Crafting Contests for Families Outdoors: Encouraging Awe and Creativity
Embark on a fun and educational outdoor adventure with your family as we guide you through creating a unique Garden Stone Stepping Path and DIY bird feeders. This guide is inspired by the wealth of knowledge shared by bushcraft enthusiasts from around the world.
Garden Stone Stepping Path Challenge
To get started, gather disposable pie pans or create forms with cardboard for perfectly sized stepping stones. Mix 2 parts sand, 1 part Portland cement, and enough water to create a thick, moldable consistency for concrete. Pour this mixture into your moulds, and allow extra time for drying if using multiple paint layers.
As you wait for your stones to dry, plan your pathway layout by measuring the distance between each family member's natural stride and spacing stones accordingly. Once your stones are dry, encourage each family member to design their own stone with personal themes. Press decorative elements like handprints, leaves, or glass marbles into the surface of the concrete stepping stones within the first 30 minutes.
DIY Bird Feeder Construction
For the bird feeder portion of your adventure, gather materials such as plastic bottles, milk jugs, toilet paper rolls, wooden spoon, birdseed, string or wire, and basic tools like scissors or a craft knife.
To create a simple bird feeder, puncture holes in the bottom of your container for drainage, and thread your string or wire through the top. Fill your feeder with birdseed, and hang it from a tree branch or porch overhang where prevailing breezes will activate its musical elements.
For a more unique design, consider pine cones covered in peanut butter and rolled in seeds. These make fantastic feeders that will attract a variety of birds.
Nature Weaving and Dreamcatcher Creation
During nature walks, hunt for bendable materials such as young willow branches, grapevines, and honeysuckle stems. Look for flexible, young branches from willow, birch, or grapevines that bend without breaking for nature weaving and dreamcatcher base.
Create traditional circular dreamcatchers using harvested vines as the base and weave natural hemp or yarn in traditional spider web patterns. Alternatively, try your hand at modern woven wall hangings by stretching materials between two straight branches, incorporating colorful leaves, grasses, and flowers into geometric patterns.
Wind Chime Creation
Finally, look for materials that will produce different tones when struck together for wind chimes. Use sturdy fishing line or natural hemp cord to thread materials, and suspend completed wind chime from a sturdy tree branch or porch overhang where prevailing breezes will activate its musical elements.
With these easy-to-follow instructions, you and your family can create a beautiful and functional garden stone stepping path, as well as a variety of DIY bird feeders, dreamcatchers, and wind chimes. Happy crafting!
