Many of you already know that sadly, we had to say goodbye to our Practically Wild Educator Jo, who has moved to a new home in Huddersfield. So, this autumn we have a new face to introduce into our team. Meet Kim!



Kim is a Forest School qualified outdoor whizz! With a background of working in schools, she also is a mum to 4 little people herself. Kim is bursting with enthusiasm, nature knowledge and has a jam-packed schedule of outdoor fun to wow everyone’s wellies off. Hurrah!

Kim is nestled in the POD developing lots of nature inspired, hands-on activities. She’s already been busy with our podders making natural eco-bracelets, teaching them all about herbs and setting up our potting shed and allotment. Phew! We just love how many brilliant ideas and activities she has up her sleeve!

So, as we welcome in autumn who better to ask for some outdoor craft inspo than Kim! We invited her to share 5 of her favourite easy-to-do nature crafts that YOU can do at home. Crafting in a sustainable way is not only fun but it has lots of educational benefits too. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a sweater, your wellies and get ready for a whole load of fresh air and fun!



 

1. Nature Wreaths

From conkers and leaves to acorns and pinecones, autumn is a treasure trove of treats all easily found on super-fun exploratory walks. What could be better than collecting autumn’s finest goodies and displaying them in your very own DIY wreath? Head to your nearest woods, park or field to collect everything you need for this fab craft activity. Then simply cut a circle wreath from cardboard and using either glue, contact paper or twine, attach your items carefully. Get your little one to think about patterns and colours as they arrange them on the wreath. Hang on the front door for an autumnal welcome absolutely brimming with natural charm!

 

2. Leaf Lanterns

Grab your wellies and go on a leaf hunt. Aim to collect a variety of different shapes, colours and textures. This is a wonderful way to introduce new descriptive vocabulary and talk about colours with your child. Compare the shapes of the leaves you find and count their edges or points. Once you’ve got your leaf stash, bring them home and press them between heavy books to flatten them out.
Using old jam jars or other glass containers from your recycling box, cover them in mod podge glue. Then arrange your leaves on the outside of the glass and leave to dry. Add a tea light candle (or battery-operated tea light) and enjoy the warm glow and dancing colours of this beautiful lantern. Perfect for those dark autumnal nights.

 

3. Woodland Fairy Folk

Bring their imaginations to life with woodland fairy folk. Fun, simple and oh-so cute. Characters found deep in the forest have an extra magical charm! All you need is a glue gun, a marker pen and lots of treasures collected from your autumnal walks.
Bring your woodland fairy folk to life with acorn caps and pinecone bodies. From fairies with sycamore seed wings and petal dresses to woodland warriors using bark or leaves as armour, the opportunities are endless. Adults or older children can use the glue gun to attach heads to bodies or hats to heads, but little fingers can also get busy with the design. Allow them to press leaves or petals into pinecones, cut shapes from leaves and draw faces on their fairy folk. This is a fine motor skill craft that every age will love!

 

4. Leaf Crowns

King of the woods or queen of the forest? Let their imaginations go wild with a leaf crown made from the finest autumn finds. A paper or card headband adorned with ferns, leaves and feathers plus an assortment of twigs or petals makes the best natural headdress fit for any type of kingdom. Head out to your favourite space and see what interesting things you can find. Arrange on the headband and either stick or staple your items on. Perfect for forest picnics or fairy tea parties!

 

5. Journey Sticks

What better way to remember your walk than with a journey stick. A clever memento and a wonderful way to get your little one really engaged in their surroundings. You can use a strip of carboard covered in contact paper or find a stick at the beginning of your walk that you then use coloured yarn or elastic bands to attach things with. Let your little ones select the items that delight them and then simply add them to the stick. Talk about what is being added. A leaf from the tree they climbed, a feather from next to the duck pond, an acorn found at the playground. At the end of your walk, look through the items collected and remember the route you went on!



There are so many adventures in nature to be had. There’s nothing better than getting immersed in the great outdoors and learning through imaginative play! We can’t wait to get hunting, exploring, collecting and getting creative. If you try some of these craft ideas, don’t forget to tag us in any of your creations on social media or even better, bring them to the POD and come and say ‘Hi’’ to Kim!

We can’t wait to see what you make!