May is upon us! It’s that joyous time right in between spring and summer–we can still soak up the glory of the California super blooms all around us and (as my mother would say) “spit to summer!” These crafts go beyond just keeping idle hands busy; they encourage children to venture outside and bask in the floral beauty of May.

Nature Crowns

This activity is best suited for children 6 and under, but there’s no reason bigger kids can’t partake. This craft requires exploration in nature, works fine motor skills for little hands, and gives your child a crown that is somehow reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are.

To begin, you’ll need:

Objects from nature. Think leaves, flower petals, berries, and sticks.

*You can make a whole outing of this activity. Take your kids to the park or on a walk to procure these items!

Thick construction paper or cardstock
A stapler
Scissors
Double sided tape

Directions:

Gather leaves, sticks, other objects found from nature.
Cut the paper into strips to desired thickness. If you’re not sure, go for about 3”.
Put the strips of paper around your child’s head to gauge size. Fold, tear, or mark with pencil.
Cut the strips of paper where the size was marked in step 3.
Staple to create a strip of paper the circumference of your child’s head.
Lay out your paper on a flat surface and begin arranging the items from step 1. Have your little one help with this step!
Once you and your child are happy with the arrangement, use the double sided tape to secure your items to the crown. Gently lift it up to make sure everything is taped down.

*You can also tape as you go, it’s up to you.

When your arrangement is secured, attach both ends with the double sided tape. If you’re having trouble with the tape, you can staple both ends, instead.
Put the crown on your child and let the fun continue.

People in Bloom

This is a fun craft for kids of any age (yourself included). Due to the various types of print you can use for this, it can be suited for any skill level. Not great at drawing faces or people? No problem-–you can use a printed picture from the computer or a magazine ad. Are you artistically gifted or just enjoy drawing? Use your own creation!

Items needed:

Petals, leaves, sticks, berries, or any other items found in nature that speak to you.
A photograph or drawing of a person.
Liquid or hot glue.

Directions:

Print from your computer, draw, or pull a picture from a magazine with a person. In this step, there is huge artistic freedom.
Arrange the items to become different parts of the person or their clothes from step 1. For example, you can use rose petals for skirts, leaves for hair, or berries for earrings.
Secure items with liquid or hot glue.
Let dry and hang up!