Finding different activities for children to do in the outdoors can sometimes be challenging, but creative activities will be sure to keep kids entertained for hours.
By taking part in creative activities, it gives kids an opportunity to be proud of their creations and express themselves using different materials and methods. But do you know how to make a nature mandela with kids?
Nature mandalas are a beautiful way for kids to see the creativity of nature.
By using plants and flowers that you find in your backyard or that you collect down at the park or in the woods or on the beach, kids can encounter nature like they never have done before. Instead of them seeing it on the TV, why not show them in person?
The best thing about nature mandalas is that you can use any materials that you find to create your masterpiece, but it is important that the plants and flowers that you use are safe.
Here are all the tips you need to know on how to make a nature mandala with kids!
What Is A Mandala?
A mandala is a symbol of relaxation and peace that originates from Buddhism as a symbol of wholeness as mandala means ‘circle’ in Sanskrit.
As mandalas are a symbol of relaxation, making them out of bits of nature allows you to immerse yourself in the peaceful scenery of the outdoors.
Why Should You Make A Nature Mandala With Kids?
Making a nature mandala with kids is an extremely beautiful way to connect kids with nature.
Learning how to make a nature mandala is extremely relaxing and it can give kids the time they need to unleash their creativity and be proud of what they have created.
It also gives kids the opportunity to learn about nature as there will be lots of plants that they will have never seen before. They will be able to see more of nature and learn about the shapes and patterns found in plants.
How to Make a Nature Mandala With Kids
The best thing about making nature mandalas is that there is no right or wrong way! Here are some tips for how to make a nature mandala with kids.
Gather Your Materials
The first thing you will need to do to make a nature mandala with kids is to gather your materials.
It is always a good idea to pick leaves and flowers that have already fallen to make the nature mandalas so that you aren’t damaging the plants.
If you are clipping flowers, make sure that it is in a way that you aren’t harming the plant and it is flowers that are almost done.
Kids can also use stones, grass, sticks, but definitely look out for uniquely shaped flowers and leaves. It is also a good idea to find a variety of colors so that your nature mandala is as eye-catching as possible!
Choose Your Nature Mandala Center
The center of the mandala can be anything they want! Kids can have a play around with what they want the center to be, it can be a unique flower or an interesting stone, it is up to them.
As there will be a selection of materials to choose from, they will be able to have a play around to discover what they like best as their mandala center.
This gives kids the opportunity to use materials that they really like so that they can begin to see their mandala forming. The outer layer can be a variety of colors, shapes, whatever they want them to be!
They can add as many layers to their mandalas as they want and there is nothing preventing them from going back and changing parts of the mandala by swapping around flowers or leaves.
Add Detail To Your Nature Mandala
Once the nature mandala is the size they want it to be, this gives kids more opportunity to get creative. They can add more layers or even add more detail to the already existing layers.
They can detail the mandala with different color stones, pebbles, shells, leaves, or even petals.
Take Photos!
If you have followed all the steps on how to make a nature mandala with kids and have created something special – Remember to take photos of the nature mandalas!
This will allow kids to look back on their designs and show people their true creativity!
Advantages Of Learning How To Make A Nature Mandala With Kids
Creativity
Making a nature mandala allows kids to show creativity and immerse themselves in their vision. They can be proud of their mandalas and become more confident in their artistic abilities.
As they have learned how to make a nature mandala from scratch, this may lead to them wanting to do more creative activities and keep creating nature mandalas!
Learn About Nature
This activity gives kids the opportunity to learn more about nature and plants by experiencing nature firsthand.
By finding different materials and looking for leaves and plants that they find interesting, they will learn about nature that they may have never encountered before.
Things to Watch Out For WhenMaking A Nature Mandala With Kids
Unsafe Materials
When you begin to make a nature mandala with kids, it is important to make sure that the materials that the kids are using are safe to use.
Always make sure that they wash their hands after touching plants but try to be as researched as possible with what plants are dangerous and which ones are safe to use.
Dangerous Materials
Although we try to keep our Earth as clean and safe as possible, some people don’t share this aim. Make sure that your kids aren’t around anything dangerous such as broken glass, needles, or tablets when making their nature mandala.
Final Thoughts
Overall, creating nature mandalas is a great way to immerse yourself and your family in nature and let them embrace the outdoors.
It allows kids to get creative outside and learn about different plants and aspects of nature. By allowing your kids to be creative, you are allowing them to follow their own visions and have the confidence and freedom to be who they are.
It is important to make sure that the kids are as safe as possible when gathering their materials to make their mandalas as you don’t want them to become injured or hurt.
This shouldn’t put you off on allowing the kids to make these mandalas as they are very beneficial in helping them to show their creativity.
Hopefully with our guide, you have learned everything you need to know about how to make a nature mandala with kids.
My name is Joyce Bailey, and I am a mother of two wonderful children. When I had my first child five years ago, at first I struggled to know which method of parenting I wanted to adopt. Traditional parenting just did not seem right for my family.
