Nature Art
- Age: 0 to 8+
- Time: 1 hour+
- Materials: Paper or fabric; colorful nature treasures (e.g. flowers, berries, colorful spices); water; (Optional) art materials (e.g. markers, paint, glue, tape, crayons, stamp pads)
- Skills: Communication, Creativity, Empathy
Art and nature go hand in hand, and the process of making art can also be a way of expressing our feelings and thoughts—the essence of communication. This week at Tinkergarten Anywhere, we'll invite explorers to use colorful treasures from nature to create something that communicates a special message to someone they love.
The Guide
Step 1: Gather a few art-making materials.
Some ideas:
- Paper or fabric
- Colorful nature treasures (e.g. flowers, berries, colorful spices)
- Water (to mix with nature treasures to make paint)
- Traditional art materials (e.g. markers, paint, glue, tape, crayons, stamp pads)
Learn how to set up a home art center to inspire kids to create all summer long here.
Step 2: Watch the Tinkergarten Anywhere Nature Art video lesson.
Hop into your My Tinkergarten trial dashboard to watch the Nature Art video lesson. Kids can watch how Meghan and other explorers use art to communicate a message to someone special, then get inspired to make their own nature art!
Not yet enrolled in Tinkergarten Anywhere? Join now or try a free trial here.
Not yet enrolled in Tinkergarten Anywhere? Join now or try a free trial here.
Step 3: Invite play and generate ideas.
After kids watch the video lesson, ask “How can you communicate a special message to someone you love?”
Brainstorm some ideas together? Who would your child like to share a special message with? What makes that person special? What memories does your child have of that special person? What message does your child want to send to their special person?
Step 4: Make art and support the process.
Make art materials available to kids and invite them to create a special message to someone they love. As feels supportive, model a few art-making techniques to inspire kids’ play. For example:
- Model paint making by squishing berries and/or mixing colorful spices or dirt with water.
- Model mark making by using berries, spices or mud to make a shape (i.e. spiral, circle, oval, square) on the paper.
- Model connecting a leaf/blade of grass/flower to paper using squashed berries, spice paint, mud, glue or tape.
- Model print making by dipping a nature treasure in the nature paint and pressing it on paper or by painting over it and then peeling it off.
As kids explore the art materials, you can support their play by commenting on their choices of materials, their actions and their efforts. No matter what or how kids choose to create, the process of making art is far more important to nurturing creativity and communication than the final product. Watch this video just for grown-ups to learn more about how to support the process (and not just the final product) of kids’ art.
Step 5: Share your message.
Help kids share their message with their special person by putting it in an envelope, addressing it and placing it in the mailbox. Getting kids involved in the steps needed to mail a letter is a great way to support communication skills and celebrate their art-making efforts. If it is too tricky to place their art in the mail, take a photo and send it to their special person together.
Want more ideas?
- Turn recycled art into something new with our Make Paper DIY Activity.
- Make Grateful Designs to express gratitude for someone you love.
- Take inspiration from this week’s featured creature and make Butterfly Art.
Why is this activity great for kids?
Art and nature go hand in hand, and the process of making art can also be a way of expressing our feelings and thoughts—the essence of communication. As kids explore design-making with various materials, they practice fine motor skills and engage multiple senses. Arranging materials into patterns and designs supports creativity and focus skills. Finally, thinking about our appreciation for another person and creating something that might make them smile supports both cognitive and compassionate empathy.