Natural Art!

Go for a walk with your kids and gather up some leaves. Then follow these directions and make a masterpiece!

FamilyEducation Editorial Staff

Updated: December 1, 2022

Natural Art!

An Imagination Station Activity

Age: All ages
Time: An afternoon
Type of Activity: Art and nature

Materials needed:

Clean, dry twigs of varying heights, lengths

A roll of mural paper or even a roll of unused wallpaper

Scissors to cut the mural paper to the desired length

Acrylic paints and a brush

Pine needles; tiny pinecones; little sticks/twigs to decorate edges

White glue

Raffia or yarn for the hanger

What to Do:

Step One: Decide how large you want your mural to be. Lay your paper out lengthwise on a long table or the floor; be sure to lay it over newspaper in case of a spill. Then lay out your paints before you go on your walk.

Step Two: Take a walk in a nearby park or woods and begin collecting twigs of varying lengths; acorns, small pinecones, a handful of pine needles, and some small sticks.

Step Three: When you get home after your walk, clean and dry your twigs. Paint one side of a twig and lay it on the mural/wallpaper to leave a "print"; continue with remaining twigs. Stagger the prints into bunches, leaving space between each "set".

Step Four: Glue the smaller twigs, pinecones, and needles lengthwise along the edges to give the mural a "finished" edge.

Step Five: Braid or smooth out the raffia stings or yarn and knot at either end. Staple the string to the back/top of the mural with a stapler to use as a hanger.

Step Six: Hang the mural on a bulletin board or in your room.