How to Create Art Using Treasures from Nature

Learn how to gather leaves, sticks, and stones to create beautiful, temporary art pieces inspired by the outdoors. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Go on a treasure hunt. Walk through a park or your yard and look for interesting natural items. Remember to only collect things that have already fallen, like leaves, twigs, or rocks, so you keep the living plants healthy.
2. Choose your canvas. Find a flat area of ground, like a sidewalk, a patch of dirt, or a large flat rock. Clear away any extra debris so you have a clean space to start your design.
3. Arrange your materials. Start placing your items down. You can make a pattern, a picture of an animal, or a geometric shape like a circle or a star. Move the pieces around until you are happy with how they look.
4. Capture your creation. Since nature art is temporary, ask a grown-up to help you take a photo of your work from above. This way, you can keep a memory of your art even after the wind blows it away.