Using Leaves, Moss and Nature to Make Neat Projects

Description

Toddler Science: Learn About Nature While Decorating a Birdhouse, Make a Collage or Headband. Great way to introduce things in nature by collecting things like leaves, moss, lichen, flower petals and more. Make fun kids crafts using nature.
Beautiful birdhouse decorated with nature (leaves, moss)

Materials

  • Pine Cones, Pine Needles, Clover, Lichen, Leaves, Flower Petals, Deer Moss, Fresh Green Velvet Moss, Bark

  • Wooden Bird House from Craft Stores like Michaels

  • Craft Glue

Other Materials

  • Basket, Ziplock or shoe box to collect materials

  • Small dish for glue

Steps

  • Collect materials.
  • Lay out materials on newspaper. Pour some glue in a small dish.
  • Lay birdhouse flat on one side.
  • Dip pieces into small dish of glue and place on birdhouse.
  • Let dry enough to set and work on another side.
  • Fill in spots with small pieces.

Tips and Suggestions

  • Look up some of the plants in a book or online so your child can see what they look like.
  • Label pieces of paper to sort items on after they are collected.
  • Great as a decorative piece for the mantle too. Depending on what type of foliage you use, if kept out of direct sunlight, the color is retained for months.

Other Ideas

Nature Collage

Collect leaves, moss, bark, pine cones, pine straw, lichens, flower petals, and other nature items. Glue on pieces of your collected nature or use tape...we didn't have glue so tape worked fine.
nature collage
Sort into piles and talk about the colors of each and their names

Nature Headbands

Cut out strips of cardboard to fit your childs head. Glue or tape on leaves, flower petals, moss etc. Arrange in a pattern for older toddlers.

Educational Notes

  • A book is a great way to introduce a toddler science activity. Go to the library or a bookstore and find a book on nature. Some suggestions are listed below.
  • Find pictures online and print them and make a booklet to help identify things you find outside.

Scientific Processes

Observation
  • Seeing Pictures in a book or online. If you Google "garbage dump picture" you can get pictures to help show what garbage accumulation looks like.
  • Hearing and listening to directions given.
  • Feeling the different textures of bark and moss and comparing them
  • Smelling the different flowers and smell of moss or plants
Communication
  • Oral Discussing the textures, colors, and names of things picked up.
  • Pictorial Borrow a book or look online and showing pictures before your nature walk to help identify different items found
Organizing
  • Grouping by type...barks, leaves and flowers, etc.
  • Classifying learning what type of plant, leaf or flower it is.