Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      Kick-start your day by making habits out of these mood-boosting tips. Read More
    • Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      It's one of your favorite fruits, but does it belong on the counter or in the refrigerator? Read More
    • This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      A few easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to create a powerful formula that squashes weeds. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    Show your love of country by displaying these varieties on America's birthday.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    Make gathering with loved ones a priority.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We asked the experts to weigh in on this popular home design concept.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    Confused about when to do what to your favorite flowering shrubs? We have you covered.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Pillows

    How to Wash Pillows

    They're an essential element of a comfortable bed, so keep yours fresh and in their best shape ever with these expert-approved tips.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Get the traditional rules for who pays for the wedding details.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    Our easy melt-and-pour method saves the last bit of this home essential.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    This buzzy ingredient is a star player in many new-age hair care products.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. DIY Projects & Crafts
  3. Kids Crafts
  4. 22 Nature Crafts That Will Encourage Kids to Explore the Great Outdoors

22 Nature Crafts That Will Encourage Kids to Explore the Great Outdoors

By Alexandra Churchill Updated October 28, 2021
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Pin
watercolor painting leaf art
Credit: Aaron Dyer

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.

Start Slideshow

1 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
watercolor painting leaf art
Credit: Aaron Dyer

Take a cue from Mother Nature: As summer's glow fades into crisp orange leaves, the great outdoors gets a seasonal makeover. And with the weather changes come new ideas for kids craft projects. 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. In keeping with the seasons, summer seashells and sand make for extraordinary ocean dioramas—just add keepsakes from the family trip, like nautical maps and figurines. During autumn, collect leaves and gourds for one-of-a-kind outdoor displays. In the winter, pinecones make charming pint-sized mice and rock crafts are found buried under snow. And by the time spring returns, flowers grown in eggshell pots make a charming garden for little ones to learn about their environment.

Today, kids seem to have even more reasons to stay indoors, as technology continues its speedy evolution and social distancing remains a priority. And while that may make it harder to get them outside, embarking on a nature walk with the whole family is the perfect way to ease back into nature. There's something magical about entering a quiet, covered forest. Plus, if your kids love to draw, the natural sights offer a feast of inspiration. Mid-autumn is the perfect time to plan a nature walk. In most parts of the country, the air is crisp but not too chilly, and the woods are awash in brilliant oranges, reds, and golds.

There's no end to the fun you can have when you engage with the wonders of the natural world around you. Go out, explore, collect, and make!

1 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Elbow Patches

children's craft station with natural materials
Credit: Nico Schinco

For some wholesome, hands-on fun this autumn, create an art station with natural materials. You can order a selection of dried foliage, or send mini naturalists out to gather it ahead of time, and flatten the leaves in books. Then channel an old-school professor and pass out faux-suede elbow patches. They're the ideal canvas for craft-gluing on fall flora in the shapes of butterflies, peacocks, foxes, owls, and other adorable creatures. Even cleverer: turning acorn tops into you-know-whooo's eyes.

Shop Now: PH PandaHall Oval Suede Elbow Patches, 4.3" by 5.5", $10 for 16, amazon.com; Elmer's White Glue, $2.99, staples.com; Gingko Leaves in Yellow, $12 for 25, and Pressed Autumn Leaves, $7 for 40, etsy.com; Assorted Acorn Caps, $5 for 60, newhampshirenature.etsy.com; Fall Japanese-Maple Leaves, $4 for 16, etsy.com.

2 of 23

3 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Dried Floral and Ribbon Crowns

child wearing craft crown
Credit: Nico Schinco
Get the Dried Floral and Ribbon Crowns How-To

Mini royals can craft their crowns out of ribbons and stemmed foliage—with a little help from their grown-up subjects.

3 of 23

Advertisement

4 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Leaf Painting

clothespin paintbrushes
Credit: Pernille Loof
Get the Clothespin Paintbrushes How-To

Nature provides incredible inspiration—and one-of-a-kind supplies. Get your fledgling creatives to gather grasses, leaves, stems, and flowers in your yard, at the park, or at day camp. Then pinch them into clothespins to make uniquely textured paintbrushes. Put out some washable tempera, and let them play out in the fresh air.

4 of 23

5 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Dyed Seashells

dyed-seashells-project-0617_vert
Credit: MANAL AMAN
Get the Dyed Seashell How-To

Dying a T-shirt in a bright color with your child is an easy warm-weather activity, but you can also apply this creative practice to other summer essentials, like seashells. After rounding up their favorite shapes and sizes of these oceanside staples, kids can dye them in bright hues to put on display in your home.

5 of 23

6 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bookshelf Terrarium

mld105281_0110_jar_terrarium.jpg
Get the Terrarium How-To

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 two parts potting soil, two parts peat, and one 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 re-watering won't be necessary, but check the soil periodically to be safe.

6 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Leaf Animals

crafting materials and leaf animal place cards
Credit: Aaron Dyer
Get the Animals Template

Young leaf collectors will love this project that creates colorful animals out of flattened leaves. Download and print our forest animal templates. Place each template on a leaf, secure it with tape, and use detail scissors to cut out the animal. (If you're using brittle leaves, reinforce them with layers of tape on the backs before cutting.) Write each child's name on their creation with a paint pen.

Shop Now: Nature Pressed Leaves, from $4, naturespressed.com; Cricut "Peacock" Gel Pen Set, Peacock, $13, michaels.com; Martha Stewart Detail Scissors, $12.49, michaels.com.

7 of 23

8 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sun Prints

sun prints hanging against wall
Credit: Jennifer Causey
Get the Sunprints How-To

With the power of the sun, kids can make creative prints to frame, hang, or give as gifts. Surrounded by natural beauty, wander the lush woods and rocky beaches in search of little treasures—feathers, pinecones, and ribbons of kelp—for making sun prints, a photography process that uses the sun's rays to produce enchanting negatives and silhouettes.

8 of 23

9 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pressed Flowers

flower boxes
Credit: Ryan Liebe

Pressed flowers from Mother Nature can enhance a simple box and transform it into a masterpiece to hold your prized possessions. To begin, choose specimens that naturally lie flat, like pansies, and plot your design. Then pick up one at a time, paint a little glue on its spot on the box, replace the flower, and brush it with the glue. Finish with several allover protective coats. As everything dries, visible brushstrokes will vanish.

Shop Now: ArtMinds Unfinished Wooden Box, $6.50, michaels.com; DIY Unfinished Round Wooden Boxes, 4", $17, orientaltrading.com; Suri Urushi One Tier Magewappa Large Oval Bento Box, $39, en.bentoandco.com; Milisten Unfinished Round Wooden Box, 6", $12, amazon.com.

9 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Nature Walk Bracelets

0206_kids_gtnatbracelet.jpg

Make a fashionable wrist cuff with treasures picked up on walks through the woods or on the beach. Cut a piece of wide masking or colored electrical tape to fit around your child's wrist, plus one inch. Arrange and press collected items onto sticky side of tape. With the sticky side up, fold ends under a couple of times. Cover sticky side of bracelet with plastic wrap, and trim excess. With a small hole punch or needle, make one hole through each end; tie a five-inch piece of string through each hole. Tie bracelet around wrist.

Shop Now: Gardner Bender Colored Electrical Tape, $4.11, homedepot.com.

10 of 23

11 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Eggshell Flowerpots

gt048_eggflowarr1_s.jpg

For young gardeners, use eggshells as pots to start seeds, and coffee-stirrer tags to foretell what will pop up where. Plant seeds according to package instructions, and nestle planters in an egg carton on a sunny windowsill, where they can be watered easily.

11 of 23

12 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Koala Seashells

shell koalas
Credit: Sang An

Kids will love creating these one-of-a-kind seashell koalas out of scallop and clam shells, which you can find year-round in craft stores and some gift shops. Experiment with different combinations to come up with animal shapes before gluing everything into place. We chose small scallop and clam shells for the koalas, and long razor clams decorated with ring-top cowries for the tree. Use small cushions of polymer clay, which is pliable and slightly sticky, to test out various arrangements. For assembly, a tacky, quick-drying glue works best. Build heads and bodies separately. Before joining larger parts, use a brush to glue on small parts (such as beads for eyes) and clay to support creatures while glue dries.

Shop Now: U.S. Assorted Shells, $5, michaels.com; Craft Smart Polymer Clay, $13, michaels.com.

12 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Ocean Diorama

0206_kids_oceandiorama.jpg
Credit: Gentl & Hyers
Get the Ocean Diorama How-To

These ocean dioramas evoke vivid memories of summer days by the sea. The fish and lighthouse were color-copied from the tins' labels and are at home among the seaside mementos. With this project, kids can re-create their favorite elements of the beach right inside your home.

13 of 23

14 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Natural Ink

natural ink swatches
Credit: Jason Logan
Get the Natural Ink How-To

Non-toxic art supplies are just a step into your backyard. Natural materials—leaves, berries, bark, moss—are transformed into rich pigmented colors that are gentle enough for little hands. Encourage the kids to explore outside, gather things, and concoct experiments with what they find.

14 of 23

15 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Rock Painting

kids-crafts-book-rock-fish-629.jpg
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Get More Ideas for Rock Crafts

Those smooth stones you collect on nature walks and on strolls along the shore have a lot of life in them—you just need to apply some paint and glue to form alligators, ladybugs, frogs, and more.

15 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Acorn Dolls

acorn people
Credit: Aaron Dyer

When autumn rolls in and we're busy hosting the family feast indoors, these dolls will keep little ones happily occupied. To make them, kids collect a bunch of acorns in a variety of sizes—turn mini acorns into babies and bigger ones into adults. For even more hours of imaginary play, gather leaves, branches, and other backyard materials to make an entire town.

Shop Now: Woodworks Round Wooden Balls, from $1.50, craftparts.com.

16 of 23

17 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Wind Chimes

person holding shell wind chimes
Credit: Laurie Frankel

Whether your children are combing the beach for shells or sea glass, this project makes great use of their treasures. Start by finding two sticks that are about three inches in length, then use cotton string of varying lengths to tie one end around a shell or piece of sea glass and the other end to one of the sticks. Use two same-size pieces of string to connect the sticks and tie a 24-inch string to the top one to hang it up.

Shop Now: Regency Natural Cotton Twine, $5, amazon.com.

17 of 23

18 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Photo Rocks

rocks-020-d112033.jpg
Credit: Linda Pugliese

Nothing is more treasured than a family picture—unless that picture is printed on shells or smooth surface rocks. This fall, take your favorite summer snapshots and decoupage them onto a few natural surfaces.

Shop Now: Mod Podge Satin, $5, michaels.com; Martha Stewart Crafts Basic Brush Set, $20, michaels.com.

18 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Natural Tie-Dye

naturally dyed fabrics with sumac
Credit: Gentl + Hyers Styling: Pamela Duncan Silver
Get the Tie-Dyeing How-To

Avocado pits make pink. Blueberries create violet. Dried marigolds yield yellow. Start a dye garden with the family, and kids can make these natural dyes—beets, spinach, turmeric, and red cabbage create a brilliant range of colors perfect for any project.

19 of 23

20 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pinecone Decorations

christmas-lake-tahoe-ornament-details-5774-d111862.jpg
Credit: Kathryn Barnard
Get More Ideas for Handmade Holiday Ornaments

When winter has everyone snowed indoors, a bundle of pinecones and woodsy twigs and branches are materials made for a day of crafting. Have the kids pick their favorites and tie them up with festive red string or use their shapes and textures to imprint a cutout of oven-bake clay.

20 of 23

21 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Colorful Kinetic Sand

DIY colorful kinetic sand
Get the Colorful Kinetic Sand How-To

Make the most of a beach trip by collecting sand and turning it into a colorful project. This craft only requires a few other ingredients and supplies you likely already have in your home, such as cornstarch and a mixing bowl. This sensory activity for kids is taken up a notch by adding bright shades to create a memorable and malleable nature-inspired DIY.

21 of 23

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Leaf Candleholders

mld105445_1110_votives3.jpg

While out on a walk in the great outdoors, round up fallen leaves and give them new life by adding them as décor on these glass candleholders. To begin, apply spray adhesive to the backs of the leaves. Wrap the leaves around a candleholder, letting the stem of each extend slightly past the base. Cut off any leaf overhang along the bottom of the candleholder. Place the cylinders around the house for a cocktail party, or line them up down the center of a dinner table. Against the candlelight, the leaves look like vibrant flames.

Shop Now: Gorilla Heavy Duty Spray Adhesive, $9.47, amazon.com; Ashland Cube Glass Vase, 5", $12.49, michaels.com.

22 of 23

23 of 23

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Flower Cloche

miniature-arrangements-under-glass-678-main-d112539.jpg
Credit: Aaron Dyer

Kids will love picking out fresh blooms from your garden to put on display. To create this project, place floral clay on the bottom of a flower-pin frog to secure it inside of a small, sturdy cup. Fill the cup three-quarters full of water. Set a glass cloche next to it, so you know how high the blooms will be, then cut flowers and greenery, and stick them onto the pins. To finish, set the cup on a plate and cover it with the cloche. Check the water daily—the display can last about a week.

Shop Now: Ashland Glass Cloche with Metal Base, 12", $16.09, michaels.com; TinaWood Kenzan Ikebana Flower Frog Pin, 1.4", $8.86, amazon.com.

23 of 23

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Alexandra Churchill

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 23
    2 of 23 Elbow Patches
    3 of 23 Dried Floral and Ribbon Crowns
    4 of 23 Leaf Painting
    5 of 23 Dyed Seashells
    6 of 23 Bookshelf Terrarium
    7 of 23 Leaf Animals
    8 of 23 Sun Prints
    9 of 23 Pressed Flowers
    10 of 23 Nature Walk Bracelets
    11 of 23 Eggshell Flowerpots
    12 of 23 Koala Seashells
    13 of 23 Ocean Diorama
    14 of 23 Natural Ink
    15 of 23 Rock Painting
    16 of 23 Acorn Dolls
    17 of 23 Wind Chimes
    18 of 23 Photo Rocks
    19 of 23 Natural Tie-Dye
    20 of 23 Pinecone Decorations
    21 of 23 Colorful Kinetic Sand
    22 of 23 Leaf Candleholders
    23 of 23 Flower Cloche

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    22 Nature Crafts That Will Encourage Kids to Explore the Great Outdoors
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.