Art •
Art
Make funny faces out of leaves, mud and bark! This nature craft can be done all year round using bits and pieces you can find in the woods or your garden. Look for mud, leaves, bark, flowers, pebbles and feathers. Create a face peeping up from the woodland floor, or peering down from a tree trunk. Make a leafy portrait, or a whole family of faces! Leave your funny faces in the woods for other people to find. On your next visit, look to see if any new ones have joined them!
Find all the lovely leaves on this super spotter sheet. Take this spotter sheet with you when you’re out and about. Can you find all the leaves? Look for leaves on the ground and in the trees Have you spotted more long, fat, spiky or curled leaves? Which is your favourite type of leaf? Try collecting the different types of leaves you find. Perhaps you could take them home and use them to make a lovely leafy picture?
Make a colourful mask using autumn leaves. One of the best things about autumn is the colourful leaves! Turn them into a fantastic face mask with this fun and easy craft. Head outside and collect some fallen leaves – look for reds, yellows, oranges and golds. Cut out a mask shape from some card. Don’t forget the eye holes! Stick your leaves to the card. Attach some ribbon so you can wear it.
Create a mobile from sticks and leaves. Bring the woods home and make a memento of your day out. Your mobile can be as big or as small as you like Look for leaves that are different colours, shapes and sizes Paint your sticks for an extra splash of colour Hang your mobile in your room, or leave it in the woods for other people to discover.
Ahoy, me hearties! Make ye own pirate hat and set sail. Collect lots of different shapes, sizes and colours of leaves and stick them to your pirate hat. Add a pirate symbol like a skull and cross bones to the front of your hat Are you the captain or best mate? Always ask a grown-up to help you when cutting out Now you’re ready to set sail and scavenge for buried treasure!
Use leaves and crayons to create amazing pictures. Make your own autumn woodland using real leaves. Collect leaves that are different shapes and sizes Use the wide sides of crayons to rub over leaves Try and get all the little details, like veins and crinkly edges Once you’ve rubbed enough leaves, stick them on your wall and make a leaf rubbing forest!
Make a sensory box using leaves and toys. Add your autumn items and favourite toys to a shoebox, and get hunting! This is a fantastic sensory activity for tiny Nature Detectives Describe the sounds the leaves make in the box rustle, crunch, shush! Choose lots of different toys balls and wooden figures are great
Welcome to the second edition of the Loose Parts Play Toolkit. Since 2016, when it was first published under Scotland’s Play Strategy, we have seen a burgeoning of loose parts play in schools and nurseries, play, care, childminding and out of school settings. Across the country, education and play practitioners are building a body of knowledge from their experiences of facilitating play and, at the same time, managing an array of challenges that come from the introduction of loose parts
Make your own wand and weave a little woodland magic. Find a special stick and turn it into a magic wand. Then get set to cast some spells! Your wand can be as brightly coloured as you like Try making different wands for different spells Don’t forget to add natural items like feathers and fallen leaves to your wand You might need a grown-up to help you peel the bark from your stick.
Make a magic potion using natural treasures. If you go down to the woods today, you’ll find heaps of ingredients to make your own make potion. Collect some mysterious bits and bobs. Can you find a fluffy feather, some scented pine needles, a shiny acorn? Add water and a little food colouring. Use a special stirring stick to give everything a magic mix Now make a wish! This is a great activity for Halloween, or if your kids like playing witches and wizards.
Transform ordinary sticks into dazzling star decorations. This is a great craft to try in winter when you’ll find lots of twigs on the forest floor. Fasten some sticks together in a star shape Paint it bright colours Hang your star on your Christmas tree or on your bedroom wall!
Make your own wreath using twigs, pine cones or evergreen leaves. This hands-on activity is great fun. Here are some ideas to get you started: Twist twigs together to make the wreath base, or use cardboard Experiment with different shapes – a square, an oval or a star Keep the natural look or paint your wreath bright colours A wreath is a traditional Christmas decoration, but you could display yours throughout winter as a celebration of this beautiful season!
Pop your woodland treasures into a paper bag and decorate it. You’ll need somewhere to store all your wonderful woodland items, so why not make a treasure bag? Use these sheets to decorate your treasure box or bag Make sure the bag is brightly coloured you could even add patterns! Maybe you could give it a special theme? Try woodland animals or leaves. Now you’re all set to collect your woodland treasures remember to take your bag next time you go on an adventure!
An easy and fun Bonfire Night craft. In autumn you’ll find the most beautiful leaves on the ground. They are perfect for making colourful leafy fireworks. Look for leaves that are different shapes, sizes and colours Get creative make a long tail, lay down layers of different colours, or make a huge circle or star shape! Build a bonfire using sticks and flickering leafy ‘flames’ to go with your fireworks This activity can be done in your garden, park, school grounds, or local wood. Just find a clear patch of ground and start creating!
Crown yourself king or queen of the woods! Find leaves of different shapes, sizes and colours Your crown can be as fancy or as simple as you like Maybe you could create a crown using your favourite leaves? Try making a new crown every time you go to the woods during autumn.
Make a brrrilliant blizzard! Practise with our printable snowflake template, then try snipping out your own designs. You could… Experiment with size. Can you make huge or tiny snowflakes? Use silver paper to create snow that sparkles Use different-shaped hole punches instead of scissors (Remember to check with a grown-up before using scissors – they can help cut out the tricky bits too!) Paper snowflakes make fantastic winter decorations. Hang them on your Christmas tree, stick them to your windows, or string them together to make a snowy garland.
Make 2D shapes using sticks
Make your home fantastically festive with these snowmen paper chains. Paper chains are super simple to make, and look great! Grab different coloured paper and use our sheet as a template Ask your grown-up to help you cut the snowmen out Give your snowmen different faces maybe one has a carrot for a nose, and another has a piece of coal Get decorating! Ask your grown-up to hang the snowmen chains around your Christmas tree or in your room.
Build your boat from twigs and sail away. Next time you’re in the woods, create your own pirate galleon or Viking longship. Set sail through the trees Create your ship using what you find on the forest floor Keep your eyes peeled for buried treasure Make your own treasure map, and sail through the woods to where X marks the spot.
Create a castle fit for a moley king or queen. Look out for molehills when you’re playing outside, and get building. Find lots of different natural items like leaves and twigs to decorate the castle Don’t forget to create a moat and drawbridge Be as imaginative as you like try making turrets and flags too Molehills are made when moles push the earth out from their underground tunnels.
Get your hands dirty and make muddy creatures. We love squelchy, sticky, gloopy mud! Grab a handful and get sculpting. There’s no limit to what you can create let your imagination run wild Make mud monsters and animals the wackier the better Use whatever you can find to add eyes, ears, a mouth even wings to your creation What type of creatures will you magic up from the mud?
Make masks from household items
10 Covid-19 friendly lesson plans from Outdoor Symposium Aug 2020
Build a den for your toys so they can join in the fun! Get creative with sticks, leaves and other natural bits and bobs, and make a mini woodland hideaway. Make sure you build your den in a sheltered spot, so it’s away from the wind Will your den be tall or small? Which sticks are best for the walls? Experiment with grass and fallen leaves which makes the comfiest floor? Little brothers and sisters will love helping you with this activity, so try making enough dens for everyone.
Make your own mini woodland using bits and bobs from the forest floor. Ever wondered what it would be like to be a giant wandering through the woods? Well now’s your chance! All you need is a flat, smooth patch of ground, and then you can get creative! What will you use for trees, bushes and ponds? Think about their shape, colour and texture Do any animals or magical creatures live in your wood? What are they? Your woodland can be as big or as tiny as you like all you need is your imagination and a few bits and pieces!