Nature provides kids countless opportunities to explore, discover and foster their creativity and leaves them feeling balanced.
Nature activities and crafts bring kids closer to nature as they explore their surroundings and incorporate natural elements in these activities while marveling at its gifts and appreciating what they see around them.
Nature Activities for Your Kids
Engaging and being with nature is proven to boost the immune system while bringing a sense of tranquility and calm to the mind.
In this blog, I’ve compiled a list of nature activities my kids and I enjoy doing together.
Nature Twig Arrows
Parents, this twig arrow craft is a perfect excuse to head outdoors with your little one! While you gather sticks and leaves together, your child is connecting with nature and building fine motor skills.
You’re not just crafting, you’re turning a simple walk into a hands-on adventure full of color, conversation, and creativity.
Nature Wand Craft
Cast a magical spell of creativity and outdoor exploration with this enchanting “Nature Wand Craft”.
This activity is wonderful for fostering fine motor skills as your child collects natural elements and transforms them into a personalized wand.
You’ll love seeing their imagination take flight as they create their very own piece of natural magic.
Nature Theme Hole Punching
Here’s a surprisingly fun way to build hand strength, grab a hole punch and some leaves.
This simple nature activity is great for developing fine motor control and finger muscles, which helps your child with writing later on.
You’ll love how calm and focused they get while punching patterns and exploring textures straight from the backyard.
Salt Dough Nature Portrait
Parents, cultivate your child’s creativity and a connection to the natural world with this wonderful “Salt Dough Nature Portrait” activity.
This engaging craft allows them to mold soft dough and adorn it with elements found in nature, fostering fine motor skills and an appreciation for their environment.
You’ll love seeing the unique, organic masterpieces they create, celebrating both art and the outdoors.
Christmas Tree Nature Craft
Looking for a joyful craft that sparks holiday cheer and nurtures your child’s creativity?
This Christmas Tree Nature Craft does just that, using a leaf as the canvas.
You’ll appreciate how this simple activity teaches kids about shapes, color coordination, and eco-friendliness while they stay happily engaged in festive fun.
Nature Caterpillar
Parents, ignite your child’s sense of wonder and connection to the natural world with this enchanting “Nature Caterpillar” craft.
This delightful activity encourages fine motor skills and creativity as they arrange leaves to form a charming caterpillar.
You’ll love seeing their artistic flair and the imaginative stories that come into being with this eco-friendly art project.
Nature Find & Count
This Nature Find & Count activity invites your child to explore the outdoors with curiosity and purpose.
You get a fun way to introduce early math skills like sorting, counting, and categorizing, all through a simple nature walk.
It’s a great excuse to step outside, breathe fresh air, and watch your child learn through hands-on discovery.
Nature Hair Activity
This activity helps in your child’s creativity and connection to the natural world with this engaging “Nature Hair Activity”.
This delightful craft allows them to create whimsical faces and adorn them with natural elements for hair, fostering fine motor skills and imaginative play.
You’ll love seeing their unique artistic expressions come to life, celebrating the beauty of nature in a fun and interactive way.
Nature Insect Craft
Let your little explorer turn leaves into creepy-cute bugs with this Nature Insect Craft.
You’ll love how this simple activity boosts observation skills, fine motor control, and nature appreciation, all while keeping craft time eco-friendly.
It’s your chance to blend outdoor play with creative learning, using just leaves, paper, and imagination.
Nature Big Medium Small Sorting
Sorting leaves by size is more than just fun, it’s a brilliant learning moment.
With this Nature Big-Medium-Small Sorting activity, your child sharpens their observation and categorization skills in the simplest, most natural way.
And the best part? You don’t need fancy tools, just leaves, curiosity, and your backyard.
Nature Color Match
Let your child’s eyes light up with this Nature Color Match activity.
It’s a cheerful way to strengthen color recognition while encouraging careful observation of nature’s palette.
You’ll love watching them compare, choose, and match blossoms to the drawn dots, it’s learning, creativity, and outdoor time rolled into one colorful adventure.
Nature Self Portrait
Watch your child’s creativity bloom with this Nature Self-Portrait activity.
As they gather leaves, twigs, and petals to build their own face, they’re not just crafting, they’re exploring identity, emotions, and expression in a hands-on way.
You’ll be amazed at how a simple nature walk can turn into a meaningful art moment right at your table.
Salt Dough Nature Stamping
Let your little one dive into sensory fun with Salt Dough Nature Stamping.
This activity isn’t just about pressing pretty leaves and flowers, it’s a fantastic way for your child to explore texture, strengthen finger muscles, and develop fine motor skills.
You get a keepsake filled with natural charm, and they get a boost in creativity and hands-on learning.
Nature Tic Tac Toe
Turn strategy time into nature time! With Nature Tic Tac Toe, you’re giving your child more than a classic game, you’re encouraging outdoor play, logical thinking, and creativity all at once.
It’s a quick setup with big rewards: your little one gets fresh air and problem-solving practice, and you get a happy, engaged learner.
Make a Slingshot With Nature
Let your child channel their energy into something creative and safe.
Making a slingshot with natural materials is more than fun, it’s a hands-on way to boost motor skills, spark problem-solving, and enjoy imaginative play.
You’ll love how this simple craft keeps little minds active and little hands busy, all while using items you already have around.
Leaf Pattern
Looking for a screen-free way to build early math skills? Leaf pattern activities are a gentle, nature-inspired way to introduce sequencing, sorting, and logical thinking.
You’ll be amazed how quickly your child starts spotting patterns around them, all while getting some hands-on sensory fun too.
Leaf Monster Art
Let your child’s wild imagination come alive with Leaf Monster Art.
This quirky activity isn’t just fun, it builds fine motor skills, boosts storytelling, and encourages self-expression.
You’ll love watching your little one giggle while turning leaves into silly, spooky characters straight from their own playful world.
Nature Memory Game
The Nature Memory Game is a simple yet brilliant way to help your child sharpen focus and recall while exploring textures and smells.
You get to watch them light up with pride as they match and remember, building not just memory, but curiosity too. It’s hands-on, screen-free fun that grows little minds naturally.
Butterfly Leaf Art
Butterfly Leaf Art is a magical way for your child to connect with nature while building fine motor skills and symmetry sense.
You’ll love how this calming activity lets your little one express their creativity using nothing but leaves and imagination.
It’s mess-free, peaceful, and perfect for sparking quiet moments of focused joy.
Play With Nature
Let your child unplug and soak up the wonders of the natural world!
When your little one plays with nature, they build curiosity, resilience, and happiness, without screens or structured rules.
You’ll see their imagination bloom as they discover textures, sounds, and sights that only the outdoors can offer.
Nature Frame Craft
Here’s a beautiful way to turn a simple walk into a masterpiece! With Nature Frame Craft, your child can collect leaves and flowers to create their very own living art.
You’re not just encouraging creativity, you’re also building their focus, appreciation for nature, and fine motor skills, all while making memories that last.
Hedgehog Spikes With Nature
Looking for a screen-free activity that’s both fun and meaningful? Let your child bring a hedgehog to life using natural materials.
This adorable nature craft supports sensory play, boosts hand-eye coordination, and sparks storytelling.
You’ll love how it transforms a simple moment into an imaginative and educational experience.
Make A Nature Heart
Imagine your child crafting a heart full of nature’s treasures—leaves, twigs, and petals, all while soaking up fresh air and building fine motor skills.
This simple yet beautiful project helps them express love and creativity in the most organic way.
It’s a lovely keepsake and a moment of calm you’ll both cherish.
Apple Nature Art Frames
Looking for a fun way to blend nature and creativity? This Apple Nature Art Frame is just what your little one needs.
It turns a simple shape into a playful canvas for leaves, petals, and grass, boosting imagination, focus, and a love for the outdoors.
You’ll love how proudly they show off their masterpiece.
Nature Leaf Hedgehog
Let your child’s fingers get crafty with this adorable Nature Leaf Hedgehog.
As they layer leaves to create spiky textures, they’re not just having fun, they’re sharpening fine motor skills and building focus.
You get a happy, engaged kid and a fridge-worthy piece of nature art to show off.
Nature Weaving
Nature Weaving is more than just a craft, it’s a beautiful blend of creativity and calm.
Your child learns patience, planning, and pattern recognition while gently threading leaves and flowers through twigs.
It’s the perfect way for you to enjoy a peaceful moment together while encouraging mindful play.
Fall Nature Wreath Craft
The Fall Nature Wreath Craft brings beauty and learning together in one simple, joyful activity.
As your child gathers and arranges seasonal leaves and twigs, they’re not just creating art, they’re practicing fine motor skills and learning about autumn’s wonders.
It’s your chance to make meaningful memories while nurturing their curiosity and creativity.
Conclusion
My son and I enjoyed doing these activities and crafts that made us stop and look around nature to see how much it has to offer and what we can make with its gifts.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog on nature activities you can do with your kids. Please share which of these activities you liked in the comment section.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)