Naturally crafty

Filed Under Tips & Tricks | August 13, 2008

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean it’s not a time to get crafty. And we’ve got great ideas from Keri of Craft Caravan on how to inspire your kids by sourcing your craft materials right from Mother Nature:

At the beach, make a seaweed print by rinsing a piece of seaweed with seawater, then floating it in a pan of seawater so that it opens fully. Slide a piece of stiff paper underneath the seaweed, lifting and tilting the paper to drain. Place print on newspaper to dry, covering with waxed paper and a heavy item (such as a book) for pressing. Note: replace waxed paper and newspaper daily to prevent mold.

On your next camping trip, prepare a treasure hunt list, including items found in nature such as twigs, leaves, bird feathers, pebbles, etc. Collect the treasure items with your child and use them to make a nature collage, or store in a camping treasure box. Note: ensure that there are no live ‘treasures’!

While hiking, make a nature bracelet with your child. Wrap a wide piece of masking tape around your child’s wrist, sticky side up. As you are hiking, your child can collect interesting items (leaves, petals, moss) to add to the bracelet.

If you’ve been berry picking, make berry paints from any overripe berries. Crush berries and strain the juice to use as paint. Finally, if you don’t mind a real mess, let your child hold the berries, using the berries themselves as the ‘paint brushes’.

We always recommend keeping a hefty supply of craft paints on hand during the summer. You can paint garden ornaments from anything you find on any of your excursions, including sticks, seashells, or rocks.

And wherever your journeys take you this summer, make sure you tote a sketch pad and pencil along. Asking the kids to draw what they see is a great way to connect them with their surroundings, and to remember that special hike, camping trip, or day at the beach. . .

Keri Zingle is a mother of two and driver of the Craft Caravan. If you’re not crafty yourself or strapped for time, check out their monthly craft club and receive everything you need in the mail: www.craftcaravan.com

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