What a half term it is this year with it being a lockdown, rainy and cold. But never fear as we've been busy exploring the best natural crafts you can do at home to keep the kids busy.
Our top three activities are listed below. Give them a try and let us know what you think.
1. Garden seed balls
This is so easy to make and fun, plus your garden will benefit too. All you'll need is:
toilet rolls and any unwanted paper
a bowel
pack of seeds
cake drying rack
Simply rip the cardboard and paper into tiny shreds, place in the bucket with warm water (enough to turn the mixture into pulp) and let the kids play. When it's cooled throw in the seeds before shaping the pulp and allowing to dry on the rack. Toss around the garden when mostly dry and see what grows.
2. Bird feeders
Bread
Unsalted nut butter
Seeds (birdseed or unprocessed seeds)
The easiest way to make a bird feeder is to thread some string through a piece of toast, spread unsalted nut butter over it and sprinkle with seeds. If you want to go more fancy, get the kids to cut the toast into shapes, with cookie or Play-Doh cutters, and decorate with seeds. It goes without saying that putting the feeders out on a rainy day will mean they end up a soggy mess on the ground, so pick a dry spell to hang them. You can squish leftover crusts into a ball, with a bit of water, and place amongst branches too.
3. Icy sun catchers
Silicone pie dish/cup cake mould or standard ice tray
Water
Garden leaves and flowers
String
If you have any silicone cake trays this works so well. Simply fill with water, add a loop of string and pretty leaves and flowers. When frozen pop the ice out of the tray and hang from a tree branch.
If like me you don’t have silicone moulds you can use an ice cube tray and make tiny tree decorations using the same method.
I hope you enjoy these activities. We've had great fun with them in our house.
You can help us Green Up Britain via -
Donation - every penny helps restore nature around the UK
Volunteering - join our growing list of helpers
Sponsorship - we'll plant trees on behalf of your company