Nature Portraits for Kids

Make beautiful portraits from natural materials collected in rain or shine!

Sand Art

Next time your family spends the day at the beach, bring home a bucket of sand. Let it dry slightly and then distribute the sand into several glass or metal bowls. Next, add a food colouring to each bowl (a different colour for each bowl or try mixing colours). Add more water if needed. Mix thoroughly and let them stand, allowing the colour to deepen. Add more colouring if needed. Drain any extra water and let the sand dry thoroughly.

Next, have your child "paint" a picture using white glue. Make sure some of the paper is left blank. Using a small funnel, have your child slowly pour the desired coloured sand over each section of glue. Let the glue dry thoroughly. Finally, carefully turn the picture over (do this over the sink or garbage can to avoid a mess) so that the excess sand slides off the page, leaving a multi-coloured sand masterpiece.

Rain Painting

Don't run from the elements - paint with them instead! Purchase a few different colours of powdered tempera paint. Next time it rains, have your child shake some of the powder across a piece of paper (however much he/she wants and in whatever colour combinations). Place the paper outside for a few moments and let the rain do its thing. When your child feels it's finished, bring the painting in and let it dry. For a different effect, try this activity during a snowfall!

For more activities, please check out The Jumbo Book of Nature Science by Pamela Hickman published by Kids Can Press.

By Rochelle Strauss