Just because the colder weather has started slowly rolling in where we live doesn’t mean our kids aren’t still playing outside as much as they possibly can! In fact, they’re total nature lovers all year round, which is why we’re always looking for new ways to incorporate natural elements into the crafting we do together, since DIY projects are our little ones’ other favourite thing besides enjoying the great outdoors.
If you’re just as interested as we are in the idea of making things from nature then we think you should check out this list of 15 awesome crafts we’ve found involving sticks, twigs, and branches!
In our house, some of the very best crafts that go over the most successfully are the ones that involve not just making something, but making something that our kids can continue to use afterwards too. It’s like they get to do two activities in one! We recently helped them make this fantastic Tic-Tac-Toe game that’s created entirely from twigs. Get the full details for making one of your own on Fireflies and Mud Pies.
Are you feeling very intrigued indeed by this concept of making a twig or branch project that your kids can continue playing with after, but you know you’ll do most of the crafting process since your kids are so young and you’re feeling up for a bit of a challenge? In that case, if you’ve ever had any experience with whittling or carving, then we’d defintiely suggest taking a look at how Growing Family made these fully working twig whistles!
Even though your kids adore nature are they also the kind of colour lovers who want to make just about everything they make look like rainbows? In that case, we have a feeling they’ll get a huge kick out of this fantastic butterfly sun catcher craft that uses a twig as the butterfly’s body! Find out how it’s done in just a few simple steps thanks to Sponge Kids.
While we’re still here talking about twig based crafts that your kids can spend time making and then still play with afterwards, here’s a great tutorial that will teach you how to make funny little puppets! We love the way Motheropedia made these cute little twig people that that have painted on eyes and sparkly pom pom hair glued right on top.
Are you the kind of crafter who adores various types of yarn based arts like knitting, weaving, and crochet and you’re interested in getting your kids into those as well, but they’re still very young and not quite ready to pick up the needles or the hook? Then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Eco Kids’ Art not only set up a weaving activity for their kids to try, but also incorporated nature by making the frame out of a series of twigs!
Have you actually been scrolling through our list hoping to come across a craft that lets you and your kids work with not just twigs but also other elements of nature as well? Then perhaps you’ll get along a little better with something like this twig and spinner leaf dragonfly outlined step by step on Filth Wizardry! We love the way they added colours by hand painting the dragonfly once it’s built.
Were you actually quite enamoured with the idea of making a twig person, but you’d much prefer to work with more nature while you’re embellishing it, rather than adding things like googly eyes and pom poms? In that case, we’re convinced that this tutorial from Mum in The Madhouse might be a little more up your alley!
If you’re going to put in all the effort it takes to make something nice out of sticks, would you rather create something you can put on display and show off a little bit? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll get a long a little better with something like this DIY photo frame made entirely of twigs. See how it’s done in more detail on Sponge Kids.
While we do understand that tree bark isn’t actually the same thing as a branch, we thought that these little tree bark owls were so darn cute that we just couldn’t resist including them on our list anyways! Fireflies and Mud Pies shows you how to make these little creatures, as well as how to glue them to a twig to make them look like they’re sitting on a branch in a tree.
Just in case you’re still looking for twig crafts that also fall into the category of being DIY toys that your kids can continue to play with once they’re done, here’s a cool project that will float! Take a better look at this fantastic step by step tutorial from Mini Eco that teaches you how to make a little wooden branch sailboat with a fun paper sail and embroidery floss lashes around the ends like an actual raft.
Perhaps you’re still feeling intrigued by the idea of adding some colour to the nature that you’re planning on working with in your craft but you just haven’t seen anything that’s quite as colourful as you were really hoping for yet? In that case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how Homemade Ginger made this gorgeous twig bouquet that they customized by hand with paint to give each branch all kinds of stripes and colour blocks.
We know we’ve already talked about two different kinds of little stick people or stick puppets on this list, but this particular kind featured step by step on The Best Toys for Toddlers was so cute when we saw it that we just couldn’t resist including them anyways! The moment we saw the googly eyes and the way they used scrap fabric to make their stick people little clothing, we were hooked. We actually made these with our kids last week and they were a huge hit.
When you originally started thinking about the idea of crafting with twigs and sticks, did you actually have something a little more artistic in mind, rather than something that’s a more like a practical craft or DIY project? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll get along a little better with something like this multimedia twig canvas art featured on Bunnings Warehouse! Their tutorial shows you how to put the twigs down like trees and then embellish the branches with all different things as “leaves”, like buttons or scrap fabric.
In the category of stick and twig crafts that quality more as art and decor rather than kids’ projects, here’s another wall adornment for your consideration! If you’d rather not make something flat and on a square base, then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at something like this ombre painted and heart shaped twig mobile instead! You’ll find a full guide for making this project happen on Helena Nord.
Has the heart shaped twig mobile we just showed you actually caught your attention so well that you feel almost decided, but you can’t help wondering whether you might be able to create one that’s a little more quirky and unfinished looking, since you’re a huge fan of kitsch and novelty, rather than looking quite so finished and almost store bought? Then we’d be willing to bet that you’ll be a big fan of this horizontal painted twig and wire version of the concept! Daily HeART shows you how it’s done.
Have you made other kinds of stick crafts before that you and your kids really enjoyed but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about what you created and how you did it or link us to photos of your finished work in the comments section!
