Naturally Healthy Parenting The parent's guide to a healthy family
Winter is on the horizon, but there is still time to appreciate the beauty of autumn with the kids. Take a look at our autumn craft projects below, and make the most of the season.
Natural art supplies
The first things that comes to mind when we think of this time of year are the stunning reds and oranges that take over the landscape, and the crunching leaves we find beneath our feet.
Head outdoors with the kids to pick up the prettiest samples, and use them in your arts and crafts. There are plenty of different ways to use these free, naturally beautiful materials!
The littlest members of your family will love painting their leaves with autumnal colours and printing on paper – you could even use fabric paint and decorate bags or T-shirts with these leaf stamps.
They’ll also love creating characters by sticking leaves and adding details with pencils – they’re ideal for creating cute spiky hedgehogs, the wings of butterflies and mimicking the feathers of birds. TLC has more inspiration.
Autumn offers other natural art supplies in the form of acorns, conkers and pinecones, which can be used to create sure little toys. The kids can simply stick on googly eyes and pipe cleaners to make characters.
Create a scarecrow
Making a scarecrow is a craft project that will keep the kids entertained for hours. You can find a great set of instructions on the Channel 4 website, provided by crafting guru Kirstie Allsopp.
If you’re looking for something a little simpler, why not show the kids how to make a scarecrow puppet using an old wooden spoon or a lollypop stick and some cut-out paper clothing?
You could even make a scarecrow face using a paper plate or a toilet roll tube, or a moveable scarecrow character using paper and split pins. All are inexpensive yet great fun!
For more interesting and fun designs, print out some paper patterns – you can get denim-effect finishes for the dungarees, chequered patterns for your scarecrow’s shirt and more.
Just ensure you use paper with a high gsm – Staples stocks a great environmentally-friendly recycled paper range – and branded cartridges such as Canon ink for the best results.
Make sure to order yours from a retailer like Cartridge Discount, a company which will recycle your cartridges for free, and donate up to £1 to Cancer Research UK for every cartridge received.
