A woodland walk and crafting session

A woodland walk and crafting session #weloveforests

Monkey and I were in need of some fresh air last Saturday.  We decided on a woodland walk and crafting session and headed off to the woods.  Monkey’s been asking me to make him a dream catcher for ages, so I suggested we incorporate a few of his favourite things into our design.  Armed with a bag to collect twigs, leaves and pine cones he was ready for some fun.

A woodland walk and crafting session

Of course Monkey loves his sticks, so I was prepared that we’d have a bag full before we returned home, but he was having fun.

We chatted as we walked along, identifying leaves and Monkey even spotted this rather handsome caterpillar on the ground.  He’s a much better bug spotter than me these days.

Getting out in the fresh air, even for just an hour, makes so much difference, especially after a busy week at school.  We found one section of trees with leaves with holes in and when you looked up at the sky it gave a great mottled effect.

I managed to capture Monkey looking up at the trees, his eyes full of wonder.

A woodland walk and crafting session

With a full bag it was time to head back to the car, the first part of a woodland walk and crafting session was complete.

A woodland walk and crafting session

The Forestry Commission are running a Colour Me Happy Autumn campaign this year, you can download all sorts of activities for free.  They’d sent us some goodies a while ago and I’d been waiting for an opportunity to make use of them after a woodland walk.  Our first creation would be the dream catcher that Monkey was so desperate for.  We’d received an embroidery wooden hoop and some beads, perfect for our dream catcher.

Using some material I’d got left over from recovering our dining chairs we covered the hope in fabric and glued it down.  I was then in charge of stitching the spiders web effect, with Monkey adding beads as he wanted them.  We then worked together to thread pine cones and beads on to the hanging threads below.  It was all completed really quickly and Monkey loves it.

Inspired by the Woven Woodland project that the Forestry Commission are showing across a number of their sites this Autumn, we decided to make our own mini version.

A woodland walk and crafting session
photo credit: Forestry Commission

We certainly had enough sticks to get our frame made, and had been provided with some garden twine for the task.  We bound the corners of the twig frame together, before weaving our framework.  Monkey then entwined some of his treasures and hung his artwork up in his room.  Another simple and effective craft completed.

A woodland walk and crafting session carried on into this last week.  Monkey did some leaf rubbing after school one day and then decided to stick some of his leaves onto a canvas. Not the most artistic of displays, but he likes it, and really that’s all that matters isn’t it.

A woodland walk and crafting session was just what we needed this week.  We both love getting out into the woods and exploring, and the craft activities were a nice way to bring nature home.  We’re off to the woods again today with friends, I wonder what adventures we will have!

How about you?  Been on any woodland trips lately?  If you want to find out what’s happening at your nearest Forestry Commission site then pop over to their website.  We always have a fun time whenever we visit.

A woodland walk and crafting session

 

 Country Kids

disclosure: we received some crafting materials and activity sheets in exchange for this post.

19 thoughts on “A woodland walk and crafting session #weloveforests

  1. This sounds like my perfect afternoon. Those holey leaves are so strange it took me a while to get my head around the photo, I’m not surprised Monkey was in wonder over them. I love the woodland dream catcher, I might have to steal that idea. #countrykids

  2. I love this Mary, such a simple craft. We have been doing something very similar weaving picture frames from woodland walks here for activity hour. The Forestry Commission have some lovely ideas on their site at the moment for making a woodland walk into a learning experience. Your mini woven dream catchers with sticks are wonderful, I think I’m going to do something like this as one of our Halloween crafts and call them spider’s webs and make spiders for the centre and I rather fancy making a giant size one like the forestry Commission sites here in our den building zone.

    Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids

  3. An inspiring walk and a beautiful dreamcatcher. So fab to make. We make wild weaving and hang them from our trees. I often find the children add feathers to them. It is a craft that goes on and on. I love the view of the mottled leaves. Wild crafts are fun. #CountryKids

  4. I love crafting with nature and every autumn we head outdoors to collect bits and pieces to use for craft activities.

    I love your woven woodland and dreamcatcher-I think I’ll be borrowing those ideas 😉

  5. Oh I love your crafts! And Monkey looks really happy and you’re right, that’s all that matters!!
    Getting out and about is so needed after time at school – somewhere to stretch your legs and enjoy the outdoors!
    #country kids

  6. What a great walk and brilliant crafting. Love the dreamcatcher, we have a couple in the house (my kids love the idea of them), but we haven’t tried to make one. Adding that to my list of rainy day activities (we always have piles of pinecones/feathers etc!!). #countrykids

  7. I love a woodland walk and even though my son is little at the moment I think he enjoys all the leaves and things. I had a go at weaving with nature earlier this year it’s difficult! I did use all natural things and no string whatsoever. I love the dream catcher! #countrykids

  8. This is a great way to incorporate natural materials into something that can be crafted for the home.We’ve made similar when the kids were smaller with twigs, I think it might be time to revisit making them.Over from Country Kids.

  9. Love going for walks in the woods and those craft activities are fabulous – have pinned your post as am very tempted to give them a try with my girls. Love the photo of Monkey looking up at the leaves with the holes in them – what a fabulous capture 🙂 #countrykids

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