Wintertime brings a variety of new seasonal opportunities - but it can be difficult to figure out how to incorporate nature based learning in the cold weather and snow. In this post, I'll be sharing one of my favourite winter nature crafts that involves outdoor time, sensory learning, and fine motor practice! Plus, you'll have a beautiful decoration to display in your home when you're finished!

Gather These Items:

• Evergreen bunches (see below for tips on gathering these!)

• Cardboard

• Circular items for tracing (we used a small plate and a drinking glass, but you can use any circular items that fit the size of your cardboard!)

• Yarn, string, or twine

• Scissors

• Pencil

Gathering Evergreen Bunches:

To gather the evergreen bunches, you'll want to venture outdoors! Pick a day to get outside with your child and head to an area with lots of evergreen trees - a local park usually works well. Often, you'll be able to find dropped needle bunches or branches on the ground around the trees. This can be a fun scavenger hunt - make it a game by seeing who can collect the most! If you are unable to forage your evergreen clippings, you might choose to purchase fresh clippings from a local shop.

After gathering your evergreen bunches, you'll want to give them some time to dry out before using them for your wreath. Place them inside on a paper towel for ~24 hours before beginning your wreath craft.

Want to add some more outdoor fun? Grab our free printable Winter Scavenger Hunt here!

Make the Wreath:

1. Draw: Start by drawing a large circle on the cardboard. Using a circular object to trace can make this easier (we used a small plate). Then, draw a smaller circle inside the larger circle (here we used a drinking glass).

2. Cut: Cut along the lines you traced to create a wreath shape. Note: cutting cardboard can be very difficult for little hands - have the adult complete this step. It may be easier to prepare the cardboard ahead of time and have your child start with a pre-cut wreath shape.

Optional: At this point you can also cut notches around the outside of the wreath if you'd like. This will help the string stay in place a little easier. Use the scissors to make small 1cm snips around the outside of the wreath.

3. Tie: Once you have your wreath shape, tie the string once around the wreath and tie a knot at the back. This secures one end of the string to the wreath. If you have made notches in the outside of the wreath, you can thread the string through each notch to help keep it in place.

4. Wrap: Have your child help you wrap the string around the wreath ~10-12 times. Spread these out around the wreath and pull the string so that it is taut but not too tight. Tie the end of the string in a knot on the back of the wreath, again ensuring the string is taut but not too tight - you'll want to have enough room to place the evergreen clippings below the string and have it tight enough to hold the clippings on and not let them fall off.

5. Decorate: Let your child place the evergreen clippings under the string around the wreath to complete the evergreen wreath. Pull the string up a bit with your finger, place the evergreen clipping underneath, and let go of the string. Do a gentle shake test to ensure they are secure!

This is also a great time to incorporate sensory learning! Ask your child what they notice about how the evergreen bunches look, smell, and feel. How are they different from other trees or plants? How are they similar? What colours do they see? How does that relate to the term 'evergreen'? What does the smell remind them of?

6. Hang: Add an extra loop of string to the top of the wreath for hanging on the wall!

Looking for more evergreen themed preschool activities? Our E is for Evergreen letter study includes a variety of printable activities to engage your child in learning all about the letter E and evergreens! Click below to get started!

Did you enjoy this nature craft? Let us know or tag us in your photos on instagram @littlenorthernlearners!