be transformed into works of art.

Kids will love creating these one-of-a-kind seashell koalas out of scallop and clam shells.

With tape and plastic wrap, kids who love collecting objects on nature walks can easily have their outdoor treasures with them at all times.

Kids can carry pieces of the beach with them into the winter with this seashell wind chime.

Starting with two sticks 6 and 3 inches long and cotton string of varying lengths, tie one end of a string piece around a shell or piece of sea glass and the other end to one of the sticks. Use same-size pieces of string to connect the two sticks, and tie a 24-inch string to the top stick for hanging.

With a simple process, kids can make a rock collection come to life.

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Kids can watch plants grow before their eyes with a homemade terrarium.

Cover the bottom of a jar with gravel, and add 1/4 inch of ground charcoal. Mix 2 parts potting soil, 2 parts peat, and 1 part builder's sand; add to jar. Dig small holes for plants, such as sweet flag or Chinese elm. Spray completely with water before putting on lid. The terrarium should retain moisture, so rewatering won't be necessary, but check the soil periodically to be safe.

Your crafty young gardeners will love this easy floral project.

Gather branches that have fallen outside; let dry, if necessary. Cut out 2-inch squares of pink tissue, pinch tightly in the middle to create blooms, and affix them to branches with white glue. Display in a tall container, such as a canning jar with the lid's center removed.

These motifs (including sea horses and starfish, more correctly known as sea stars) are charming on kids' beachwear, and the process is easy enough for small helpers.

Young crafters can bring the jungle to life with this fun project using twigs, grass, and foilage.

With the power of the sun, kids can make creative prints to frame, hang, or give as gifts.

Have kids cut shapes from paper, spread restickable glue on the back, then stick them to a piece of construction paper. Tape the paper to a sunny window, facing out, and leave for at least a week (longer for higher contrast), then peel off cutouts. You can also lay three-dimensional objects (try rickrack, toothpicks, or buttons) flat on a piece of construction paper in a sunny place where they will not be disturbed. Protect final prints with a UV-resistant spray so the images don't fade.

Using eggshells as pots, your kids can grow a tiny garden right inside of an egg carton.

Plant seeds according to package instructions, and nestle planters in an egg carton on a sunny windowsill, where they can be watered easily. The first leaves to sprout will be the cotyledons or seed leaves, which supply nutrients to the young plant until the first true leaves (resembling those of the parent plant) appear. When plants have grown to about 3 inches and have at least two sets of true leaves, they are ready to be transplanted to the garden. (Remove them from the eggshells first.)

With pinecones, acorns, and acrylic paint, kids can create adorable pinecone mice.

Kids will love making these beachy terra-cotta plant pots using snail shells, Atlantic cockles, quahogs, or black calico scallops.

Use craft glue or hot glue to attach shells of uniform size. Start with a ring of shells at the top (shells should extend above the rim of the pot) and work downward, placing each successive row about halfway down the shells on the previous ring.