Tree climbing is a great way for kids to build confidence and gain strength, balance, and agility. Plus, it's just plain fun! Show them how to do it safely, and see how high they can get. Need a few pointers? Find a tree with low branches and access points, test every branch to make sure it’s alive before resting your full weight on it, and resist the impulse to climb to the top, as higher branches tend to be younger (and more fragile). Finally, stay close to the trunk, where the branches will be sturdiest. You’ve got this!

Have the kids collect a handful of flowers, leaves or ferns that draw their eye. Then, show them how to preserve their treasures! You’ll need 2 sheets of paper per pressing and a few heavy books. Carefully arrange the plant material on top of one sheet, then cover it with the second sheet and place between two heavy books. Add another heavy book on top and leave it for a few weeks. Once your pressings are ready, gather a few picture frames and, using clear glue, help them arrange their pressings and create a unique piece of artwork to give as a gift or hang in their bedroom!

Bark rubbings are a fun and easy way for your kids to explore the patterns and textures of nature. To begin, gather crayons, tape, and kraft paper and head outside. Help them find a tree with bumpy or otherwise interesting bark, secure the paper, give a quick demo, and then leave em’ to it! After, you can discuss how each tree has a different bark pattern, and share how to identify a tree by its bark and buds.

Stroll through the forest (or your garden), regaling your kids with stories of elusive fairies, elves and hobbits. Encourage them to gather small sticks, pebbles, pinecones, acorns, moss, pine needles, etc. These will form the structure + provide decoration, too. Find a spot that feels appropriately mysterious and show them how to build a sturdy home for their tiny, elusive friends. Encourage them to get creative and add fun details like a moss roof, a pebble walkway, or a pinecone fence to ward off evil spirits.

Gather fallen scraps of bark for another fun creation: bark boats! Because most tree bark is buoyant, it’s a great boat-building material. In fact, Native Americans have used birch bark to construct their canoes + navigate treacherous waters for millennia. To guarantee success, search for the flattest piece possible to form the hull (bottom) of your boat. Next, find and attach a straight stick to the hull (mud helps!) to form the mast. Finally, thread a fallen leaf or two to create “sails.” Now it’s time for its maiden voyage. Let your kids take it from there!

A great, hands-on craft to do with your kids, seed balls are also a valuable teaching tool for budding naturalists. Using native wildflower seeds and recycled paper, this activity will get your kids excited about gardening in a whole new way! Download our step-by-step "How to Make Seed Balls" Guide to get all the details on how to combine wildflower seeds with moist paper to create plantable balls. Once you've built up a cache, it's time for the really fun part: dispersal! 

Send your kid outside to find a rock with at least one flat side. When they come back in, give it a good rinsing and pat it dry. Now, you've got a blank canvas just waiting for their original artwork! So set them up with non-toxic paint and let them go wild! If they're stumped, suggest ideas like kind messages, silly faces, fun patterns, or secret signs. The possibilities really are endless. Want to spread a little joy? Leave a few of the painted rocks in random places around town or in the great outdoors to help brighten someone else's day.

Yellow is a joyful color, and dandelion has plenty to spare. Found growing everywhere from your backyard to cracks in concrete, this herb has a lot to teach us about joyful resilience. If your yard is unsprayed, let your kids harvest dandelions and make crowns by weaving or braiding the stems together. You can also use thin young (i.e. bendable) branches or craft wire to create a rounded frame first. Whether you then stage a Shakespeare-esque play on your lawn is totally up to you.

This activity is for older kids: find an oak tree and have them collect a few caps. Then, teach them how to whistle! Here's how: make a V with your thumbs and hold the cap in your hands (with the top rim of it in the middle of the V). Place your top lip on your thumb nails and your bottom lip below your thumb knuckles, and blow. You may need to adjust your hold and angle to get it right, but you should end up with a loud, high-pitched whistle. You may soon regret sharing this trick, but we bet they'll be amazed!