30 Nature Crafts For Kids

Last Updated on May 9, 2026 by Masha Eretnova

Looking for nature crafts for kids that actually get them outside first, then back to the table to make something with what they found?

This list covers the full spectrum, process art that starts with a nature walk, printable activities that connect to the outdoors, hands-on sensory projects, and a few creative surprises like homemade paint from berries and a tiny clay goblin with an acorn hat.

Whether you’re working with a toddler, a preschooler, or a school-age kid with a longer attention span, there’s something here worth trying. Most of these need basic supplies or just things from your backyard. If you need, they come with a free printable, too!

Free Habitats Color by Number Printables

This free color by number printable set features different animal habitats, so kids practice number recognition and basic color matching while learning about where animals live. You need a printer, paper, and crayons.

Bird Playdough Mats

My next free printable set is full of bird-themed playdough mats for toddlers and preschoolers to explore birds through sensory play — print and set out the playdough. A perfect pairing with a birdwatching walk (each page names a bird, too!)

Woodland Animals Finger Puppets

This set of woodland animal finger puppets includes a fox, raccoon, bunny, bear, giraffe, and more — has kids color, cut, and fold the pieces into little puppets that fit over a finger. A great follow-up to a forest walk or habitats units, and the finished puppets spark imaginative play in class or at home.

DIY Rocky Bug Garden

This rock painting craft has kidscome up with nature-themed ideas for painting and make little rocks look like ladybugs, butterflies, and bees using acrylic paint and googly eyes. Perfect for kids who love to collect rocks on the walk.

How to Make Nature Paint

Do you know you can make real paint from natural ingredients by mashing and straining berries, spinach, turmeric, coffee, chili, or other colorful pantry and garden items with a little water? GENIUS! A free printable coloring page is included to use with the finished paints.

Nature Suncatcher Craft

This suncatcher craft is simple to make with popsicle sticks, a piece of Press’N Seal wrap, flower petals and leaves kids collected on a nature hunt. Perfect addition to your window, porch, or garden.

Butterfly Nature Collage

This one is perfect for kids who love nature and always bring flowers and leaves from a walk. Kids can arrange them into butterfly wings on cardboard for a nature collage. Every butterfly ends up unique and beautiful. A lovely spring or summer activity for all ages.

Woodland People Nature Art

Put your child’s leaves collection to work with this simple loose nature art activity creating little woodland people or fairy characters. You need leaves, sticks, and bark from a nature walk, PVA glue, and paper.

How to Make a Flower Crown

This flower crown tutorial uses wild dandelions and daisies found during a walk — no wire, tape, or craft supplies needed, just the flowers themselves knotted and looped in the traditional daisy chain technique. A must for every childhood!

Fairy Garden Printable Craft

This free 10-page printable set includes four fairy houses, six fairy bug friends, accessory sheets, and plant and flower pieces that kids color, cut out, and assemble into a 3D fairy garden display. Perfect craft if you have even a small garden!

Crafting with Nature: Easy Moss Vase

This moss vase craft creates a nature-inspired, textured, earthy vase. You can add twigs, tendrils, or small pine cones as decorative accents. Amazing craft for older kids, teens, and adults.

Christmas Tree Nature Craft

Christmas in July or in December? This craft is perfect for building a miniature textured holiday tree with real branches. A wonderful craft to do after collecting a little greenery from the yard.

Easy Forest Ball Sprite

This forest sprite craft builds a tiny (and cutesst) goblin-like character from clay built into a body and limbs, then dressed with an acorn cap hat and a mop of green mossy yarn for hair. A more involved project perfect for older kids who love fantasy and woodland characters.

Spring Trees Painting with Bundled Q-Tips

This spring forest painting idea uses Q-tips and paint and it is perfect for younger kids who want to skip drawing branches with brushes or pencils. By choosing different colors, kids can easily asjust it to the season (spring, summer, fall, or even winter!)

Emily Carr Inspired Chalk Pastel Forest Art

This art project introduces kids to Canadian artist Emily Carr, then has them draw a forest scene with bright colors. A genuinely beautiful project that works well for school-age kids and up. Adults do not skip this one, it is incredibly meditative and relaxing!

Bear Paper Bag Puppet

This bear puppet craft uses a free printable template that kids color in and cut out, then glue onto a brown paper bag to make a bear puppet ready for a puppet show. An easy woodland animal puppet that works well for preschool and kindergarten to practice letter D, or explore a Zoo theme.

Leaf Printing

During the walk, collect leaves with kids with different textures and shapes! This leaf printing activity is simple color and press art any age can recreate. You need collected leaves, acrylic or tempera paint, a paintbrush, paper, and a scrap sheet for pressing. Works in every season and no two prints look the same.

Owl Paper Bag Puppet Craft (Free Template)

This owl paper bag puppet uses a free printable template that kids color, cut out, and glue onto a brown lunch bag. You’ll need the printed template, a paper bag, crayons, scissors, and a glue stick — all very manageable for preschool and kindergarten-age kids.

Cute Painted Strawberry Rocks Craft

These strawberry painted rocks with bright red bodies, green leaf details, yellow seeds, and tiny black dots, make realistic-looking strawberries. They are not edible, though. Amazing fruity summer craft to explore nature and garden theme.

Loose Parts Nature Art

This is land art with no glue and no paint — kids collect whatever nature finds are available (stones, shells, leaves, sticks, pine needles, sea glass) and arrange them directly on the ground, sand, or a beach towel into patterns, shapes, and pictures. Nothing to bring home, no materials to buy, no mess — just the natural environment as the art supply.

9 Free Garden Coloring Pages

This free set of nine printable garden coloring pages features plants, seeds, gardening tools, gardeners, and other garden-inspired scenes for kids and adults to color. You need a printer, paper, and crayons or markers. A great way to keep kids occupied without a screen on a rainy day.

Carrot Handprint Craft

This carrot handprint craft has kids trace their hand on green paper to make the leafy carrot top, then use a free printable template for the orange carrot body and assemble the whole thing with scissors and glue. A sweet sgarden-themed craft for younger kids.

DIY Garden Rock Plant Markers

This garden project is perfect for house with a vegetable patch! Kids can paint smooth rocks with vegetables or herbs in craft paint, then seal them with Mod Podge to create functional plant markers for outdoor garden beds. A great activity to combine with actual planting;)

DIY Seed Bouquet

This seed bouquet is a nature-inspired gift project to present seed packets in a pretty way, like a bouquet of flowers. A thoughtful handmade gift for a gardening parent, grandparent, or teacher, and kids can put the whole thing together.

Nature Wind Chimes Craft for Kids

This wind chime craft starts with a nature walk where kids collect sticks, rocks, pine cones, and acorns. With some twines and paint, along with beads and tea light holders from the dollar section it becomes a beautiful wind chime! A craft that gets kids outdoors first and then turns the results into something functional.

Vegetables Paper Crafts

This paper craft set is a simple way for kids to make five garden vegetables — cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, onion, and broccoli. A great companion to a garden visit or a lesson on where food comes from.

Personalized Stepping Stones

Kids (with adult help for the mixing and reinforcing steps) can decorate DIY concrete stepping stones with their handprints. You need quick-setting concrete, a mold such as a plastic planter saucer or pie pan, wire mesh, rubber gloves, and little hands! Amazing keepsake that will forever stay in the garden.

Bird Feeder Craft

If your kids want to make something useful and are bored with paper, this bird feeder craft helps to build an actual bird feeder! Supplies are simple: birdseed, unflavored gelatin, cookie cutters, and ribbon or twine. Great for kids 5 and up.

Flower and Butterfly Coloring Page

This free printable butterfly coloring page features a detailed butterfly surrounded by flowers and is available as a PDF download. You need a printer, paper, and markers. A simple and beautiful coloring activity to pair with a butterfly spotting walk or a garden visit.

DIY Boho Jewelry Holder

This boho jewelry holder is a natural driftwood project that takes under 30 minutes and uses no paint, keeping the wood completely natural. Great for minimalist, nature-inspired interiors.