Today I’m sharing a collection of 27 inspiring nature art ideas for kids of all ages from preschooler and up.

Nature makes a fantastic art medium because it’s versatile, beautiful, colourful, textural and environmentally friendly. Plus, it’s free! Can’t beat that.

You might also like these frog crafts and activities

I love getting my kids outdoors to experience and appreciate nature. It sends them the message that our world and the environment is important, and it also gives them a break from the sensory overload that comes with our consumer-driven, indoor, digital lifestyle. 

You don’t need to do ‘activities’ to get outside and experience nature, kids will naturally play and create their own games, memories and experiences.

Still, it can add to the fun to create something together with your child, or set up an area where they can create on their own like the mud kitchen I’ve featured in this round up. Both art and nature help kids (and adults) to relax and unwind, so by combining them it must be even more so. At least that’s my theory!

27 ways to create nature art:

• Make some sensory mud pies like Rhythms of Play have created in their adorable mud kitchen
• Use log stumps as a base for creating nature portraits like Adventure in A box
• This gorgeous floating nature art activity is by Learn with Play at Home

• Create leaf mandala prints on scrapbook paper. Ours are made from Autumn leaves but these can be created with Summer leaves too.
• Collect and press leaves to create some pressed leaf art on recycled cardboard
• These nature art bugs are made from leaves and sticks collected from our garden

• Here is a fantastic idea for an Autumn leaf art prompt by Adventure in a Box
• My daughter and I both enjoyed drawing with nature and chalk
• Drawing at dusk by torchlight looks like so much fun, by Make it Your Own

• Have you ever tried making earth art in the sand? It’s a great process art activity for kids and adults alike
• Or you could simply stay in your own yard and make some garden nature art
• I love this idea for insect nature art by Laughing Kids Learn

• You could try stamping with mushrooms like this activity from Mother Natured
• I love the colourful results of painting with natural loose parts , by Montessori Nature
• Take out a large sheet of paper and try this large scale leaf art activity, by Laughing Kids Learn

• I’ve always wanted to try marbling art. Penny from Mother Natured has tried it using nature and the results are stunning!
• Use natural loose parts combined with drawing to create nature animals, by Make it Your Own
• Here is a colourful way to incorporate nature and watercolours together, by The Pinterested Parent

• Try painting on bark, by The Pinterested Parent
• Here is a simple, beautiful and non-messy way to create leaf prints by Picklebums
• Or you could use nature as a brush and try flower painting, like Finlee and Me

• Create sculptural art with this rock balancing stone stack from Rhythms of Play
• I love the results of these simple nature stampers used in play dough by Danya Banya
• Use rocks to make ochre paint , my girls adore this simple activity!

• My kids had great fun painting gum leaves. We did this as a Christmas art activity but you could do it any time of year
• Create a leaf mosaic art dreamcatcher using a recycled plastic lid as the base
• Paint some folk-art inspired garden rocks. They become a fun DIY toy to inspire imaginary play.

Are you feeling inspired to go outside and create some nature art? I hope so.