Bark Art

[45 Minutes]

Is your child bored with the idea of going for another walk? Try this: A walk is more fun if you're on a scavenger hunt.

You'll need:

• small paper or plastic bag • pieces of bark • seedpods • pebbles • tiny pine cones • twigs • paints, markers, or pastels • clear spray fixative

What to do:

1. While taking a walk with your child, find some small pieces of bark. Invite her to choose one she likes and use it as a base for a miniature scene.
2. Using tempera paints, markers, or pastels, invite your child to paint the inside of the bark as a background scene or design.
3. Add tiny animals, trees. or people made out of tiny pebbles, pine cones or twigs.
4. If you wish, spray with a fixative to make it permanent.
5. Over time, encourage your child to look for tiny treasures from nature to add to her scene.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• The bark of the tree is the outside covering on the tree. What part of your body is like the bark of the tree?
• What size would you have to be to live in this miniature scene we've created? What would it feel like to be that small?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, this activity provides experiences for developing concepts related to nature. The art segment of this activity helps develop small muscle skills and creativity.