Just before Autumn arrives we have been enjoying some Nature threading. After our Sticky Tape Nature Pictures, we have been inspired to stay on track with more Nature activities. There is still lots of beautiful blooms and foliage everywhere! It's hard to believe that before long lots of this will disappear, as plants and trees go to sleep for the cooler months.
Before I go on to share how this activity unfolded I just wanted to share this:
I am a huge believer in leaving plants and bushes to grow for the bugs and bees. Some plants thrive when you cut weaker/dying blooms. Sometimes bushes have to be cut back to keep things neat and its at this time where this activity is a perfect one to do. I wouldn't ever actively encourage anyone let along children so go hacking plants and bushes down for crafts.
Make sure you explain this to the children too. Teach them to respect the outdoors from a young age.
I cut down some cardboard that was heading for the recycle bin for this activity. I grabbed a handful of elastic bands - some that would be too small to stretch over the cardboard, but that was something I could observe to see if Neve could work this out.
I'd had a cut back of some bushes and blooms in the garden and had put a handful of them aside for this activity. I brought them inside, popped them on the side and just waited to see if it would draw Neve in. It did.
I didn't guide her at all. I wanted to see what she would do. This is where magic happens. Sometimes children can take activities and crafts off into a different direction than planned which often ends up much better than you thought it would go. This is also when you learn more about a child's mind. The way they think. What interests them.
She figured out which bands were better to use quite early on. It wasn't something I needed to point out to her. She began attaching and threading the leaves and flowers onto her cardboard. It came together really well. She was really engaged and sat concentrating as she pulled them through the bands.
She asked me to join in and make one. An invitation I will never turn down - crafting with my children. I sat beside here and we had a good old natter as I started to make a Nature Weaving board too.
I tried something a little different - placing two bands together and leaving a larger gap before placing another two bands. Lets see how it turned out:
Neve wanted to make more and more of them bless her heart. She loved how they came together.
At the moment we are enjoying the Summer off together. While her brothers have their afternoon nap I am loving doing lots of crafts and activities with her. Its great for some calming bonding time.
Did you see the Ice Cream Shop that we set up recently in the garden? So much fun!
Lets take a look at this activity in action:
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