By now, you are settled (or mostly settled!) into a homeschool routine that is working well for your family. You may be surprised to discover that there is free time available to pursue other activities and interests! Fall is the perfect time of year to incorporate nature-based activities and craft projects.
Beginning is simple. Gather a few art supplies like glue (Aleene’s Tacky Glue is a favorite!), googly eyes, feathers, construction paper, felt pieces, pom-poms, string, paint brushes and paints, etc. Start simple or elaborate, the choice is yours! Next, get outside. Take a nature walk and gather a variety of objects. Depending on the ages of your children, this can range from colorful leaves and pinecones to acorns and Ornamental (Indian) corn. Worth noting if using fresh pinecones for crafting, start by removing sap and bugs. This can easily be done by placing them on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and placing them in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes or soaking them in vinegar water for 30 minutes. This second method will require drying for a few days on a paper covered counter. Now that the prep work is finished, allow your children to freely create a fall collage or pictures on canvas or construction paper. Need more inspiration, check out these ideas.
Pinecones: Create a pinecone bird feeder. This idea has been around for years, yet it remains a favorite for children of all ages. Attach a sturdy string to the top of your pinecone then spread peanut butter (or suet if nut allergy) on your pinecone, then roll it in bird seed. Hang the pinecone from your favorite tree and enjoy watching the various birds. Other pinecone crafts abound. Design pinecone trees using green paint and colorful pompoms, or even add glitter for extra sparkle. Try adding googly eyes, feathers and/or small cut-out shapes of construction paper or felt to make pinecone animals such as owls, dinosaurs, or turkeys. With a glue gun and inspiration, create a fall pinecone wreath by painting the pinecones various colors and gluing them to a cardboard template. Use a paper plate and bowl to trace the circles on the cardboard base, then cut out. Add a colorful ribbon to hang your wreath.
Acorns: Collecting acorns excites younger children, as well as offering a range of fun craft projects. If using fresh acorns, it is important to prep them by soaking in warm water and gently brushing them before allowing them to dry completely. Use acorns instead of or along with pinecones to make animal families or wreaths to add variety. Children also enjoy making necklaces out of the acorns using string and a bit of glue. Options abound for acorn necklaces. Note: it may work best to use acrylic paints when making the acorns colorful. Cupcakes and Lace offers a simple, child-friendly option for families. Older family members may enjoy creating an acorn garland to display through the Autumn season.
Ornamental corn: This makes another fantastic option for creating. Necklaces and wreaths can be jazzed up by adding the colorful corn to acorns or pinecones. One year, my children made candleholders using ornamental corn to give as a Christmas gift to grandparents. Easy and fun for the kids, the grandparents treasured it! There are numerous options for this craft including the use of dry beans or popcorn, which are also quite lovely. Both are easily modified to use ornamental corn! And if you can only find regular corn, try corn cob painting. This creates beautiful patterns that kids find exciting to see what results they get when overlapping various colors.
Hopefully, you are inspired to enjoy the beautiful colors of Autumn with your children. As you create together, we would love for you to share your projects with us on social media at #rainbowresourecenter.
~Deanne and Emily
