Art Outside!
Yay - everyone is done with school (or at least close to being done) and is ready to be outside and free! Enrich your trip to the playground, nature trail, pool, or backyard by bringing a few items to engage in art with. Here are some of my favorite low-cost, low-prep ideas that I did with my kids:
🖍️ Crayon Rubbings
What you need: Plain paper, crayons ( some with no wrappers)
How to do it: Look for textured flat surfaces—like bricks, grates, leaves, tree bark, walkways or even the bottom of your sneaker! Lay the paper on top and rub the long side of the crayon across it until the texture appears (or use the side of the crayon tip)! Later, cut out your rubbings into shapes (animals, buildings, vases) and make a collage or picture with them.
🍃 Nature Walk Mosaics
What you need: A small bag or egg carton for collecting tiny nature treasures—rocks, twigs, leaves, seed pods, etc.
How to do it: After collecting, kids can arrange their finds on a piece of cardboard (randomly or in a pattern/mandala) and glue them down with tacky glue. For younger kids, use contact paper taped to a table so they can stick items directly onto the surface, then lay some cardboard strips around the edges to “frame” it.
🏡 Forest Fairy Houses
What you need: Sticks, moss, bark, small rocks, pine needles—whatever natural materials you can find.
How to do it: I love these so much, we still do them as adults! In your yard or on a trail, find a quiet little nook (like at the base of a tree) and build a tiny door, pathway, or fairy home using just your nature items. What would the fairy want their house to look like?
🧊 Frozen Toy Rescue
What you need: Ice cube tray or muffin tin, water, optional food coloring, small plastic toys or LEGO, salt, spray/squeeze bottle or paintbrush.
How to do it: Freeze small toys in colored or clear water inside an ice cube tray or muffin tin. Once solid, pop the ice blocks out and set them in a tray or on the grass outside. Give kids salt and small spoons to chip the ice away and "rescue" the trapped toys! No time to do this ahead? Toss some ice cubes into a tray, add a few drops of food coloring, and let kids “paint” and melt the ice with salt and brushes.
For inspiration, try Googling any of these project ideas—you'll find lots of fun examples!