Nature’s Palette: Incorporating Natural Resources for Art

At Green Leaves Early Learning, one of the children’s favourite things to do is exploring nature and their surroundings during their community walks. This usually involves plenty of observations and discussions along the way.

During one of their recent walks, the children discovered fallen paper bark, which sparked an idea for an art project. The paper bark pieces were carefully collected. At the Centre, the children collaborated to create art using their collection of paper bark, inspired by their observations during their nature walk.

Art projects present a great opportunity for the children to extend their learning on the marvels of using natural resources as material. Not only did the children increase their understanding of nature and the importance of sustainability, but they also deepened their understanding of cultural connections to these natural materials.

For example, in Aboriginal culture, paper bark has been a source of material and cultural significance for thousands of years. The bark is known to be used for making shelters and as containers for carrying food, or wrapped around food before being placed on the fire to cook.

Integrating natural elements into artistic experiences fosters a deeper appreciation and connection to nature, encourage exploration from an early age. Working with nature can also be calming and grounding, while encouraging mindfulness as the children focus on the process, rather than the end product.

Additionally, as the children manipulate the different textures and shapes of natural materials, it supports their development of fine motor skills and enhances hand-eye coordination.