Outdoor art activities are a great way to get children to step outside and be creative in a natural setting. These activities encourage children to explore and use natural materials like leaves, stones, and sticks in their projects. They help children connect with nature and only require basic supplies that can be carried from home.
Read about the best outdoor craft activities that children and families can do together!
Benefits of Outdoor Art and Craft Activities for Your Children
There are so many benefits to outdoor arts and crafts:
- Fosters Creativity and Imagination: Children can explore and use natural materials like leaves, stones, and sticks in their projects. It encourages them to use only natural materials and things they can find in their surroundings.
- Connect with Nature: Helps children develop appreciation and awareness for the environment.
- Enhances Fine Motor Skills: Hands-on crafting improves hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
- Encourages Physical Activity: Being outdoors promotes better health and well-being.
- Improves Social Skills: Group crafts enhance teamwork, communication, and social interactions.
- Holistic Learning: Outdoor crafts combine creativity, physical activity, and social development for a well-rounded and fun learning experience.
Rock Painting
For children looking for outdoor painting ideas, rock painting is perfect. It is suitable for children aged 3 and up. It’s a fun, creative activity to do together outdoors.
What you need: Non-toxic paints and brushes
Head outside with your children and start finding some rocks. Smooth rocks would be ideal as they are easy to paint over. Gather the stones, paint colourful designs, and let them dry.
Nature Collages
Nature collages are a great craft activity for children aged 4 and up. This activity encourages children to use the objects they find creatively and builds a connection with the outdoors.
What you’ll need: Paper and glue
Children can start by collecting natural items like leaves, flowers and twigs. Simply arrange and glue the items onto the paper to create beautiful, nature-inspired art.
Leaf Rubbings
Leaf rubbings are suitable for kids aged 3 and up. It’s a simple, engaging activity that highlights beautiful textures.
What you’ll need: Paper, a piece of cardboard or clipboard, and crayons.
Start by collecting leaves. Ideally, a big leaf that isn’t too dry so that it doesn’t fall apart while tracing.
Place the leaf on the clipboard and cover it with a piece of paper. Rub a crayon over it to reveal its texture and shape.
Flower Crowns
Flower crowns are a great outdoor art project, ideal for children aged 5 and up. This delightful activity encourages creativity and results in a beautiful accessory for kids to wear.
What you’ll need: A string and scissors
This activity is a lot of fun because children get to go outside and pick their favourite flowers. Once they’ve collected the flowers (and maybe even some leaves), they can weave the flowers and grass into a circular crown, adjusting for size.
Start by measuring the size of the crown by wrapping the string around your head and tying it. Children can then tie the flowers and leaves around the string to make the process a bit easier.
Sand Castles
Building sand castles is the perfect outdoor art activity for kids aged 3 and up. This classic activity enhances motor skills and creativity while providing fun in the sun.
What you’ll need: Bucket, shovel, and moulds.
A classic activity for when you spend a day by the beach, sand castles are loved by people of all ages!
At the beach or in a sandbox, use wet sand to fill moulds. Build and decorate castles, and let your imagination run free.
Chalk Nature Painting
Chalk nature painting is a great outdoor art project for children aged 3 and up. This activity fosters creativity, fine motor skills, and outdoor fun.
What you’ll need: Chalk and a paved outdoor surface
To spend some time outside and make it fun, children can make chalk nature paintings with washable chalk. Encourage children to draw and colour anything that they love, from nature scenes like trees, flowers to animals.
Water Pistol Painting
Water pistol painting is suitable for children aged 5 and up. This activity is a lot of fun and combines play with arts and crafts. It can also be done with siblings or parents, with two or more people splashing paint together on a large white sheet.
What you’ll need: Water pistols, washable liquid paint, and a large white canvas or sheet of paper
Fill the pistols with paint and let children spray the canvas, creating colourful abstract art.
Leaf Art
Leaf art is ideal for kids aged 3 and up. This activity promotes creativity and helps children build fine motor skills.
What you’ll need: Paper and glue.
Collect a variety of leaves Encourage children to find leaves of different colours and textures. Arrange and glue the leaves onto the paper to form shapes, animals, or patterns. If needed, children can draw a shape on the paper beforehand and fill the shape up with different leaves.
Sun Prints
Sun prints are suitable for children aged 5 and up. This outdoor art activity combines art and science, making it both educational and fun.
What you’ll need: Construction paper (also known as sugar paper) and clear tape.
Head outside to collect leaves and flowers. Arrange the objects on the paper and make sure to gently flatten any bulky flowers. Carefully, use the tape to stick the plants to the paper. The flatter the edges of the plants are, the sharper your images will be.
Place the paper under a window and leave it under the sun for a few hours. Carefully remove the tape and plants to reveal beautiful prints.
Big Art 2024
Big Art is an ongoing program at Camp Australia that sparks creativity and showcases the artistic talents of children in our program. This initiative features regular art-focused activities, large-scale competitions based on various themes.
Discover a bigger, better and bolder Big Art for 2024 and help your child unleash their artistic potential with us! Find out more about Big Art and book your child in today!
