If you’re at home with your little ones and wondering how to fill the day with something magical, meaningful, and just a little bit muddy, I’ve got the perfect idea… Well, several ideas! This blog post is filled with nature crafts and activities for children!
There’s something incredibly special about time spent outside. The fresh air, the chirping birds, the squishy mud between tiny toes—it all adds up to big benefits for our kids. Outdoor play helps boost creativity, reduce stress, strengthen immunity, and spark a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. And best of all? It’s fun!
To help you dive in, I’m sharing some of our very favorite nature crafts and outdoor activities—straight from my blog and a few other fantastic sources.
And if you’re ready to have it all done for you, you’ll love Nature School! Nature School is an outdoor learning companion that deepens your child’s experience with nature—offering engaging, educational, and oh-so-fun activities to explore the world around them.
In Nature School, your child will explore seven themes using everyday outdoor materials: rocks, sticks, leaves, flowers, dirt and sand, water, and shells. With each theme, learning unfolds naturally as your child is exposed to activities that focus on literacy, numeracy, fine motor development, sensory experiences, and crafting.
Browse a sample and get Nature School in the How Wee Learn Shop: https://shop.tstest18.techsurgeons.com/products/natureschool
Nature Crafts and Activities for Preschoolers
Let’s get our little ones outdoors and soaking up all the wonder this world has to offer through hands-on activities and creative crafts. Get ready to climb trees, scale rocks, conquer hills—and get muddy, messy, and joyfully immersed in all things nature!
- Printable Nature Scavenger Hunts
- Nature Arts & Crafts Ideas
- Outdoor Activities for Exploring Nature Year-Round
- Winter Nature Activities
- Outdoor Nature Projects for Kids
- Fun Ideas for Gardening with Kids
- Even More Learning with Nature Activities for Preschoolers!
- Nature School: Connect, Learn, and Play Outside
Printable Nature Scavenger Hunts
Before we delve into these fabulous nature-inspired activities, I have the perfect way to get our little ones outside—Nature Scavenger Hunts!
These sweet printables encourage you to use all of your senses as you explore the outdoors. Do you hear those birds singing? Feel the prickly pine needles? Nature walks are such a magical experience with little ones, and these printables are the perfect addition!
Grab all four FREE Nature Scavenger Hunts right here:
Nature Arts & Crafts Ideas
Breathtaking Nature Crafts for Kids – With summer in full swing, chances are you’re spending more and more time outdoors, which also means your little ones are probably gathering all kinds of nature treasures. Flowers, leaves, pebbles, sticks… if it’s outside, they’re collecting it! If you’re wondering what to do with all those treasures, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up some fabulous, fun, and easy nature crafts perfect for preschoolers. Everything you need is in one place—get ready to turn those outdoor finds into beautiful keepsakes!
Summer Camp Crafts Infused with Nature – Summer should feel like magic—muddy knees, messy hands, and that endless sense of wonder. These nature-inspired camp crafts capture that feeling perfectly. From leaf prints to rock critters, these hands-on projects are all about soaking up summer fun while getting creative with the natural treasures right outside your door.
Nature Chains and a Summertime Christmas Tree – Paper chains are fun, sure—but have you ever made them out of leaves, flowers, and twigs? Nature chains bring a whole new level of creativity and beauty to this classic craft. And when you’re done? Hang them on your very own Summertime Christmas Tree for a fun and whimsical backyard display that celebrates the season in style!
Outdoor Activities for Exploring Nature Year Round
Earth Day Nature Walk Ideas for Kids – This one’s a favorite—especially around Earth Day (April 22nd), but the ideas are perfect any time of year! It’s packed with engaging nature activities for preschoolers that will spark curiosity and creativity. Dive into our “Exploring the Five Senses in Nature” series—an enriching, hands-on sensory adventure for kids of all ages. Discover how a simple nature walk can boost your child’s language development, and see how we used our outdoor discoveries to explore science like little researchers. This post is a total gold mine for curious minds!
Outdoor Activities for Earth Day – There were so many awesome nature activities for children, I decided to add a few additional gems for Earth Day outdoor fun!
9 Unique Outdoor Activities for Babies – Let’s be honest—getting outside with a baby can feel like a whole production. Is this outfit too warm? Too cold? What if they put that in their mouth? It gets even trickier when you’ve got older kids who need outdoor time to burn energy. But don’t worry—we’ve got some creative ideas to help you get everyone outside safely and happily. Yes, even baby! These tips are all about keeping it low-stress, fun, and full of fresh air for the whole crew.
An Invitation to Play in the Rain – Once the rain begins to fall, many of us instinctively head indoors, assuming outdoor play has to stop. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Playing in the rain can be a wonderfully simple yet rich experience, full of opportunities for learning and joy. Splashing in puddles, observing how water moves, and feeling the rain on your skin—these are small moments that engage the senses and spark curiosity. They say time flies when you’re having fun, and rainy-day play is no exception.
Create a Nature Maze by Pink Stripey Socks – This activity is fantastic year-round and can be tailored to suit any season! Encourage your child to use natural materials like rocks, sticks, leaves, or even snow to build winding mazes for toy cars, trains, boats, or animals. It’s a hands-on way to explore spatial awareness, creativity, and problem-solving. Whether you’re in a forest, park, or backyard, nature provides all the materials you need for an imaginative maze adventure.
4 Tips to Get Started with Storytelling in Nature by Rain or Shine Mama – Whether you consider yourself a storyteller or not, this post will set you up for success. Invite your child to add to the story and watch their imagination soar! Nature walks might turn into their new favorite thing!
Indoor Nature Activities for Kids – When it’s too wet, cold, or buggy to stay outside, bring nature indoors! Think pine needles, berries, flowers, grasses, bark, and leaves—perfect for sensory play, exploration, and creative fun. These indoor nature ideas help keep the connection to the outdoors alive, even when you’re stuck inside.
Winter Nature Activities
Nature Ice Hangings – These ice hangings are easy to make and absolutely beautiful!
Winter Nature Walking Ideas – If you’ve made it this far, you already know how great nature walks can be—but what about when everything’s frozen and your fingers feel like icicles? Don’t worry, winter walks can still be a blast! Here are some creative, kid-approved ideas to help keep little legs moving and minds engaged, even when the trail is cold and snowy. Think scavenger hunts, frosty fairy houses, and animal track spotting!
5 Summer Activities that are More Fun in the Winter – Surprise your kids with a twist—some of their favorite summer pastimes are even more magical when there’s snow on the ground! These five classic warm-weather activities take on a whole new life in winter. Think slip ‘n slides swapped for sleds, and snow painting instead of sidewalk chalk. Bundle up and bring the summertime spirit into the chilly season!
A Winter Waldorf Nature Table -Bring a little winter magic indoors with a Waldorf-inspired nature table. Collect pinecones, moss, rocks, and other seasonal treasures to build a mini-world for little hands to explore. It’s a gentle, beautiful way to stay connected to nature—and spark imaginative play all winter long.
Outdoor Nature Projects for Kids
Building our Outdoor Art Easel – There’s just something magical about painting in the great outdoors—sunlight, breeze, birdsong, and all. In this post, we show you how we created a simple, rustic art easel using big sticks and twine. It’s easy to make, totally customizable, and will inspire countless masterpieces right in your backyard.
Amazing Outdoor Fort Ideas – There’s no better way to spark creativity (and maybe even a little quiet time) than building a fort outside. Whether your kids want a secret clubhouse, a fairy hideout, or a fortress of solitude, these easy outdoor fort ideas—made with sticks, twine, and imagination—are sure to keep them busy and inspired for hours.
14 DIY Birdfeeders for Kids – Get crafty, make some feathered friends, and sneak in a little science while you’re at it! These 14 DIY bird feeders are simple, fun, and perfect for little hands. Using materials you probably already have at home, you’ll create beautiful feeders that attract all sorts of birds—and spark curiosity in your kids about the world outside.
Nature Fairy Houses, by Rediscovered Families – Nature activities for preschoolers that inspire their imaginations are always a bonus! This outdoor nature project will keep them occupied for hours as they hunt for supplies, build their homes and play, play, play!
Make a Roly Poly Habitat by Fantastic Fun and Learning – Preschoolers will love making the perfect, cozy home for their bugs and roly-polies. Depending on what they catch, they may have to ensure that the bug gets the right food, light and materials for shelter. Kids might even observe physical transformations as they care for their new friends.
DIY Sundial for Kids by Edventures with Kids – Children can make these as simple or as elaborate as they’d like. Both the process of making their homemade sundials and using them will be full of learning opportunities and time spent in nature.
Fun Ideas for Gardening with Kids
Teaching Kids to Grow Their Own Food – Digging in the dirt is more than just fun—it’s full of learning! These easy garden activities for preschoolers are a perfect way to help little ones explore where food comes from. From planting seeds to picking veggies, kids will love the hands-on experience of growing their own food (and maybe even tasting something new!).
Seed Germination for Kids and The Results! – Ready to turn your kitchen into a mini science lab? This super simple seed germination activity just needs a mason jar, paper towel, water, and some seeds. It’s a perfect indoor experiment to help kids see how plants grow—up close and in real time! In the results, I share which seeds were the easiest and fastest to grow. Take your pick based on your spring garden project goals!
Tons of Seed Activities for Kids – Seeds are tiny, but the learning possibilities are HUGE. From sensory bins to counting games, sorting activities, seed art, and even seed dissections, this collection is packed with creative ways to explore these little powerhouses. Get ready to touch, smell, observe, and learn a ton while you’re at it.
Make a Sandwich Bag Compost – Composting doesn’t have to be messy or complicated! With just a sandwich bag and a few food scraps, you can show your kids how composting works on a small, simple scale. It’s quick, fun, and a great way to teach kids about soil, gardening, and reducing waste—all in one hands-on activity.
Comparing and Sorting Seeds – After a big day of planting or seed hunting, wind things down with this engaging and educational activity. Children can sort seeds by size, shape, or color, compare textures, and even count them out into groups. It’s a calm, thoughtful way to blend math and nature at the end of an active day.
Even More Learning with Nature Activities for Preschoolers!
15 Ways to Keep Them Outside All Summer! – Between the lure of screens, air conditioning, and bug-free indoors, it can be tough to convince kids (and let’s be honest, grown-ups too) to stay outside. But we all know the outdoors is where the best memories are made! Here are 15 creative and doable ways to make fresh air irresistible all summer long—even if the mosquitoes are out in full force.
Raising a Wild Child – This post was written out of necessity. My boys play best when learning outside and not contained by four walls. These nature activities are simple, chalk-full of learning, and they work! Wild child-approved!
How to Incubate Chicken Eggs with Kids! – I had absolutely no experience incubating and hatching chicken eggs before I started, and I’ve done so successfully multiple times. This is the beginning of a multi-post series where I explain everything you need to know to enjoy this cross-curricular learning experience with your littles.
A Simple Nature Sensory Bin – Sometimes, the simplest activities are the most captivating. This nature-themed sensory bin was a huge hit in our home. It only came out at special times, which made it even more exciting! Fill it with textures, smells, and little treasures from outside to keep kids engaged and curious for days.
Preschool Math Games: Graphing with Nature – Math meets the great outdoors in this playful preschool graphing activity. Grab some leaves, rocks, flowers, or whatever you find in your backyard, and use chalk to create a nature graph right on the sidewalk. It’s a fun, visual way to build math skills—no worksheet required!
Constellation Cards and Myths for Kids – Bring the wonder of constellations and our solar system indoors with paper and a simple flashlight. Kids will learn about the myths that accompany each constellation when you print these free cards.
Sorting Math Games – Sometimes after a wild nature walk haul, you just HAVE to sort your finds! Here’s a way to make some math learning super fun!
Nature School: Connect, Learn, and Play Outside
And there you have it, friends! More than enough nature activities for children and outdoor adventures to keep you and your little ones busy—not just this year, but probably the next few, too!
There’s something truly magical about watching kids explore the great outdoors. Nature kind of takes the lead, and the learning just… happens. So go ahead—use these ideas as your jumping-off point. Let them spark your creativity, get you out the door, and then let nature do the rest. Who knows what amazing things you’ll discover together?
And if you want to keep the outdoor activities and learning going, check out my Nature School resource in the How Wee Learn shop today!
Discover Nature School:
https://shop.tstest18.techsurgeons.com/products/natureschool
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Thank you so much for reading, friends!
xo Sarah
