The fun of this project is ultimately rooted in its flexibility. Just gathering up supplies from around the house or backyard will be a unique adventure for the kids.
What you need:
• Items in nature or recycled materials: leaves, rocks, grass, bottle caps, pieces of wood and bark
• Light-colored construction paper and/or ready-to-be recycled magazines or newspapers
• A piece of sturdy paper, or a section of cardboard torn or cut from a box
• Glue or Mod Podge (glue/sealant/varnish product available at craft stores)
• Paint
• Sponge or paintbrush
What you do:
1. Take a walk and gather leaves, twigs, grass, and other natural materials.
2. Back at home, tear magazine and newspaper pages into strips or shapes.
3. Cover the entire surface of paper or cardboard with construction paper, magazine strips and shapes, and apply using glue or Mod Podge.
4. Glue your found materials to create a design or pattern.
5. To create a print, select a leaf that hasn’t dried up yet. With a sponge or brush, apply a thin layer of paint to the leaf’s surface.
6. Next, hold the leaf by its stem and press on your paper. lay an extra piece of paper on the unpainted side of the leaf and press down with your hand, to get a full leaf imprint on the paper.
7. Allow collage to dry and display.
