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Natural Art!

by Rita Richardson

An Imagination Station Activity

Age: All ages
Time: An afternoon
Type of Activity: Art and nature

Materials needed:

  • Clean, dry twigs of varying heights, lengths
  • A roll of mural paper or even a roll of unused wallpaper
  • Scissors to cut the mural paper to the desired length
  • Acrylic paints and a brush
  • Pine needles; tiny pinecones; little sticks/twigs to decorate edges
  • White glue
  • Raffia or yarn for the hanger

    What to Do:

    Step One: Decide how large you want your mural to be. Lay your paper out lengthwise on a long table or the floor; be sure to lay it over newspaper in case of a spill. Then lay out your paints before you go on your walk.

    Step Two: Take a walk in a nearby park or woods and begin collecting twigs of varying lengths; acorns, small pinecones, a handful of pine needles, and some small sticks.

    Step Three: When you get home after your walk, clean and dry your twigs. Paint one side of a twig and lay it on the mural/wallpaper to leave a "print"; continue with remaining twigs. Stagger the prints into bunches, leaving space between each "set".

    Step Four: Glue the smaller twigs, pinecones, and needles lengthwise along the edges to give the mural a "finished" edge.

    Step Five: Braid or smooth out the raffia stings or yarn and knot at either end. Staple the string to the back/top of the mural with a stapler to use as a hanger.

    Step Six: Hang the mural on a bulletin board or in your room.

    More on: Crafts for Kids

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