1. Leaf Collage
Collect different leaves from the garden or on a walk to the park. Lay out some sheets of paper, and get sticking! Overlap, paint with glitter, cut them into shapes…do whatever you like with them! You can also paint a trunk onto the middle of the paper, and then use the leaves to create a tree picture.
2. Glitter Pine Cones
Collect pine cones, then paint them with watered down PVA glue. Sprinkle on some pretty glitter so they really catch the light. You can tie some string around the bottom and hang them up too – a great way to decorate the tree at Christmas, but also a lovely craft to do at any time of year.
3. Mud Pies
This is one you’ll remember from your own childhood, and how much fun were they back in the day! Resurrect this pastime with your children, showing them how to make a ‘pie’ from mud. Decorate the pie with stones, twigs and anything else you find in the garden.
4. Plant a Sunflower
Gardening is a great skill to teach your kids. Plant sunflower seeds with them, and let them water and look after the plants. Have 1 sunflower per family member and have a ‘race’ to see who ends up with the tallest sunflower – a really fun project you can keep coming back to all summer long!
5. Rose Perfume
Little girls love to copy their mums, which is why your princess is sure to have fun with this one. Let your child pick rose petals that have fallen from the rose bushes and collect them in a basket. Half-fill a jar with water, and let them have fun squishing the petals to release their scent into the jar. Leave to ferment overnight, add a touch of glitter and pour into a pretty perfume bottle.
6. Splashing Around
Playing with nature doesn’t mean you need to physically produce anything. On rainy days, just pull on your macs and wellies then head for the puddles! Kids love nothing more than running through muddy puddles, seeing how wet and messy they can get – so give them permission and get stuck in…you may just enjoy it!
7. Natural Connect 4
Take the concept of the classic board game of Connect 4 but use different coloured stones instead of counters. Draw out a square on a piece of paper and 24 circles (6 columns, 4 rows). Ask the kids to collect piles of stones, and then sort them into grey and brown shades. You can also use a marker pen to distinguish between the 2, writing your child’s initials on them.
8. Miniature Garden
Give the kids a bag each, then head out to collect things that can be used to make your miniature garden. Collect stones, twigs, moss, shells, fir cones, acorns and anything else of interest. When you get back, fill a shallow box with soil (you can cut a cardboard box down so it has a lip of about 10cm). Let the kids use their findings to design a miniature garden – you can use fir cones as trees, moss as bushes and twigs to create a mini bonfire.
9. Bake an Apple Pie
If you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree in your garden, send the kids out with a carrier bag to pick up a batch of apples. When you’ve peeled and sliced them, get the mini aprons on, roll your sleeves up and let them little ones help you bake a delicious homemade pie. You’ll find a mouth-watering recipe here for Apple Pie.
10. Homemade Bird Feeder
Treat the birds in your garden to a tasty treat this Winter – one that the kids will really enjoy making with you. Just tie string around a pine cone so it will hang from a tree. Roll out a block of lard (this can get messy, meaning the kids will love it even more) and once soft, mix in various nuts and seeds. Let the kids push the mixture into the pine cone until it is completely covered, then hang it from the tree. They’ll love doing a spot of bird watching to see your garden residents tucking into their snack.
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