Nature weaving is a captivating and eco-friendly craft that weaves the wonders of the great outdoors into a beautiful tapestry of creativity and connection. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through setting up a nature weaving activity with kids, exploring the different natural items they can use to weave, and the valuable skills they’ll acquire along the way. So, let’s step into the embrace of nature’s bounty and embark on a weaving journey like no other!
Setting Up the Nature Weaving Activity
To begin, gather these materials to set up a nature weaving activity:
- Sturdy cardboard or a loom (You can create a simple DIY loom by cutting notches on opposite sides of a cardboard piece)
- Yarn or twine (to create the weaving base)
- Scissors
- Nature treasures: Leaves, flowers, grasses, feathers, thin branches, or any other natural materials you can find in your outdoor adventures
Instructions
- Prepare the Loom:
Start by setting up the loom. If you’re using cardboard, cut it into a rectangular shape, leaving a couple of inches on each side for attaching the yarn. Cut notches on opposite sides of the cardboard. Securely tie the yarn or twine to one side of the cardboard loom and stretch it across to the opposite side, creating a series of parallel threads. These will form the base for your nature weaving. - Gather Nature Treasures:
Take a stroll in nature with your little ones and let them explore their surroundings to find an array of natural items. Encourage them to gather leaves, flowers, grasses, feathers, and other lightweight materials that can easily be woven into the yarn base. - Weave the Nature Treasures:
With their nature treasures collected, invite the kids to weave them into the yarn base of the loom. Show them how to carefully and gently slide each item over and under the yarn, creating a delightful pattern of colors and textures. Allow them to experiment with different weaving techniques, like over-under or alternating patterns, to express their creativity.
Skills Learned Through Nature Weaving
Nature weaving is not only a delightful creative activity but also a wonderful way for kids to develop essential skills:
- Fine Motor Skills: Weaving tiny natural items through the yarn threads hones fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
- Focus and Patience: Weaving requires concentration and patience as kids carefully maneuver the nature treasures through the loom, fostering focus and determination.
- Creativity and Imagination: Exploring the textures, colors, and shapes of nature’s gifts sparks creativity and allows children to weave stories within their tapestry.
- Nature Appreciation: Engaging with nature in the weaving process cultivates a deeper appreciation for the environment and its beauty.
Nature weaving is a heartwarming activity that brings the magic of nature into children’s hands, allowing them to create a tangible piece of art that celebrates the wonders of the outdoors. Through setting up the loom and gathering natural treasures, kids learn valuable skills, enhance their creativity, and develop a profound connection with the world around them. So, let your little weavers’ imaginations bloom as they create their nature tapestries, woven with love and the beauty of the great outdoors. Happy nature weaving!
Age Suitability
This activity is good for toddlers aged children 2 years old and up with adult assistance.
Mess Level
The mess level for this activity is medium.
Difficulty to Create
Low.
Skills Developed
Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
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
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
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 that 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 airs in the summer of 2023! We were also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
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.
WILL YOU TRY NATURE WEAVING WITH YOUR CHILD? Pin it for later!
