Let your creativity take flight with the DIY Nature Wings activity! This fun and simple craft creates a perfect opportunity for outdoor learning and nature exploration. Children will love learning about winged creatures and different types of plants–and at the end they'll have a beautiful new pair of nature wings!
How Can I Include This in My Lesson Plan?
DIY Nature Wings is the perfect way to combine outdoor learning and creative expression this summer. Try this hands-on activity at home or in your classroom to promote nature exploration, sensory learning, and interest in STEAM concepts. When it comes time to decorate the wings, take children on a nature walk, or give them a checklist of nature elements to look for and turn it into an outdoor scavenger hunt! Interacting with natural environments fosters a love for nature in young children.
As children collect nature items to decorate their wings, encourage them to smell flowers, identify the colors of leaves, or feel pine leaves. Not only does this teach children to observe their surroundings, it trains them to learn naturally with their five senses. Invite children to interact with nature and promote sensory learning to develop cognitive, language, and motor skills.
You may also choose to introduce or reinforce science and STEAM concepts with this activity. Teach children about the plants around them and how leaves, flowers, and other elements they find help the plants survive. As they "fly" around with their insect wings, encourage them to observe how the insects around them fly. How are their wings different from a bird's wings? Incorporate early engineering experiences as children use double-sided tape and figure out how to make arm attachments. DIY Nature Wings is the perfect activity for outdoor learning, and kids of all ages will love the final product!
Download our FREE printable below!
Required Materials:
- Cardboard box
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape
- Yarn
- Flowers, leaves, and more!
1Prepare Your Wings
Break down the cardboard box, and cut an insect wing shape from it. (You will need to do this for young children. Older children should be supervised while using scissors.) Cover one side of the wings with double-sided tape. Peel off the tape's backing so that the outside of the wings is sticky. Stick a string of yarn towards the middle of each wing and tie a knot at the ends to create arm attachments.
2Decorate
Go on a nature walk or even an outdoor scavenger hunt to search for nature elements. Find and stick flowers, leaves, grass, pine cones, and more on your wings. Decorate until the wings are covered.
3You Can Fly!
Now you can wear your new pair of DIY Nature Wings! Flutter your wings, and look at all the different colors and textures of the elements you found in nature.
Inspire creativity and nature exploration! Browse our selection of related activities and products to incorporate other fun outdoor activities into your home or classroom this summer.