This magical nature craft provides children the opportunity to engage in imaginative play and is a fun addition to outdoor play time.
Imaginative play isn’t just fun and games. So much is going on beneath the surface!
Benefits of imaginative, or fantasy play, includes preparing kids for the complexity of the real world, regulating their stress responses, improving brain structure, developing social and emotional intelligence, and providing the opportunity to experience the outcomes of decisions in a safe environment.
These nature wands are not only a fun craft to make, but are a great tool to encourage the most imaginative of play sessions.
Supplies:
- Stick or wooden skewer
- Sheet of poster board or thick cardstock
- Circle templates of two different sizes (I used an oatmeal container lid and a tape roll)
- Crayon or colored pencil
- Scissors
- Clear contact paper
- Botanical findings from nature (leaves, seeds, petals)
- Washable glue
Directions:
- Using your crayon or colored pencil, trace the circle templates onto the cardstock or poster board to create a set of two rings.
- Use your scissors to cut out the rings.
- Trace the larger of your circle templates onto the contact paper to create two circles. Cut the circles out with the scissors.
- Stick one of contact paper circles onto one of the paper rings.
- Arrange your botanical findings on the sticky side of the contact paper.
- Set your stick or skewer onto the lower end of the circle. This will serve as the handle of the wand.
- Seal in your design and wand handle by adhering the second contact paper circle.
- Glue the second paper ring on top of your wand to complete your creation.
Are you looking to do more nature crafts with your children? Check out these botanical ice “cupcakes.”
Wanting another craft that uses contact paper? You might enjoy this full lesson plan for Botanical Suncatchers.
