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We think it’s important to provide useful resources for early years practitioners, childminders, and parents in terms of sustainability – and this series aims to bring you easy crafts and activities that will teach children about sustainable living. 

Creating natural art using flowers and recycled materials can be a fabulous sustainable activity for early years children. Today we are going to show you how to create a fun cardboard hedgehog bouquet allowing children to collect wildflowers and weeds to make their own unique design. 

Don’t use stencils or draw the hedgehog for your children as children will think that the end product should be perfect and removes the opportunity for individuality. Let the children draw their own hedgehog based on a photo. By doing this children can be left to enjoy the process of creative learning rather than focusing on the outcome. Don’t worry about what the hedgehog looks like. Let the children add as little or as many flowers as they want to – and let them get messy in the process.

Safety First!

Don’t allow children to poke holes in cardboard.

Cardboard Hedgehog Bouquet

What you’ll need:

• Cardboard
• Sharpie 
• Skewer or knife 
• Flowers

Method:

1. Draw a hedgehog onto a piece of cardboard using a sharpie. This could be a great opportunity to use hedgehog reference photos to allow children to interpret what they see and recreate it on the card. 
2. Poke a series of holes into the spiny back of the hedgehog. 
3. Go outdoors and demonstrate how children can pick a flower and thread it through the hole, filling the space with colour and texture. 
4. Encourage children to fill their hedgehog bouquet with wildflowers and other foliage. 
5. Back inside, ask children to try and identify different flowers and describe their unique designs.  

Join us next week for another sustainable early years activity, and if you try this out, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @ConnectChildcare. Have you seen our other garden themed activities? We have a FREE Gardening Activity Guide ideal for spring weather and sensory development.