Ryan's Nature Box

Nature Box

1. Cut a hole in the top lid of a shoe box. We have a flip top kid’s size shoe box for our nature box.
2. Cover box with butcher paper (brown craft paper or a grocery bag). Use a bit of tape and wrap the paper on the box like a gift. Wrap the lid and bottom separately.
3. Adhere a piece of felt under the lid hole. Slit felt with an exacto knife to create a hand passage way into the box.
4. Decorate box with stickers, magazine clippings or drawings. Label with letter stickers or marker.
5. Cover box with clear packing tape or clear contact paper to help the box hold up over time.
6. Bring box outside and start collecting!

Molly on our nature collection tour of the yard. Notice she brought a book.

Ryan shows off his collection of twigs.

Mini Fall Trees

Materials: Branches or twigs, old play-doh, fall colored tissue paper, glue, and brown paper
Directions:
1.    Stick little branches or twigs in a ball of old play-doh.
2.    Glue bits of fall colored tissue on the twigs for leaves.
3.    Wrap the ball in a piece of brown paper.
4.    Tie a piece of string or yarn around the brown paper.

Ryan starts his tree with green play-doh.

Even Molly creates a mini tree glob. I only had to fish play-doh out of her mouth 3 times!

Target had awesome jewel and metallic toned tissue paper.

The mini trees are great for my seasonal hound Ry. He loves decorations but sometimes I just don’t want him playing with the ceramic tiles, glass urns and faux berries. You know? So, Ry decorates his table with his own mini trees Win! Win!