Whether you’re running a summer camp program or pretend summer camp in your own backyard this summer you’re going to plan some fun camp crafts. Doing projects is a big part of the summer camp experience and is eagerly awaited by many campers. To help you plan your own art activities, here are three of my favorite nature-inspired summer art camps.
Pet Rock People and Animals
From the pet rock craze that was all the rage in the 1970s this art is a lot of fun for kids. Kids will use various materials to personalize their facial features, arms, legs, and accessories. After the rock ornaments, encourage their children to think of names and qualities of their rocks and share them with the group.
Necessary Materials
A small to medium sized rock
More colors of acrylic paints
A small paint brush
The eyes are the size of a pop
Craft foam in various colors
Scissors
with feathers
Pom pom
Following
Brighter
Craft glue
Immerse the bucket in washing water
Paper towels
Plastic table cover or newspaper
directions
1. Choose a rock.
2. Wash in water with washing-up liquid.
3. Dry with a paper towel.
4. Cover the work area with a table cloth or newspaper.
5. Use of painting to decorate the rock
6. Allow to dry.
7. Glue in the eyes.
8. Glue in feathers, cut cunningly, Sparkles, pom poms, shine, sequins if you please.
9. Allow to dry.
Decorated
They are used by hikers all over the world. Some hikers even carve or draw pictures of their travels on a walking stick to show where they’ve been. Young campers will enjoy making their walking sticks a memory of their time at camp.
Necessary Materials
Great clubs or branches to use as a staff
Sand paper
Markers
Iron (for adult only)
to braid
Grains
with feathers
Gluten
Scissors
directions
1. Walk around and look for sticks or branches to use as a walking stick. I never cut off a branch of a tree, as I use a walking stick, as it is harmful to the tree.
2. Break off some branches.
3. Peel the bark from the top half of the stick. An adult can use a knife to help with this step.
4. Use sand paper to sand the stick smooth.
5. Use pottery to draw pictures or symbols or words to represent things you did or saw at camp or on the trails.
6. Cut a length of braid about 24 inches long.
7. Tie the last knot.
8. String 4- 6 inches of beads into the braid.
9. Knot where the beads stop.
10. Use a drop of glue to fold the feather beads to the end.
11. Braid the other end around your stick and secure it in place with a knot.
Stick Vase
Kids love to pick it up. On the next hike, challenge your young campers to collect as many lying sticks as possible to use to bring this forest wood container to keep the flowers. If they do not want to make vessels, even use a peasant
Necessary Materials
Small sticks 1/4 inch or smaller
To the clippers
2 large rubber bands
1 Clean and empty plastic container containing mayonnaise or peanut butter
Ribbon Raffia
Small rocks, pine cones, or moss
directions
1. Break or cut a stick slightly longer than the jar.
2. Stretch two rubber bands around the jar.
3. Slide one rubber band to the upper half of the container and to the lower half of the container.
4. Place the sticks under both rubber bands as snugly as possible.
5. Continue placing the clubs until the entire jar is covered.
6. Carefully slide both rubber bands into the center of the bottle.
7. Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to go around the barrel.
8. Put the ribbon on the rubber band and tie it in a bow.
9. To give your container more of a wild look, glue in small pebbles, moss, pine and other seed pods to the base of the jar.
10. Fill with wildflowers
Notes
When collecting the sticks for this purpose, only the sticks that have fallen to the ground and do not damage the wood by cutting it.
