Nature Faces: A Simple, Creative Outdoor Craft for Kids of All Ages

There’s something kind of magical about kids and nature. Whether we’re camping for the weekend, going on a quick trail walk, or just hanging out in our backyard, my kids always manage to collect leaves, sticks, flowers, and “the most perfect rock ever.” If your little ones are natural foragers too, you’re going to love this simple and silly outdoor craft: Nature Faces!

It’s one of those activities that works anywhere—at a campground, on a hiking trail, or after a stroll around the neighborhood. The setup is minimal, the cleanup is non-existent, and it gives kids a chance to get wildly creative with what they find outside. And the best part? The results are hilarious, unique, and make for great photo ops.

Why You’ll Love Making Nature Faces

• It’s easy and requires almost no prep.
• It uses free materials from nature—yes, even the “treasures” they insist on collecting.
• It’s perfect for all ages—toddlers, preschoolers, big kids (and let’s be real, adults too).
• It encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and eco-awareness.

Plus, it’s a great way to actually use those twigs and leaves they collect instead of them sitting at the bottom of your stroller or backpack for the next three days.

Materials You’ll Need

• Cardboard (cut into oval or circle “face” shapes)
• Glue (we love white glue or a glue stick for this)
• Natural items like:
  • Leaves
  • Pine needles
  • Sticks
  • Grass
  • Pebbles
  • Flower petals
  • Bark
  • Acorns, seed pods, moss—whatever your kiddo discovers!

Optional:

• Hole punch and string if you want to hang them
• Marker for drawing outlines if younger kids need a starting point

How to Make Nature Faces

1. Start With a Walk or Nature Hunt

Encourage your kids to collect anything that looks fun or interesting—soft moss, curly twigs, bold leaves, or colorful petals. This part alone is half the adventure! Just remind them to only gather items that are already on the ground—no picking flowers from gardens or parks. We were at a camp ground when we did this activity so we collected items around the campsite and along the hiking trails nearby.

2. Prep Your Cardboard “Canvas”

Before your nature walk or while kids are collecting, cut cardboard into a circle or oval shape to represent a face. Reuse an old box or cereal box for this part. If you’re heading out on a hike, you can prep these ahead of time and bring them along.

3. Design the Face

Spread out the materials and let your kids go wild creating silly or realistic faces. Pinecones for a beard? Go for it. Big maple leaves as ears? Why not! They can choose to arrange the features without glue at first if they want to experiment.

4. Glue It Down

Once they’re happy with the design, help them glue everything in place. You may need to press and hold some of the bigger or curvier items (like bark or pinecones) for a few seconds.

5. Optional Finishing Touches

Use a marker to add a smile or outline eyes if needed. If you want to hang the nature faces up back at your campsite or home, punch a hole at the top and tie on a string.

Tips & Variations

• Make a family of nature faces—each one inspired by a different person in the group!
• Use themes like “silly face,” “angry face,” “sleepy face” to inspire emotions and storytelling.
• Instead of gluing, try a nature face collage on the ground for a completely no-prep version.

Nature Faces are the kind of open-ended, low-stress activity that make summer days so fun. It’s art, play, and nature exploration all rolled into one. Whether you’re doing it at a campsite, park, backyard, or just the front porch, your kids will love the freedom to create and the satisfaction of seeing their foraged treasures turned into goofy masterpieces.

So grab some cardboard, head outside, and start collecting—those nature faces aren’t going to make themselves!

Looking for more outdoor crafts? Stick around—we’ve got a bunch of easy, engaging activities to keep kids entertained and creating all summer long.