November 2008

As you are taking walks with your children this fall, why not let them collect a few handfuls of treasures to take home? Leaves, small twigs, acorns, and bits of moss can all be reused in a nature table or transformed into art.

For a Nature Collage:

If you found dry leaves, let your child crumble them up into a bowl.

Spread a tarp or newspaper over your work surface, and keep a damp rag nearby for wiping glue-covered fingers. Provide some kind of surface to glue the found items to: construction paper, cardboard, old cereal boxes, or even scrap wood can make good surfaces for art.

Pour a little washable glue into an old lid or small bowl and provide a brush (try to keep a few cheap brushes just for using with glue, as after this they will be too icky to use with paint). If you want, you can add a splash of food coloring or liquid watercolor to the glue.

Let your child do what they will! Younger children may just want to sift through the crushed leaves or smear the glue with their fingers, while older ones tend to get more interested in the composition.

Nature Sculpture How To:

The basic idea behind a nature sculpture is to stick items into clay or dough (twigs and other hard items work best).

Get some clay or play dough, cover your table with a tarp or newspaper, and set out a small bowl of warm water along with the items you brought home from the nature walk

Encourage your child to use the warm water to wet her fingers and soften the clay.You can supplement the natural items with anything else you have lying around: beads, buttons, beans, and dry pasta all work well

photo credits: Red Rain Boots courtesy of camy west, Fall Leaves courtesy of Wonderlane

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