Nature-Based Art Activities for Kids

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With winter all around us, we are limited with the natural art supplies we can gather from the outdoors to create with inside the classroom. Fortunately, in our neck of the woods, pinecones are readily available and our students love working with them!

If you are unable to find pinecones or cannot find enough for all your students, bulk packages are available via Walmart and Amazon. 

We love Process Art!

Process Art allows students to express themselves through their creations. It builds self-confidence, strengthens fine-motor muscles, and supports cognitive development through experimenting, predicting, problem-solving, and learning cause and effect.

Setting up for Pinecone Process Art is relatively easy and requires little in supplies. 

You will need:

washable paint (3 or more colors) 

pinecones 

cardstock (thinner paper may rip)

paper plates or trays for paint

smocks (highly recommended)

individual paint trays (optional)

Let the painting begin!

This art activity works well as a cooperative experience too. Instead of using cardstock, cover your art table with butcher paper and let your students create, experiment, and communicate together!

This art activity is a HOOT!

Pinecone Snowy Owls are so cute! Your students will love their little creations!

* You will need larger pinecones with open scales for this activity. 

You will need:

pinecones (one for each student)

cotton balls

googly eyes

orange construction paper (cut into small triangles; one for each owl)

glue

Step 1:

You want your students to stuff the cotton in between the open scales of the pinecone. I suggest demonstrating to your students how to pull apart the cotton balls into smaller threads.

Using their fingertips, they will push the cotton threads between the scales.

This can be a little time-consuming but it is an excellent exercise for increasing fine-motor skills and hand and eye coordination.

For students who are having difficulty or getting frustrated by the task, I would suggest to them to only do the front of the pinecone, rather than the whole pinecone. The result will be just as beautiful!

Step 2:

Have your students glue their eyes and beak on their owl to form its face.

Your very own owl!

Display Ideas:

By attaching string to the top of the pinecones, the owls can be hung around the classroom for added nature décor. 

By gluing a small circle of cardboard to the bottom of each owl, they become wonderful windowsill décor.

This is a great art activity that increases fine-motor skills while building understanding and compassion for our feathered friends!

You will need:

pinecones (one for each student)

vegetable shortening (instead of peanut butter because of potential allergies)

birdseed

yarn

plastic knives

paper plates

Step 1:

Clean the pinecones of any dirt or debris.

Do not wet or wash the pinecones.

Step 2:

Using plastic knives, have your students coat the outside of their pinecones with vegetable shortening/lard/Crisco. 

Step 3:

Have your students roll their shortening covered pinecones in a plate of birdseed, covering all the shortening completely. 

Step 4: 

Have a plate ready for all the finished birdfeeders. Place the birdfeeders in the fridge for about 30 minutes to help the shortening harden (for less mess when adding the yarn).

Step 5:

Tie yarn to the top of the pinecones. Make sure the yarn is secured tightly.

Step 6:

Hang your pinecone bird feeders and watch the birds enjoy your treats!

Succulents have become a very popular plant choice for classrooms and homes because of their easy care, but why not create succulents that require NO CARE and are a beautiful addition to your room?

These also make great parent gifts for special occasions.

You will need:

pinecones (in a variety of shapes and sizes; at least one for each student)

acrylic craft paints in assorted colors (greens, teals, white, blush, etc.)

assorted paint brushes

mini clay pots (one for each student)

floral craft foam (cut into pieces so that each pot can be filled)

bag of craft pebbles

cardboard circles (cut to fit the circumference of the pot)

hot glue gun/glue sticks

tacky glue

* mini clay pots and bags of craft pebbles are readily available at your local Dollar Tree store.

Step 1:

Clean the pinecones of dirt and debris. Do not wet or wash.

Step 2:

If you have pinecones that are too big for the clay pots, they can be cut in half. The tops and bottoms of the pinecones are usable as succulents, so there is no waste.

Step 3:

Have students choose a pinecone and let the painting begin! Provide the assorted acrylic paints and paintbrushes and encourage your students to paint their pinecone as they wish.

Step 4:

You can leave the mini pots as they are, have your students paint them, or have them decoupage them with tissue paper. 

Step 5:

Help students fill their pots with craft foam. You do not want to fill them to the brim. There needs to be room at the top for the cardboard, pebbles, and succulent.

Step 6:

After putting the craft foam in the pot, use hot glue to attach the carboard circle on top so that there is a flat, workable surface for the succulent.

Step 7:

Attach the succulent to the middle of the cardboard circle using hot glue.

Even though students are not able to use the hot glue gun, I like to include them in this step by asking where and how they wish me to attach their pinecone to their pot.

Step 8:

Have the students paint the cardboard around the pinecone succulent with tacky glue and apply craft pebbles to cover the cardboard. Let dry. 

Enjoy!