Crafting. It’s that thing kids love to do, but parents dread because of all the cleanup. Between all the paper, glue, beads, glitter, paint and who knows what else, this fun endeavor can quickly turn into a headache of epic proportions.
But what if you took your crafting efforts into the great outdoors? And no, this doesn’t mean pack the craft bag and bring it to the back patio. This means, take that creative mind and spirit to the mountains, lakes, deserts, beaches, and even your own backyard to use what nature gave you—all while leaving no trace behind.
Here are some of the best crafts to experiment with in the great outdoors.
1. Design (and plant) a garden
If you’re going to start crafting outdoors, why not start with designing and planting a little garden outside? Decide where your space will be and have your child draw a picture based on the space you have. Decide where to put planter boxes or pavers, then have them draw out where the seeds will go.
This is a fun little art project that will keep on giving as your garden grows. You may even have a fun time taking photos of it as it grows, drawing pictures of the plants, and even creating beautiful bouquets. And if you decide to make it an edible garden, you will literally see the fruits of you labors.
2. Dandelion art
Dandelions grow abundantly in many yards in the springtime, and they also dot the landscape of many fields and hillsides. Depending on your outlook, these wildflowers can either be obnoxious weeds or an art project just waiting to happen.
If you belong in the crafty (and we’ll say optimistic group), you’ll love creating dandelion art.
All you need is some paper, hands for picking, and the desire to create yellow artwork—and what kid isn’t up for that, especially if it ends up all over your hands too? Simply have your child use the dandelion like a crayon. In fact, have them use the entire lot of dandelions for several minutes of creative fun.
3. Charcoal creations
If you like camping, you likely build a campfire to cook and keep warm in the great outdoors. When the fire has burned out, you are left with charcoal or burned wood that’s completely black. This charred wood is a great medium to create art on rocks and paper. In fact, this natural substance is actually sold in pencil form, and used by some of the world’s greatest artists.
So, grab some of those black bits from last night’s fire and create away!
4. Make clay from your own soil
Play-Doh is fun, but digging up and processing your own clay from your very own backyard is an experience. There are a few ways to do this and both include digging deep in the dirt.
The first way: Have your kids dig deep down to where the clay is, which is usually 5 to 8 inches below the topsoil. You can have your kids gather little bits of clay as they find it and put it in a pile to form a larger ball. This way is simple, but the clay will likely have sediment—tiny rocks or sand—that will make for a grittier clay.
If you want to spend a little more time to get the purest clay that you can make pots out of, there is a rather large process that involves digging up large quantities of clay (with sediment) and putting it in a bucket. You then collect the clay mud that settles at the top, and repeat the process after you have enough pure clay that you can wrap in a cloth to dry. If you want to try it, complete instructions can be found here.
5. Leaf rubbings
You did it in elementary school, and your parents and grandparents likely did too. And there is good reason for this timeless nature tradition.
The simple act of gathering leaves in the fall that have recently dropped from the treetops to make your own art piece is a fun tradition for all ages. Plus, feeling the grooves and curvatures of the leaves as you color over the paper, then seeing the leaves suddenly appear on your paper is simply magical.
For a complete tutorial on how you and your kids can create one of these nature masterpieces, follow this link.
6. Pine cone ornaments
While you’re out gathering leaves for leaf rubbings, pick up some pine cones, too. Pine cones are great for making crafts. One simple idea is to create pinecone ornaments for a Christmas or holiday tree.
Simply paint the tips of the cone all around with white paint to resemble snow. When the paint has dried, make a small loop of twine and hot glue it to the top so you can hang it on the tree. Make several of them so your tree looks like a pine tree that never left the forest.
While this may be a crafting endeavor that takes place indoors, it’s minimal mess—and optimal awesomeness—that your kids are sure to love.
