If you’re looking for nature activities for toddlers and early years, you’ve come to the right place!
As technology usage has increased in our lives and in the lives of our children, it can often feel like a daunting task to provide activity ideas that use anything other than a screen! In this blog we will explore a selection of nature related activity ideas to try with your toddlers, these range from educational activities to sensory activities and everything in between!
1. Scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts can come in many different varieties, you can create these yourselves or use existing scavenger hunt worksheets tailored to seasons or themes – a great way for toddlers to explore the nature around them
2. Frozen flowers sensory play
Perfect for summer nature activities and a way to cool your little ones down. Simply freeze a selection of natural resources like flowers, leaves and berries and let children explore the frozen cubes the next day. Toddlers can discover different ways to melt the ice and enjoy the sensory activity this offers.
3. Nature activities: resourceful art
The great outdoors provides us with countless art nature activities. Explore transient art with your toddlers by encouraging them to collect a variety of natural materials and arrange them into different scenes using some twigs as the frame.
4. Tree bark rubbings
A simple forest school activity. For this you will just need to provide your children with some paper to hold against a tree of their choice and rub their crayons over the top to observe what pattern is transferred onto the paper.
5. Nature activities: natural paintbrushes
Have your little ones collect a variety of natural materials from the outdoors and using an elastic band or some tape, bind these to a stick to create your own paintbrushes!
6. Sun catchers
Sun catchers can be used indoors or outdoors and can be created in many different ways. Using a template, cut out sections to add colourful cellophane or natural resources and watch the patterns and colours that this produces when the sun shines!
7. Leaf threading
This takes a typically indoor activity and injects an element of nature. Make a “needle” using a thin twig with twine tied around one end and thread your way through the leaves you can find. Children can turn their leaf threading into bracelets or necklaces or use them as decoration in the garden to show off their fine motor skills!
8. Play doh prints
Toddlers love play doh which makes this activity an instant win. Gather materials like leaves, flowers, acorns, pine cones or twigs and press them into the play doh to observe the prints and patterns these produce.
9. Water art
Another great summer activity that requires very few resources. Arming children with some water and utensils like brushes, pipettes or jugs, allow them to use the different utensils to draw or write on the flat ground with the water
10. Go on a bear hunt
Do bears love honey? Why not find out! Re-enacting the actions from the story “We’re going on a bear hunt” on a walk is a fantastic way for children to actively explore their natural environment. Encourage them to find obstacles that will act as the grass, river, mud and cave and reimagine the tale
11. Nature activities: leaf confetti
Celebrating a birthday, or just want to celebrate mother earth? Let your little ones practice fine motor skills with adult supervision. Simply collect a handful of different materials like leaves and grass and get cutting!
12. Shadow painting
Try suspending various different objects on a washing line or an equivalent and then observe the shadows they cast in the sun. Children can paint or draw the outlines of the shadows whilst discussing what causes shadows
13. Pine cone bird feeders
This is an easy animal activity for children to engage with and learn about nature. Start by collecting pine cones and select a few to become your feeders. Then attach a string to the pine cone and spread peanut butter directly onto the cone. Finally roll the cone in bird seed and hang from a tree in your garden and you have your very own bird feeder!
14. Nature activities: bird watching
Once you have your bird feeder you can look out for the different birds this brings in! Use a bird spotter to help children identify the different types and species and check them off as you go!
15. Mud kitchen or potion making
What better way to embrace nature than getting hands on? Whilst mixing up mud pies or concocting potions, children can explore nature for their ingredients and discover more about the world around them
16. Build a bug home
Encourage curiosity and build a mini beast hotel with your toddlers. Using natural resources like twigs, leaves and stones, children will need to think critically about the mini beast needs and construct their habitat accordingly.
17. Make a den
Den making is a firm favourite amongst children and can be used as an outdoor activity, indoor activity or construction activity. If making an outdoor den – try and encourage your little ones to forage for materials that can be used to construct their den such as large sticks.
18. Nature activities: natural music
Try and create your own instruments using the natural world! Why not take a cardboard tube and fill with pebbles to create your own rainmaker?
19. Star gazing
Save this winter activity for when the nights draw in earlier and your little ones will still be awake to observe the stars. Wrap up warm and head outside to lie back and look for what stars or planets you can see in the night sky.
20. Sink and float exploration
This is a brilliantly educational activity that will encourage children to think about different materials and their properties. Starting with a bucket or bowl of water, get your little ones to gather various resources from the outdoors and test if they will sink or float when placed on the water – will they guess correctly?
