- Gather your materials. You will need some heavy paper ( recycled cardboard is perfect) or a foam sheet , glue and something to gather your nature discoveries in. Oh and some place outdoors where you can gather things to bring inside.
- Go outside and start finding treasures. I have done this with litter, shells from a beach, all leaves or like this where anything my son grabbed we included.
- Pop your treasures in the jar or bowl.
- Note to parents sometimes your child will find something like this snail that can’t be glued ( or shouldn’t be anyway) take a picture and when they move on to something else rescue it from the jar. If they are old enough explain nicely why gluing something living to a piece of paper for our enjoyment is not a good thing.
- Come inside and spread the glue. You will probably need a lot.
- Start placing the nature discoveries on your paper/ foam.
- Let dry, ours had to dry overnight for the pine cone and stick to stay on.
Song!
My Backyard!
Don’t throw your junk in my backyard,
my backyard,
my backyard ,
Don’t throw your junk in my backyard,
my back yard’s full!
Rocks and trees and butterflies
butterflies,
butterflies,
Rocks and trees and butterflies
Dirt and leaves and bugs!’
Don’t throw your junk in my backyard,
my backyard,
my backyard,
Don’t throw your junk in my backyard ,
my backyard’s full!
Jennifer says
This is one of my favorite activities to do with the kids because they are so involved with the whole process from start to finish.
Sarah says
Thanks for the inspiration on this post! I just put the book on hold at the library. I am going to try making a mobile out of the things my toddler finds outside, otherwise I can see her pulling off everything that we glued down!