I haven’t always appreciate the great outdoors. I thought it was just a bunch of dirt and bugs. But there’s actually something special about nature that I used to take for granted and I’m hoping to build a love for nature with crafts for my son.
Nature crafts just hit differently. They’re not just activities—they’re memories in the making. You step outside, breathe a little deeper, and before you know it, your kid has a stick in one hand and an idea in the other.
I’ve noticed that my son doesn’t need a million supplies. Give him a pinecone, a glue stick, and a little freedom, and he’s set. These nature-inspired crafts aren’t complicated. Most use things you probably already have lying around—sticks, leaves, shells, maybe a forgotten jar in the kitchen.
So here are 20 ideas that are simple, creative, and give kids a chance to connect with the world around them. Some are cute. Some are messy. All of them make you feel like you’re doing something that matters.
DIY Nature Paint Brushes by Fox Farm Home
Kids can learn a lot about nature and painting with this fun DIY Nature Paint Brushes activity. Finding and creating their own brushes from items collected in nature will help bring a unique quality to the artworks they produce.
Dried Pressed Flowers Suncatcher Craft by In the Playroom
Flower suncatchers are always a fun, natural way to brighten the room. The only problem is that they tend not to last. This microwave Flowers Suncatcher Craft will dry the flowers out so they stay good for ages. It’s like freezing a moment of spring and keeping it on your window.
Acorn Mice by Kids Craft Room
These tiny Acorn Mice are ridiculously cute. If you’ve got an oak tree nearby, you’re already halfway there. It’s such a fun way to take something ordinary and give it a tiny bit of life with paint and googly eyes.
Pine Cone Bird Feeder by Natural Beach Living
Making a Pine Cone Bird Feeder is a simple but rewarding craft that is perfect for kids. Be sure to pick a seed blend that will attract local birds, so kids can see the results of their work in action.
Bug Hotel by Red Ted Art
This one feels like a science project, a fort, and a piece of art all rolled into one. Building a bug hotel lets kids gather sticks, bark, pinecones—whatever they can find—and stack it into a little resting place for backyard bugs. Bonus: they’ll be checking it every day for visitors.
We have a cool Bug Hotel Sensory Bin you can checkout too.
Pine Cone Owl by The Best Ideas for Kids
These owls are a reminder that nature gives us the best shapes. A pine cone makes the perfect little body, and kids can personalize them with felt wings, silly eyes, or even glitter (if you’re brave). Each Pine Cone Owl ends up with its own personality.
Rainforest in a Jar Kid Craft by The Crafting Chicks
When people think of nature-inspired crafts, they often imagine natural treasures like pine cones or acorns. However, as these Rainforest in a Jar creations demonstrate, the possibilities for nature-inspired art are endless.
A little moss, tiny twigs, stones, and maybe a plastic frog or two—it’s like building a mini ecosystem. And kids get to take the jar out and show it off like a trophy.
Watercolor Painted Seashells by Mess for Less
Collecting shells on the beach is always a fun activity, but they tend to look faded and dull when they come back home. Watercolor Painted Seashells is a great way to add some vibrance back to these fun keepsakes. Think summer meets art class.
Pine Cone Spiders by Fireflies & Mud Pies
These Pine Cone Spiders are that perfect mix of fun and creepy. Add some pipe cleaner legs and googly eyes, and suddenly you’ve got a not-so-scary spider crawling across your windowsill. Great for Halloween… or kids who just love bugs.
Stick Owl Craft by I Heart Crafty Things
Got sticks? Then you’ve got an Stick Owl Craft waiting to happen. Kids love that they’re using real materials from outside. Glue on some leaves for wings and paint on a beak, and suddenly it’s not just a craft—it’s a little forest friend.
Twig Boat Craft by Easy Peasy and Fun
This one is pure adventure. Kids can build tiny rafts out of twigs and string, then test them out in a puddle, sink, or stream. It’s simple, but the moment that boat floats? Instant pride.
Bookmark Craft for Kids by Buggy and Buddy
Any little readers will flip over this great nature-inspired craft. Making bookmarks out of pressed flowers and leaves is a great way to combine the love of reading with the love of the outdoors.
Butterfly Collage Craft by Kids Activities Blog
Let kids go wild with this one. Kids can gather everything they need from a garden or nature walk, and go wild with creativity. Sticks, petals, leaves, bark all become part of a butterfly’s wings.
No two creations look the same, and that’s kind of the point. It’s about seeing what shapes nature gives you. This really pretty butterfly collage will make a great temporary decoration while it lasts.
Pine Cone Weaving by Rainy Day Mum
This Pine Cone Weaving is a great nature activity for preschoolers, and gives them a fun decoration to hang up afterwards. Weaving colored yarn through a pine cone is a great way to have fun while building fine motor skills. Plus, the finished result makes a cute decoration for a bedroom or classroom.
Flower Painting Activity by Little Bins for Little Hands
Who says you need a brush to paint? Flower painting offers a fun way for kids to explore creative art techniques and observe how different tools impact the final result.
In this flower painting activity, flowers are the brushes. Kids can dip different blooms into paint and stamp, swirl, or roll them across the page. It’s messy, colorful, and always turns out different.
“Build a Nest” Scavenger Hunt by The Crazy Outdoor Mama
Most scavenger hunts have a list of loosely connected items for kids to find, which is all good fun. But this “Build a Nest” Scavenger Hunt is more targeted, since it challenges kids to find the items for, and then build, a bird’s nest.
Instead of just collecting random stuff on a walk, this gives kids a purpose. They’re gathering things a bird would use to build a nest—twigs, grass, maybe some string and then trying to build one themselves. It’s hands-on learning with a challenge.
DIY Bug Observation Box by Barley & Birch
Bug boxes are a great way for aspiring entomologists to study local insects.
But it becomes even more meaningful when kids DIY a bug box themselves and get to incorporate local plants and flora into the design. It makes the whole process feel personal, and once it’s built, it turns into a tool for exploring.
Add a magnifying glass, and you’re raising a mini biologist.
Stick People Nature Craft by Our Kid Things
There are so many good sticks to be found outdoors, and this stick people nature craft makes good use of them. With a stick body, pip cleaner become arms and legs, and then you can add yarn hair, paper faces, or even clothes if your kid is feeling creative. Each one turns into its own character.
Stages of a Butterfly Life Cycle Seed Activity by Messy Little Monster
This is science meets crafting in the best way.
Kids take the printable butterfly life cycle sheet, then collect different types of seeds and use them to represent each stage of a butterfly’s life.
They’re learning, creating, and making something cool to hang up or show off.
Ladybug Leaf Craft by Rock Your Homeschool
Who knew that simple leaves can be turned into an adorable little ladybug mural? With just a few basic supplies, kids can make their own ladybug leaf artwork.
It’s such a small idea but ends up being really cute.
Just paint a red ladybug body right onto a leaf, then add some black dots and eyes. The natural shape of the leaf already gives it a body and the kids just bring it to life.
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