Crafting with kids is a great way to strengthen bonds and pass along a lifelong love of creative pursuits. What’s even better is tying in an appreciation of nature at the same time by seeking out crafts that use flowers and plants. According to a Washington Post article, 2008 Audubon Medal recipient and author of Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv, is of the opinion that, “greater time in nature can help children develop a healthy interior life, greater mental acuity, inventiveness, and sustained intellectual development.”
If you’re looking to get crafty with the kids and need some inspiration, flower crafts are an excellent option. To further boost the environmental connection, take the project outdoors or spend some time sourcing your materials outside. When you’re ready to get started, you can either browse some project ideas online or just take inspiration from your surroundings. Here are some flower craft ideas to get your creativity flowing.
Flower Petal Placemats
This is one of those simple flower crafts that can be done with kids of many ages. All you need is some construction paper, clear contact paper, and some fresh flowers.
Start by cutting out the middle of a sheet of construction paper to create a frame. Next, gather your fresh flowers and pull off the petals you’re going to use. Then, place your construction paper frame on one sheet of the contact paper (sticky side up) and create your flower petal arrangement inside it. Once you’re happy with your composition, seal it in with the second piece of contact paper, smoothing out to create your mat.
You may have to trim your mat a little, and then it should be ready to go!
Sensory Bottle
If you’re looking for flower craft ideas to keep the little ones entertained even after the making is over, then a flower sensory bottle is a great choice. Simply track down a clear plastic bottle with a tight-fitting lid, and then go out to pick some flowers. You don’t need anything fancy here, just some small, simple blooms (even dandelions work well).
Once you have your flowers, fill the bottle with water. Add the flowers (without stems) and some glitter, acrylic gems, beads, etc., and close up the bottle. Then, seal around the lid with some blue electrical tape to create the sky, taping some paper clouds around the top and grass around the bottom. Voila—hours of entertainment!
Side note: this project is adorable, but may not be right for kids who never want to part with their creations, as the flowers obviously won’t last forever.
Painting with Flowers
Who needs a paintbrush when you can have so much more fun dipping fresh flowers in paint? Young artists will love swirling the flower stems in paint and then either stamping them or actually painting with them. It’s such a simple craft, but there’s a ton of room for creative thinking. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to add extra purpose to a bouquet that’s on its way out.
Suncatcher Wind Chimes
Of all the crafts that use flowers, this one is sure to be a favorite. The end product is so adorable and would make a lovely gift.
You’ll need some mason jar rings and some contact paper. Start by tracing the mason jar rings on the contact paper (not the side you peel off). Then peel off the other side of the contact paper. You may want to tape down the side with the circles so that it doesn’t shift around on the kids.
At this point, the kids can have fun arranging their flowers inside the circles. Once finished, the other piece of contact paper is placed over the top and smoothed out as thoroughly as you can.
Next, cut out the circles and fit each one inside a mason jar ring. You can then hang them individually with some string or attach several of them to some other natural element to create a wind chime or mobile.
Rose Bath Bombs
There are plenty of flower craft ideas for bigger kids too, such as making rose bath bombs.
Start by drying some petals from a couple of roses. Once dry, crush the petals. Then, simply mix 7 oz sodium bicarbonate with 3.5 oz citric acid, 2 tsp olive oil, about 10 drops of rose essential oil and some of the crushed petals.
Next, add 1 to 2 tsp water—enough that the mixture holds together when pressed. Finally, add the rest of the petals to the bottom of silicone molds and firmly press the mixture in on top.
Refrigerate your bombs for 2 hours before removing from the molds. These flower crafts make excellent gifts as well.
There are so many crafts that use flowers – let nature inspire you and the kids to create something one-of-a-kind. If you’re looking for some fresh blooms to spark your creativity, Bouqs has all your inspiration in one place!
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