How to Make a Nature Headdress
Looking for something creative to do during your next nature walk? Well, this post is for you! Discover how to make your very own nature headdress – spark your kids creativity, and encourage a love of nature.
Last month the girls and I were on the hunt for another nature craft, and we were again inspired by the pages of Play the Forest School Way. We decided to create our very own nature headdress. On this beautiful spring morning we set out for a nature walk at one of our local preserves. The weather was warm, and our spirits were high because there was finally no need for jackets.
The warm breeze was inviting us to spend more time outdoors, and after the rocky start (weather wise) to this spring season, we were all thankful for a quintessential spring day. Not to mention, watching the girls run excitedly toward the nature trail brings a lot of joy to my heart. You might remember our last nature art project, when we tackled our very own handmade nest.
Well, this outdoor nature craft is one the girls were especially looking forward to – because they were eager to make their very own “fashion” nature crown.
CREATE A HEADDRESS WITH NATURAL MATERIALS
Items You May Need:
2 pieces of cardstock
Scissors
Double-sided tape/hot glue gun
Natural Elements for decoration – flowers, acorns, leaves, twigs, etc.
Now, if your family is big into crafting, you probably have most if not all of the items listed above at home already. But if not, trust me they are worth the investment because they are tools we reach for over and over again.
When we find ourselves in the forest, the girls can get a little side-tracked. So, I let them know at the start that I expected them to collect at least 10 elements from nature to decorate their nature headdress with. One thing we forgot to bring along with us was a little basket or bag where they could store their nature finds while we continued our walk.
However, if you plan on crafting your headdress in the forest, this may not be necessary but double-sided tape (on the list above) definitely is. Since we had Roxy along with us for our nature walk, the girls and I decided it would be best to assemble their nature crowns at home.
It’s truly fascinating to see which natural elements the girls are drawn to. Sadie reached for tiny flowers, and leaves. While Nora was drawn to twigs and acorns for this nature craft. While the designs were drastically different, both nature crowns turned out beautifully.
HOW TO MAKE A NATURE HEADDRESS
Once at home we got started on our nature craft project. The cardstock was cut into 2 inch bands. We stapled two of the bands together to make the base of the crown. At this point, Sadie decorated her cardstock crown by drawing bees, butterflies, and flowers.
Honestly, it was something I hadn’t even thought of suggesting, and had I known that Sadie wanted to draw on the cardstock, I would have stapled the pieces together after the fact. To be honest, I can get a little wrapped up in following the rules to the letter from time to time.
Next, we plugged in our hot glue gun. Not only did we have Roxy with us on our walk which would make it nearly impossible to craft outdoors. We also didn’t have any double-sided tape on hand. So, the hot glue gun won. I am, after all, a big believer in using what you’ve got before heading out to buy any extra supplies.
With their natural elements laid out on the table, the girls were able to tell me the design of their headdress. While I operated the hot glue gun to place the pieces just so. Now, if we had the double-sided tape, this project would have been a bit less collaborative, and encouraged a bit more independence. Regardless, this nature craft was a success, and one I can see the girls and I recreating in the future.
