Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors with your children; enjoy nature and do messy craft activities you might not otherwise allow in the home. There are so many things you can do from your backyard; many of which don’t cost a single penny. The results of these planned activities, can be displayed and enjoyed in your home for months afterward.
Here are five of the best outdoor crafts for you and your family to enjoy this summer:
1. Rock Painting
Either find pretty pebbles in your yard, or collect a few during your next visit to the beach. Then get out the paints and allow your children to decorate them anyway they wish. From little rainbow hand-prints, to writing their name in bright colors, let them paint to their hearts content.
Once the paints are dry, spray them with a clear varnish to preserve the moment indefinitely. You could even add a date to the back of the stone if there is any space left to write.
2. Grow a Family Tree
You will need a large sheet of paper for this one.
Roughly sketch out the trunk of a tree onto the paper, with a few smaller branches at the top. Then get your kids to decorate it – they could use paint, scrunched up brown tissue paper, brown leaves and twigs from the garden, or even actual mud!
Next, you all need to draw around the outline of your hands, cut them out, and decorate them green – these are going to be the leaves of your tree, which can be stuck on to the trunk once dry. Add a new ‘leaf’ for each member of your family, as they visit, until the tree is in full bloom
3. Bird Cake
To make these easy bird feeders, you will need the following:
- bird seed
- raisins
- peanuts
- grated cheese
- solid cooking fat
- yoghurt containers
- string
- mixing bowl
- scissors
Carefully make a small hole in the bottom of a yoghurt container. Thread string through the hole and tie a knot on the inside. Leave enough string so you can tie the container to a tree or bird table.
Allow the cooking fat to warm to room temperature, cut into small pieces and put into a mixing bowl.
Add all the other remaining ingredients to the bowl and squash them together with your hands – your kids will LOVE this part! Keep going until it all holds together.
Fill the pots with the mixture and leave to harden in the fridge for an hour or so.
Hang your bird cakes then stand somewhere discreet to watch them enjoy their feast. Keep a journal of the birds that visit.
4. Chalking
If your kids love making a mess, but don’t like to clean up afterwards, this could be the perfect activity for them.
Purchase some cheap colored chalk and let your children decorate every inch of your garden – from fences, to patios and walls. The results will be so fun and colorful and will keep your children busy for hours. The rain (or a good sprinkling with a hosepipe) will wash it all away afterwards, leaving a blank canvas for next time.
5. Search for Natural Dyes
Believe it or not, natural dyes can be found right in your backyard! Before there were chemical dyes, people had to make their own using plant materials. Roots, nuts and flowers are common sources for making beautiful, natural colors.
Remember; never gather more than 2-3 strands of something if collecting in the wild.
Once you have collected your plant materials, finely chop or crush them, and soak overnight in a glass bowl with just enough water to cover them.
The next day, pour the contents into a stainless steel pan and bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about an hour. Check it frequently and add more water if needed.
Strain through a sieve to remove the plant material, allow the liquid to cool, and you have dye!
If dying material, you can add alum to help the dye set. For every quart of dye, add about one tablespoon of alum. Add your chosen fabric to the dye, then simmer gently until the material has gone slightly darker than you want, it will lighten once dry.
This article was written by Kathryn Thompson. Kathryn is an experienced blogger and mom to three daughters. Kathryn enjoys spending time outdoors crafting with her family, and enjoying the simple things in life.