Toddler Activity: Nature Arranging

My toddler loves exploring outdoors and we love incorporating nature into as many activities as possible. We took the classic Montessori activity of flower arranging and built upon it to create a new favorite in our household. We added in an extra step of going out in nature to gather our own materials. We also don’t limit the materials to flowers, as we use whatever is in season that we can find in our own backyard and neighborhood. This activity is great because it gets your little ones outside exploring nature, helps them practice their fine motor skills, and it doesn’t require much prep work or buying materials.

STEP 1: Collect Materials Outside

For this particular occasion, since it’s still winter where we live here in the woods, we kept it simple and just collected pine needles, sticks, and evergreen branches that we found on the ground laying around our backyard. Depending on where you live and the current season, you may need to grab pair of pruning shears and have your toddler help you choose some small branches, flowers, and leaves that you can cut off of plants to use. In the springtime we love using lilac, lupine, daffodils, wildflowers, and small tree branches full of blossoms that we find around our neighborhood. Have your toddler collect as many of the items as possible to use for the arrangement. I usually have to help “round out” the selection as my toddler will fixate on doing something like collecting only pine needles, freak out if I try to put anything OTHER than a pine needle in her basket, and then after she has collected a full basket of said pine needles, proceed to dump the entire basket onto the ground. Once you’ve helped to gather up a varied selection of items to use, check items for bugs and excess dirt that should be removed before bringing inside.

STEP 2: Set Up Arranging Station

It’s a simple set up for this activity, but I always find that if I can get the five minutes to set everything up without my toddler there, the entire activity goes better and less stressful.

• Have your collected nature items laid out so that your toddler can see them.

• Grab an empty small cup, mason jar, or vase to put the arrangement into.

• If you have older toddlers, you can add a pitcher of water. If you are adding this step, be sure to have a rag or towel nearby to cleanup any spills.

This activity can be set up on a small table or on a tray like we did if you don’t have a table to use.

STEP 3: Start Arranging

If you are using the pitcher and water, the toddler should first pour the water from the pitcher into the cup or vase. Then your toddler will then take the collected nature clippings and arrange them in the cup or vase. When finished you can keep the arrangement out as decoration. If you opted to not use the pitcher with water, be sure to add some water to the vase once your toddler has finished the arrangement.

Tips:

• The proper Montessori method for showing your child how to do the arranging part of this activity would call for you to do the activity first yourself (without speaking, so that the toddler is able to clearly focus on your movements) and then to reset the activity so that they can do it themselves.

• I recommend only using the pitcher and water with older toddlers or kids. It’s more challenging with younger toddlers. My 22-month old made a huge mess and then proceeded to smear the spilled water everywhere. I tried to remove the pitcher and water at this point, but it was (of course) too late. Once she had had the water she didn’t want to give it up. And then she proceeded to stick the nature clippings into both the cup and the pitcher while splashing water everywhere. It’s easier to have younger toddlers arrange the nature clippings in an empty cup or vase.

• Use whatever nature has in season. This will change throughout the year making the activity even more fun, and is a great way to learn about nature during the various seasons. Think outside the box—you don’t have to collect just flowers and pretty items. Herbs, sticks, tall grass, wheat stalks, and branches of foliage all make great materials. Just try to keep things relatively the same size to make arranging them easier.

Materials:

You don’t have to buy anything special for this activity, which is why we love it so much. You can use whatever you have on hand. Here are things that we used that may be helpful.

• Explorer’s basket to collect nature clippings from outside

• Cup, jar, or vase for the arrangement

• Small pitcher for water (if using)

• Pruning shears if necessary

xx Jen