Painting with Nature

Painting with Nature is a great sensory and steam activity for preschoolers. Painting with nature items is an easy and fun nature art project. Using inspiration from the outside world while nature painting with preschoolers opens their up their minds to God’s creation through art.

A couple of months ago we were on a very fun vacation for a few days tucked back in the woods. I called it glorified camping…and I was fine with that luxury- although I do love to camp! So while on our trip I knew I needed to bring a few activities for our preschooler to keep her hands and mind busy. The weather outside was going to be perfect so I planned quite a few outdoor activities and took advantage of the cooler weather.

One of our favorite activities we brought along was painting with nature and specifically leaves. We first grabbed a brown paper bag (lunch bag size) and headed on a little hike. It was my mom, my little preschooler and myself…I encouraged my daughter to pick up various items in nature that she saw…but specifically, we wanted different kinds of leaves to paint with + do our Leaf Rubbing Science activity (<—free printable) So our nature walk was very fun, to say the least.

What you need:

- Acrylic Paints
- Smock (or old paint clothes)
- Clothes pins
- Blank Paper
- Brown Bag to gather leaves
- Leaves from your nature walk
- Paper plate (Kids Craft Room also suggests a muffin tin to put paints in, pretty genius idea!)

Go on a nature walk and gather a variation of leaves in your brown paper bag.
Place a leaf in your clothes pin (creates a handle for your preschooler!)
Let them choose a few colors of paint.
Let them paint a picture on their blank paper. We went through lots of pictures! She had a blast!
VARIATION: I also let her paint rocks with her leaves, and that was a blast for her!

Let them use their own creativity and expressions through their art!

How is this a STEAM activity for Preschoolers?

Remember STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math, we always strive to use at least two of these ares in an activity but the more the merrier.

Nature Painting with Leaves includes Science – as you go on a nature walk talk about leaves, trees, different colored leaves and why they are different colors, the veins in the leaves etc. Technology – the clothes pin. Art – colors and painting, Math count your leaves with your preschooler. STEAM is all about engaging these preschoolers minds and senses.

Here you can learn more about –> STEAM for Preschoolers.

Also visit our site for more STEAM activities for preschoolers. We love Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math activities and strive to do a variety to share with you. Many include FREE PRINTABLES to aid you in your teaching.

We are a husband and wife team, pairing our strengths together to teach our preschooler in the most fun and engaging way we possibly can. The mister is a high school educator at Northlake Christian school in Covington Louisiana and over the Innovation Center, which is all things STEAM. I am a SAHM that blogs pretty much everything we do in our little paradise, from what we eat, to where we travel to how we teach our little one. We hope you are inspired to incorporate STEAM into learning with your children. Follow us: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST