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Children are naturally curious and as parents and caregivers, we can help foster that wonder and creativity. I have four exciting nature-inspired, budget-friendly activities that will keep your little ones entertained and spark imagination and appreciation for the natural world.
Note: Teaching children about nature’s importance begins with responsible exploration. Encourage them to pick items only from the ground, leaving living trees and bushes untouched, and avoid touching things they don’t know to foster a deep respect for the environment.
So, grab some sunscreen, put on your adventure hats, and dive into these fun-filled activities!
1. Nature Painting
Who needs traditional paintbrushes? Not us!
Take your little artists on a nature-inspired painting journey by using leaves, sticks, flowers, and even pebbles as paintbrushes.
Explore your backyard or a nearby park to gather your tools. I like to grab a bucket or basket to hold our items collectively, but you could also give each child a small bucket of their own.
Here are some ideas of what you can use:
- Leaves
- Sticks
- Flowers
- Rocks and pebbles
- Pinecones
- Bark
- Roots
When you’re done collecting your items, you’ll need non-toxic, washable paints and a canvas, poster board, or thick paper.
Then let your kids unleash their creativity. They can dip the leaves and sticks into the paint and make bold strokes, create intricate patterns, or even use flowers to make beautiful imprints.
My oldest described our painting techniques as “free spirit painting” because we went in with zero plans!
Want to get even more out of this activity?
- Talk about the colors of the nature items you collected and what color paints they are choosing. What about color mixing?
- Count how many things you found. Did you find multiple of the same thing?
- Sort items – for example: by opposites; big and small or rough and smooth, or by color; can you put all the yellow items together?
- Talk about the textures you feel.
- Work on vocabulary and label the items as you look at them or use them in your art.
2. Nature Tic-Tac-Toe
This is an easy way to turn a classic indoor game into something exciting. This game is perfect for kids of all ages and requires minimal preparation and can be done just about anywhere!
What you’ll need:
- 4 sticks to create your game board grid (or draw using chalk)
- Nature objects to use as your game pieces
Game-piece items can be things like acorns, pinecones, rocks, or even leaves. Take turns, placing the nature objects within the grid, to form a line of three. The first one to achieve a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line wins!
We found all our pieces around our yard!
3. Color Hunt
Get ready for a colorful adventure!
This activity is fantastic for young children and helps them learn about different colors.
There are several different ways to do this activity:
I like to use an empty egg carton. When my older ones were little, I would paint inside the carton the colors I wanted them to look for, that way they could visually see. Now that they are older, I just tell them to find me the rainbow. I like the egg carton because it works as a way to contain the items we find.
However, you could also do this activity by coloring swatches on paper and using clothes pins to attach the objects to the swatches, or by simply using the paper as a reference and not collecting any of the nature items. You could also use paint swatches or paint chips as your color references. Or choose to paint or color swatches onto a paper bag and let the children put their items inside the bag to keep. So many options!
When you’re ready, head out on a walk or allow the children to explore their surroundings, from the bright blue sky to the lush green grass, and everything in between. Encourage them to find natural objects that match each color.
We also picked up some trash along the way and threw it out when we were done. The nature items they added to their mud kitchen!
Even at 6 and 8, my older two still find this activity fun! My youngest just enjoyed collecting rocks.
4. Nature Art
This fun, easy activity encourages children to create masterpieces with natural materials.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A wide range of natural art materials like flowers, leaves, twigs, stones, or seashells.
- A place to arrange your artwork (We ended up using what was left over from our Nature Painting activity and put it onto contact paper.)
Allow your kids to unleash their imagination and creativity. They can create mandalas, patterns, animals, or abstract art using the materials they find. My children are big fans of abstract art in our house!
My children love these budget-friendly activities and I love that they encourage creativity, curiosity, and an appreciation for the beauty of nature while also being so straightforward. Next time your little ones need some entertainment, consider exploring the wonders of the great outdoors using these activities.
Happy exploring!
If you do any of these activities I would love to see through a tag or share on your social media of choice – you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!