Welcome back to Easy Crafts with Kids! As part of World Environment Day (5 June) we wanted to create a Forest Craft. A great opportunity to talk to our children about why the environment is so special, what we need to do to protect it and above all forest get crafty!
We decided to have a go at making some Nature Art People or Woodland People made from leaves, sticks and bark!
Quite unlike me, I was cutting our “due date a bit find” and was looking around the house for inspiration.. when I remembered this lovely book:
The Book
Spring Song with Music.
It was a gift to Pip Squeak from her Uncle Ch. He loves finding unusual presents and he found a couple of wonderful old books with gorgeous illustrations. This is a book on Spring Songs, with beautiful little Flower Fairies in it. If you are musical it comes complete with music sheets. One day, I may attempt to play the tunes (in a very basic way) on the piano. In the meantime, we like reading the songs as poems and looking at the pretty pictures.
I know the book focusses on Spring and we are coming into summer now… but after all it is “only” the inspiration for today’s craft!
The Craft
I *really* wanted to make some very special Woodland Fairies. Now… crafting with a 3 year old requires simplicity. So we kept it simple and I love the outcome.
1) I made some “samples” for Red Ted first. He always likes to see a craft and then copy.. after that when he “gets” the idea, he has free reign. Here my “Tree People” and Leaf Fairy. I used some very flat bark we found as well as leaves collected on a walk to the local “wood”.
2) Glue a large leaf. Draw a head. Add a hat. Job done. I tried to get Red Ted to draw the head, or at least the eyes, but he wasn’t interested. He did like sticking on shoes as leaves. He did ALL of the below (save for the bits in pen).
3) And whilst I took the them all out to dry, made his very own creation – no drawing required: a large head, bark for eyes, bark for legs and leaves for shoes. Lovely. I was so pleased with his effort! This is a really good example of first “showing them how to do something” (especially young children, who have never made something specific before) and then letting them go wild with their imagination. I know next time we do leaf people Red Ted will be doing ALL the deciding as he will “know” what the aim of the craft is… and I will just sit back and watch his creations unfold!
4) I am going to put contact paper (sticky back plastic) over two of them (one being his wonderful creation) and keep them for our calendar. Leaves do become brittle and crumble.
Find more Nature Crafts for Kids here:
mermaid says
That`s lovely! I like the three people picture.. reminds me of the Christmas song “Three of us is coming from Gingerbread Land”.
We have made leaf people in autumn but why not to make them in summer as well!
maria says
How creative! I love your forest people, but I have to say Red Ted’s are amazing especially the one with the large head and the little shoes:)
Red Ted Art says
Yes – Leaf people are for all year round!! 🙂
Maria – totally agree – I LOVE his own creation – that one will go into the calendar for next year! I made the “sample” first – as I find he needs to “see” something first. Once he “gets it”, his imagination is the limit and hey presto he created his own man! 🙂
Jude says
Great minds think alike!!
Love the Flower Fairy books – I had the whole set as a child, and still have them somewhere…
Red Ted Art says
Oooh Jude, your critters are just TOO adorable!! I love your crafts!
Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree says
Awesome Forest People! Great books! You are the Linky Queen today! 2 on one day!!!
Rashmie @MommyLabs says
Maggy,
These woodland people are just too adorable! I love the simplicity as well as the creativity in it. The three people together are adorable and so is the man with the feather head gear!
Simple projects are always the best with kids… 🙂
Thank you dear for your participation in Forest Fiesta!
Red Ted Art says
Ah Melissa – it is a blog hop set up by Rashmie… so she is in charge of the second linky 😉 but like been called linky queen!!!
Sheila Whittenberg says
This is a wonderful idea, especially for younger children! I will definitely have to try it.
Roopa @putti prapancha says
Aaah these woodland people are lovely!! And the book seems wonderful too.
You should check the book ‘Blossom Buddies’ has lots of flower ladies/fairies:)
We love making leaf people (u might have seen them during our family study), you have inspired us to make them again and maybe this time with barks too !!
Ally says
I love the leaf people – what a great idea!! We are always collecting leaves and I don’t know what to do with them. Thanks for the inspiration.
Esther says
The leaf people/Woodland people look adorable. I liked the Flat bark people.
Janelle says
Incredibly creative little forest people. I love how they turned out!
stacy of ksw says
Oh these are the loveliest forest people I have ever seen. What a great idea, I can’t wait to try this with the kiddos. Thanks so much for sharing, it was great to be a part of this blog hop with you.
Red Ted Art says
Oooh you guys are leaving SUCH LOVELY comments today! Thank you so much!! *BEAM*
The Outlaw Mom says
I’ve been wondering how and when we were going to do this, but just booked a playdate in a redwood grove where we’ll find LOTS of materials for making little woodland people. Thinking of bring the paper, pens and glue to the park so that Jane and her two new best friends can do this project together! Thank you for the inspiration 🙂
Rashi says
Maggy, I love your innovative ideas. It remembers me the olden days forest people who stayed in jungle and they make their clothes with leaves. I will also try it. Thanks for sharing.
Amy @ Hope Is the Word says
Love your fairies! You did very well by reading the songs as poems–I usually make up tunes when I don’t know them! 🙂
Red Ted Art says
Hi Amy – yes.. I know what you mean – often I make the tunes up too!! For some reason not with this book!
Erin @ Making Memories says
Thanks for visiting us! Elmers Glue is a washable glue for kids. For some reason craft glue is too sticky and doesn’t work. So if it’s washable, it’ll work for Super Balls =o)
Red Ted Art says
Ooooh fabulous, thank you so much for letting me know! I will have a go!!!! Have already bought Borax!
Red Ted Art says
I can’t keep up with all your lovely comments (you often leave them when I am fast asleep..) but am chuffed to bits with all your niceness 🙂 thank you! Those of you who will have a go at the woodland people – I would love to see your creations!!
JDaniel4's Mom says
Ted did a great job!
This post counts as a entry in the June edition of the Summer Reading Challenge.
Red Ted Art says
Oooh thank you!
maryanne @ mama smiles says
Those little people are so cute!
Mummy's Blog says
Love your work. I try to inspire my daughter through nature. I take her to the park every day where we watch deer sitting on old logs and collect sticks and leaves…but honestly I completely forgot we can bring them home and glue them to the paper…fantastic!!!!
Red Ted Art says
Oh yes, my son ADORES sticking! 🙂
Natalie says
What an awesome idea. Love the leaf people. Thanks for joining WMCIR!
Red Ted Art says
Thank you Natalie 🙂
Isil says
Maaggy, this looks like a beautiful book and I love the little people you created.Thanks for linking up to Book Sharing Monday 🙂
jfb57 says
I love the combination of reading & the outside. Will be a great one for all sorts of classrooms! Thank you for popping over on the Resource Centre Maggy!
Julia
Carolyn says
The book craft work looks fantastic. Little 3 yo did an excellent job. Great idea doing it first and showing him as an example, and then he can use his imagination for the rest.
Michelle Willow says
Love your woodland people! 🙂 Featured on this week’s High paw post! 😉
Aimee says
I love incorporating nature into artwork!That is a great idea- thanks for sharing it on The Sunday SHowcase!
Colleen - Sunrise Learning Lab says
We will have to make some forest people, but since we live in Florida and have all tropical trees and plants, ours will look a little different and will require bigger paper!
We like painting with palm fronds and have done it on a few different occasions. Works well to make a jazzy looking wrapping paper for a present.
Thanks for sharing these so cute!
Colleen
Sunrise Learning Lab blog
@F5th on Twitter
Jane says
These are so cute! I love working with leaves and these look like leaf fairies!
Sarah - The Puffin Diaries says
I love these, it’s a really simple and easy way to make art that uses the imagination. I think we might have a go.
Gude @HodgePodgeCraft says
They’re like little wood nymphs aren’t they? Super-sweet!