By Craftinvaders
One of the best things about camping out is switching off from the pressures of modern life, and being able to concentrate on spending time together as a family.
Kids love spending time in wild settings, it encourages exploration and imaginative play, and nature really does provide everything you need to keep you entertained. Here are a few fun nature craft activities to inspire you on your wild night out, which will guarantee you don't hear those dreaded words 'I'm bored'!
WILD ART
Creating art out of natural materials is brilliant fun, and is the perfect activity for family members of any age. Why not make a nature loom out of twigs and string and use it to display your nature finds, or build a giant one between two trees and make it an integral part of your camp!
Make nature looms
Sticky nature cards are lots of fun when you are out exploring nature, and are a great way to record a day out, or the changing seasons. Simply stick some double-sided sticky tape to a piece of card, then peel off the top and stick anything that takes your fancy to the board. Remember to only pick tiny pieces of growing plants so not to damage them.
Make sticky nature cards
Why not create a piece of wild art out of natural materials that you can leave behind for others to enjoy, and perhaps even add to. Create outlines from twigs and stones, and fill in with leaves, moss or any other natural material that catches your eye. You can even make art underwater.
Create wild art in wild places
WILD EXPLORING
Spending a night in the wilds is a great opportunity to develop your knowledge of nature, and hands on learning is always more fun than just learning from books. Simple fishing nets are all you need for pond dipping and will amuse the family for hours - don't forget to return anything you find to where it came from at the end of your session.
Pond dipping
Tree bark varies wildly between species of trees, and taking a rubbing is a great way to focus on the different patterns and textures, as well as making a record of a particular tree's bark. Use wax crayons and plain paper to take your impression and record your other tree observations underneath - you could even start a nature journal to record all your observations and finds in - it's easy to press leaves and flowers too, just pop them between two pieces of paper and pile something heavy on top.
Bark rubbing
Foraging for wild food is a brilliant way to interact with the natural environment, and is a fun, free activity for families to try. Start witheasy to identify wild edibles such as Blackberries, Dandelions and Stinging Nettles and only eat wild plants that you can 100% positively identify, and that you have foraged from land which is free from contaminants.
Dandelion flowers
WILD DRESSING UP
No wild night out would be complete without dressing up. Nature crowns are quick and easy to make, and can be customised in so many different ways. Use supple sticks such as willow or hazel to weave a simple ring, then adorn with flowers, feathers and any other treasures you can find. Ivy and creepers work well too, or why not make yourself fairy wand?
Wild dressing up
Tribal make-up looks amazing by firelight. Crush up chalk, charcoal and berries with a little water to make your own natural face paints and use wool, moss or even leaves to paint it on.
Make wild face paint
We hope we have given you lots of inspiration for activities on your wild night out.
WILD NIGHT OUT: GET INVOLVED
There are so many ways you can go wild at night. Anyone and everyone can take this opportunity to make some amazing memories to treasure forever. To get your imagination going, we’ve gathered together some ideas, stories, and how-to guides to help you design the very best Wild Night Out for you.
Everyone needs a Wild Night Out!
MORE ADVENTURES
