Simple, sticky fun for your next outdoor adventure
Let’s be real—sometimes the best crafts are the ones you don’t have to overthink. This Easy Nature Crown Craft for Kidsis one of those magical activities that requires zero prep, uses materials you probably already have (hello, paper tape!), and gets your kids outside and engaged with the world around them. Whether you’re out in your backyard or strolling through the park, this craft turns a nature walk into a mini treasure hunt.
We love this craft because it’s open-ended, it’s beautiful, and it works for all ages. You can make crowns, bracelets, or even nature sashes! Toddlers can get sticky with it, preschoolers can layer patterns, and big kids can turn it into a full-on design challenge. Plus, it’s a sweet little way to slow down and actually notice the beauty around us.
Why You’ll Love This Nature Crown Craft
- No prep needed – Just grab a roll of brown paper tape and head outside.
- Zero glue, zero mess – The tape is sticky on its own. No need for extra adhesives.
- Encourages mindfulness – Kids start to look for beauty in leaves, flowers, and textures.
- Great for all ages – Totally toddler-safe and still fun for older kids.
- Perfect for anytime, anywhere – Backyard? Hiking trail? School playground? Yes, yes, and yes.
Materials
- Brown paper tape (the kind used for packaging; sticky on one side)
- Dandelions, small leaves, pebbles, flower petals, twigs, pine needles, grass—whatever your child finds
- Scissors (optional, for sizing tape pieces)
How to Set It Up
- Tear your tape
Cut or rip a strip of paper tape long enough to wrap around your child’s head (or wrist for a bracelet). Sticky side out! Wrap it into a loop and secure the ends together so it fits snugly, but comfortably. Be sure not to snag hair or skin on the tape.
- Head outside
Head out for a nature walk, your backyard, or even a patch of grass at the park. The goal? Look closely. What tiny treasures can you find?
- Stick as you go
Invite your child to gently press their found items—leaves, flowers, seed pods—onto the sticky surface of the crown. The more variety, the better!
- Fill it up
Keep adding to the crown until it’s full of color and texture. You can layer small items or space them out. Every crown turns out different.
- Wear and admire
Once your nature crown is done, let your child wear it and feel like a garden king or queen. Take a photo—you’ll want to remember this one.
This craft is a total win for nature-loving kids, teachers, and parents looking for a low-effort, high-impact outdoor activity. It’s art, it’s sensory play, and it’s a built-in scavenger hunt all in one. You’ll be amazed at what your kids choose to include and how proud they are of their finished creation.
Pin it now and plan a crown-making walk this week. You’ll be glad you did.
Want help turning this into a printable or activity card for your shop or newsletter?
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
