Nature bracelets

Looking for a simple, fun project to get the little ones out into nature? This multisensory outdoor learning activity works well during Forest School, or adds a focus to your nature walk. Children own the process, and they will enjoy bringing home the final product: a nature bookmark.

Early learning:

• Explore the natural world
• Form positive attachments
• Explore and represent patterns up to ten
• Understand seasons and changing states of matter
• Experiment with colour, design, texture, form, and function
• Share their creations, explaining the process they have used

What you will need:

• A roll of wide Sellotape
• Child-safe scissors
• A strip of card

Steps:

Preparing: Fasten a piece of wide Sellotape around each child’s wrist – keep it loose enough so it can slip off the child’s hand, and do sticky side out. (Note: if you have a child who finds the sensation of the tape on their wrist uncomfortable, the teacher can wear that child’s bracelet, and the child can do the collecting.)

Collecting: On your nature walk, encourage the children to gather small nature items: petals, safe berries, leaves, twigs, wildflowers, and other beautiful things!

Sticking on: Have the children stick their nature items onto their sticky tape bracelets. For an extra challenge, help the child identify the flowers or plants as they stick them on!

Cutting off: Once back in the classroom, the teacher should carefully cut the bracelet off the child’s wrist, using the child-safe scissors.

Making the bookmark: Stick the tape, with all its nature items, onto the piece of card, and rub it down well.

Extension activity: For extra fun add the child’s name (or let them try). Children can decorate their bookmarks with crayons or nature paints. Press the bookmark to make it flatter.