How to make a nature loom - Outdoor activities for kids

Today, we’re sharing a fun activity to do with kids of all ages!

Nature gives us the best tools to play with, all it takes is a bit of creativity!

Making a nature loom is a great activity to do with children, mainly because it is adaptable to children of different ages. It's an easy enough activity for the older ones to do on their own as all the steps are simple and there's not much that could go wrong. The younger ones, with our help, will enjoy helping to choose leaves, flowers and other elements of nature to include in the final work.

Let’s get to work!

Find your sticks

Start by looking for four dry sticks similar in width and length if you want to make a classic square frame.

You can also let your imagination run wild and explore other fun frame shapes! Triangles, hexagons, anything is possible.

Making the frame

To make the outer frame, use a little yarn or wool to join the branches in the desired shape.

Try to tighten the thread and intertwine it crosswise in all angles so that the frame is firmly secure.

Making the loom

To make the loom, choose the colors of the yarns/ropes you want to use. You can choose to use several colors for a super colorful result or use a raffia yarn for a more natural look that highlights the elements that you put on the loom.

Now just tie a knot at one end and weave the thread from one side to the other, alternating between the front and the back of the stick.

Don't forget to double-twist when you reach each edge to prevent the yarn from slipping away later.

The nature elements

This is the kids' favorite part! We’ll go on a hunt for pretty leaves, flowers, sticks and seeds to put on our loom.

You can also include other objects that you find special. A piece of paper with a poem or a drawing, dried orange slices, cotton wool, etc.

Assembling the loom

It's time to get creative! Let's place all the elements we've picked and put them on our loom.

In order for them to not slip away, we advise you to go across as many lines of yard as possible, criss crossing them through the front and the back.

Your own nature loom

Now that you've finished your nature loom, choose a place to hang it.

It will look wonderful if you hang it on the wall! But you can also place it outside as a “treasure keeper”, where it will be waiting for all the beautiful gems you will find on your next walks in the park.

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Interested in more activities to do with the kids?

At Cerdeira - Home for Creativity, a rural accommodation located in the mountains of Serra da Lousã, we organize workshops and creative experiences for all ages.

Here you will have the opportunity to have a first contact with the arts and crafts that result from the ancestral traditions of our region. From making ceramic cups on the potter's wheel to building your own miniature schist house, there's a lot to discover! Find out more in the button below.