Summer Adventure > Arts & Crafts > Nature Prints (Grades 3-5)
Posted on

Nature Prints (Grades 3-5)

Nature prints are an easy and fun way to explore nature through art.

A child's hands pushing a pine needle into clay

What You Need

  • Nature items, such as leaves, dandelions, pine needles or pine cones.
  • Air-dry clay, such as Crayola air-dry clay, Sculpt-it air dry clay, potters’ clay or a homemade salt dough.
  • Wax paper, parchment paper or a plastic place mat or tray to store the nature prints.
  • Drinking straws (optional)

What To Do

  1. Go outside and gather nature items from the backyard that you think might make interesting prints.
  2. Pinch off a small piece of your clay or dough and roll into a ball between your hands and flatten it with your hands or a rolling pin.
  3. Gently push one of your nature items into the clay.
  4. Gently peel off your nature item.
  5. Repeat.
  6. (Optional) If you’d like to hang your nature print, poke a hole at the top of your disk with a drinking straw.
  7. Let dry thoroughly. This may take two to three days.
  8. (Optional) Decorate your nature print with paint.