There are so many great outdoor spots to play, we could hardly choose a favorite. It’s just as well, because mixing it up keeps my kids happy! When I get the girls packed up and tell them we’re going to the playground, they ask, “Which park, Mama?” Will it be the one with the dinosaur skeleton? Or the one with the giant rocks you can climb in the splash pad? Or the one with the two-story high slide built into the hill?

So many choices!!!

To help you decide where to head first, read on for my guide of the many parks in West Linn, OR. Whether you’re meeting up with a friend, want to take a short trip from Portland or are stopping on a road trip off Highway 205, these West Linn parks are guaranteed outdoor fun.

Quick note: As of this month, Governor Brown announced the re-opening of the state’s playgrounds, even in Phase 1 areas like Clackamas County. Science suggests that outdoor surfaces like play structures are unlikely to spread the coronavirus, as long as children maintain social distance. As always, please be responsible in giving people space. Thank you for helping keep our communities safe and healthy!

The best parks in West Linn, Oregon

I couldn’t decide how to rank these West Linn, Oregon parks, so I’m not listing them in any particular order. If you live in West Linn or the Portland area, try one out—or visit them all! Summer is the perfect time to explore and discover the best parks in West Linn.

That said, these kid-friendly destinations are wonderful year-round. As you can tell, we’ve been enjoying all these parks since my kiddos were super-little. We love West Linn parks in all seasons.

From the blooms of camas wildflowers in the spring to the dramatic colors of the rare white oak savanna in the fall, we love these spots. I’m pretty sure your family will, too.

Willamette Park

The highlight of Willamette Park in West Linn, right near the historic downtown area, is the giant splash pad. It is built on a slope, and kids love to run back and forth between the levels.

Willamette Park also has a ton of sheltered picnic areas and grills, which make it a choice spot for parties. (The volleyball courts, baseball field and horseshoe pits don’t hurt, either!)

You can also access the river, where you can launch your kayak or simply scope out the waterfowl. (Fair warning: The geese at this West Linn park are extremely used to people and are unafraid to approach, so watch young kids around them.)

We love going paddle boarding and kayaking here. The small boat launch is just so convenient! Wakes from bigger boats do make waves, but Max and Edie love this part. They’re always asking me to aim for the wake!

Willamette Park, 1100 12th St., West Linn, Oregon

Maddax Woods

Another one of our favorite kid-friendly hikes in West Linn: The trail at Maddax Woods. We typically park in the small parking area at the address below, which has access to the greenway trail.

The trail is about a half-mile. It leads through a beautiful forest of mostly Doug fir trees. Max and Edie like crossing the bridge over a stream and dropping in pine cones or sticks.

My personal favorite part of Maddax Woods is its river access. From the main parking area, hike to the opposite end of the trail and then turn right down a path. You’ll come to a sandy beach along the Willamette River.

The whole family—dogs, kids, adults—have fun running and digging here.

You can also access this river trail from Burnside Park, at 1375 Buck St, West Linn, OR. This isn’t actually a park, really, but a spot to leave your car in a residential neighborhood to access the Willamette River. This is where we park when we want to bring our paddle board to the river, as the walk is much shorter to the beach.

During the spring, Goat Island—which is visible from Maddax Woods—becomes a rookery for great blue herons. Up to roughly 100 mated pairs find each other, lay their eggs and raise their chicks on this small island every year. Look to the tops of the trees for their big nests!

During regular (aka non-COVID) years, look for heron watch events, when locals peep through telescopes to get a better look at the birds.

Maddax Woods, 5785 River St. West Linn, OR

Marylhurst Heights Park

I absolutely love how this tucked-away neighborhood park in West Linn has something for kids of all ages. Slides and climbing structures of various sizes can be conquered by littles and older kids; in fact, on a recent visit, some kids (and their mom!) created an obstacle course they had to navigate without touching the “lava”—aka the wood chips.

My girls love to play on the rope web and hammock, but the real highlight is the splash pad—complete with water that shoots out of sculptural dinosaur bones and a metal relief T-rex skull embedded in the pavement. No wonder my kids call this the Dinosaur Bone Park!

Marylhurst Heights Park, 1800 Valley View Dr., West Linn, OR.

Mary S. Young Park

We visit Mary S. Young on the regular partly because it feels as if we disappear into its 128 acres as soon as we hit the trail. And as you can see, we’ve been coming to this great West Linn park for years, even since before Maxine was born.

(Squee, isn’t peanut Maxine the cutest?! Look at those cheeks!)

You can wander in the deep forest, hike down to the Willamette River, let your dog play in one of several off-leash areas, watch local kid’s lacrosse and soccer games or relax with a picnic.

We love to walk down to a sandy beach along the river, partly because it changes every time depending on the water levels. (Side note: We chose Mary S. Young to do our maternity photos because it’s one of the best parks in West Linn.)

With so many trails, it’s easy to find a new hike every time you go to Mary S. Young.

Mary S. Young Park, 19900 Willamette St., West Linn, OR.

Swift Shore Park

I’m kicking myself because we only recently discovered Swift Shore Park in West Linn, OR. We’re making up for lost time by visiting as often as we can!

This park is tucked away among a residential neighborhood. As such, there is no parking lot; you just leave your car along a sidewalk and walk down to the river.

The Tualatin River runs through this park. People ride tubes and floats down the little rapid here, and more adventurous folks jump off a cliff and rope swing into a deep pool below.

My kids and I are tamer. We walk upriver, splash around in a knee-deep wading area and play on little waterfalls.

Maxine in particular loves swimming at a deep swimming hole here. (Once she was shivering so hard that her teeth were clacking. When I asked if she needed to warm up, she replied, “Only my teeth are cold!”)

A few sandy beach spots fill up quickly, but folks tend to be easygoing about making room for others.

I recommend wearing water shoes at Swift Shore Park. Stepping on rocks and little underwater critters can hurt!

Swift Shore Park, 25461 Swiftshore Drive, West Linn, OR

Tanner Creek Park

I love the proximity of this West Linn park’s playground to the splash pad—my kids love to play in the water, then go swing or goof off on the teeter totter, then head back in the splash pad. The proximity makes my life so much easier because I can keep an eye on both kids, even if they sprint in opposite directions.

Shaded benches line the splash pad, and families set up blankets and picnics in the shady grass. There are also basketball courts, tennis courts and a skate park just a short walk from the playground.

The covered shelter is a popular spot for birthday parties, and during regular (aka non-COVID) summers, the city runs day camps here.

West Linn also recently installed an outdoor exercise area just outside the park. It has spots for pull-ups and other strength-building exercise.

Tanner Creek Park, 3456 Parker Rd., West Linn, OR.

Camassia Nature Preserve

We adore this park, which is actually owned by the Nature Conservancy, not West Linn. This is one of our favorite spots for hiking with kids near Portland.

The half-mile loop trail takes you through grasslands which bloom with native flowers in the spring, white oak woodlandss and spots that offer a beautiful view of Mt. Hood. My kids particularly love the boardwalks that make for easy crossing of a seasonal stream.

Although spring is definitely the most popular time to visit Camassia, we love this trail year-round. Sure, you might get rained on a bit, but the short distance means you don’t have far to go if it pours.

If you want a longer walk, the Camassia Nature Preserve loop connects to a hike through nearby Wilderness Park (see below).

Remember that dogs aren’t allowed to protect wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole. Importantly, stay on the trail to protect fragile native plants. And if you want to help preserve this beautiful spot, work parties regularly meet to clear out invasive species such as English ivy.

Note: Camassia Nature Preserve is currently closed to comply with social distancing guidance. Trails here are fairly narrow, which makes it impossible to pass others while maintaining a distance of 6 feet.

Camassia Nature Preserve, 4800 Walnut St., West Linn, OR.

Wilderness Park

Tucked amid a West Linn residential neighborhood, 50 acres of woods have been preserved as Wilderness Park. We hike here with the kids weekly—sometimes even daily—because we can make our hike as long or as short as we want, depending on the girls’ energy and our time limits.

It’s also fairly sheltered from the trees during rain, which makes it a great wet weather hike near Portland (just bring boots—the trail can get muddy).

Max and Edie have nicknamed Wilderness the Wood Chip Park. It used to have a mountain of wood chips in the middle of a clearing; now it’s home to enormous felled logs. The kids (and even Finn!) climb the logs and take turns jumping down. Luna, our Great Pyrenee rescue, is more interested in sniffing all the forest smells than climbing.

The city recently renovated the main parking area of Wilderness Park, adding parking spots, but I also recommend parking on Oregon City Boulevard between Oregon City Loop and Prospect Street. About halfway between the two streets on the north side of the street, there are several (unmarked) trail entrances that lead you into the park.

(If you’re lucky, the house here will have at least a few dozen air-filled and 10-foot-high dragons on display! Max and Edie are obsessed.)

Keep an eye out for mountain bikers, who sometimes use this trail. Every time we encounter someone on bike they’re courteous. We simply step to the side of the trail to let them pass.

Make sure to keep your dogs on leash here—it’s a popular spot for dog owners (including us!). Our most recent addition to the family, a Great Pyrenee rescue named Luna, loves it here. Bonus: A dog poo bag dispenser at the base of the trail at the main parking lot will hook you up if you forgot your own bags.

Wilderness Park, 22101 Clark StreetWest Linn, OR

Robinwood Park

Robinwood is a hidden gem among the best parks in West Linn, OR. Nestled among the tall trees of this 15-acre park: a playground, stroller-friendly walking trails, a small skate park, a big field that just asks to be run through and a lovely splash pad.

Edie, forever my lemur, loves to climb the big stones in the splash pad, which shoot water in different directions. Plus, the splash pad is shaded in the morning. Just know that the playground structures aren’t great for kids under 2—they’re designed for older kids.

Very important: Don’t follow the Google Maps directions to Robinwood Park—they send you to the back end of the park where there’s no entrance or parking. Instead, off of Highway 43/Willamette St., turn east on Fairview Way (at the Italian restaurant Bugatti’s). Continue along Fairview and you’ll end up in the parking lot.

Robinwood Park, 3600 Fairview Way West Linn, OR

Sahallie Illahee Park

When we first arrived at Sahallie Illahee Park, I wasn’t terribly impressed. Yes, it had a cute play structure, tire swing and swing set the perfect size for my kids, but I didn’t see what made it special—at first.

Then we wandered down a hiking trail, across a bridge and out the other side—to a two-story high slide built into the side of a hill.

It. Is. Awesome.

This side of the park, which is designed for slightly older children, also has a bridge structure built between two pretend rocks built just for climbing.

Sahallie Illahee Park, 4300 Horton Rd., West Linn, Oregon.

Sunset Park

Sunset Park just got a major makeover. Although the coronavirus slowed down the complete redesign of this West Linn park, my kids can vouch that it’s super-fun!

Sunset Park now has an awesome play structure with a bridge and climbing features. There’s also a new zip line and even a water feature that flows into a sand pit. (There are still a few finishing touches left to be completed here. My kids don’t mind; they’ve already given the new Sunset Park a thumbs-up!)

Folks who have been to Sunset Park will notice big changes. The old swing set and slide are gone.

At the Sunset Fire Hall at the base of the park, play tennis or basketball on the public courts. This is also a great blackberry picking spot in the summer!

Sunset Park, 4665 Bittner Street West Linn, OR—between Sunset Primary and the Sunset Fire Hall

Hammerle Park

Just off Highway 43 is a beautiful park with multiple play structures, a jungle gym, swings, old-school metal slides and a splash pad. It’s shaded—ideal for the hot summer—and includes several fields that host baseball games, especially on the weekends.

During weekdays in the school year, avoid the time immediately after nearby Bolton Elementary gets out—the park becomes overrun with kiddos just finishing their school day. (This isn’t an issue at the moment, since all schools in West Linn are currently online-only.)

If you need a pick-me-up after fun outdoor play, head to Market of Choice just up the street. They have an excellent hot bar and cold bar. (Maxine recommends the macaroni and cheese.)

Hammerle Park, 1505 Lewis St., West Linn, OR.

White Oak Savanna

White Oak Savanna is one of the least known West Linn parks. This nature area preserves native oak woodlands, which were plentiful in this area before white settlers arrived and cleared the forests for agriculture.

Now trails wind through this restored habitat. This West Linn park is home to native plants and animals. (If you’re lucky, you might spot one of the neighborhood’s coyotes!)

Partly because of the White Oak Savanna’s wildlife and delicate ecology, dogs are not allowed in this nature preserve.

White Oak Savanna, 2425 Tannler Drive, West Linn, OR

Phew! Now can you see why I can’t choose the all-time best park in West Linn, Oregon? There’s too much competition! For more details, check out the West Linn Parks and Rec page.

Now get out there and have fun!

PS – If you’re looking for more to do in the area, check out my post on quirky and kid-friendly things to do in Portland.

The post Best West Linn parks: Playgrounds, splash pads, hikes + more in Oregon appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

That’s when I suggest my girls and I do one of these nature art projects —and then watch their imagination and creativity blossom. These also make for fun camping activities for kids so you’ll never run out of things to do on your next family camping trip.

We’ve been doing these nature projects for kids for years. Now whenever we take our dog for a walk, the girls want to bring along their buckets so they can collect “nature art supplies” for later crafts. When I say, “Hey, want to do a nature art project?” they literally jump up and down, asking me what we’re going to do.

Because variety is the spice of nature art projects, and you might want a little inspiration, I’ve put together a list of 34 gorgeous camping arts and crafts that you can use while camping, or simply out in your yard. Go ahead, let your creativity shine!

And since you’re excited to have fun with your kids once you reach the Great Outdoors, you might as well have a wonderful time getting there, too! Grab your copy of my book Road Trip Games & Activities for Kids. It shares 33 fun, customizable games and free printables that will keep you and your littles entertained for hours! Click the image below to get your copy in e-book or paperback!

Beat boredom with these fun camping activities for kids

Boredom while we’re family camping or just out in the yard is unfathomable to me now—there’s little I’d rather do than just relax in a quiet forest or chill by a river. But I remember complaining to my mom—“I’m booooooored”—when I was a kid.

Get rid of the b-word when you’re outdoors with one—or many!—of these fun nature crafts which make for some of the best family camping activities.

But, before you get started with these fun camping activities for kids, be sure to come prepared with extra supplies including glue, paper, clay, crayons, washable paint and string. 

1. Nature collage: The most popular kids camping activity

There’s no questioning why this is number 1 on my list of best camping activities for kids.

With just glue, card stock and whatever nature supplies your kids collect, they can create gorgeous nature collages. My kids can happily spend an hour on this camping arts and crafts project, while hubby and I sit back, relax and enjoy the outdoors!

2. Nature mandalas: One of the most exciting camping activities for kids

Send your kids on a scavenger hunt for pieces of nature. (I always bring buckets on our camping trips for this part!) Then create symmetrical designs using flowers, pine cones and whatever else you find at your campsite.

3. Ash painting: Most unique camping arts and crafts activity

In a bucket, stir together a scoop of campfire ash (that has completely cooled off, of course!) and water until it makes a thin paste. Then invite your kids to create art with this DIY black “paint”! Paint the sidewalk or white paper, but not your clothes—it will probably stain.

Your kids will be even more excited about this camping art project when you explain that this technique is one of the ways cavemen made art on their walls.

4. Leaf animals

Collect a variety of leaves—aim for different sizes, shapes and colors. Arrange them on a piece of paper, the ground or a tree stump, using leaves for each animal part. You can add a googly eye (I love a good googly eye) or use something found in nature—like a pebble—for the animal’s eyes, nose and even spots.

5. Clay nature prints

When you bring clay on your next family camping trip, your kids can make nature prints—which are basically fossils. (Yes, you just upped your cool factor!)

Give small pieces of clay to each child. They can roll it in a smooth ball and flatten it to a disc, then press an item from nature into it. Carefully peel it out to reveal an imprint of a snail shell, twig or pine cone. This is one of my kids’ favorite camping arts and crafts!

6. Rock footprints

Find stones of different sizes. Then arrange them in the shape of footprints, using big rocks for the pad of the foot and pebbles for toes.

Depending on the shapes of your rocks, you can leave human footprints or animal footprints. Your kids may even be inspired in this camping art project to create footprints of the animals in your camp! Think of raccoons and squirrels, or bear and cougars!

7. Nature face

Use what you find in nature—sticks, rocks, leaves, pinecones, flowers—to make a funny face. You can set this up on the ground or a tree stump, or leave it on a picnic table for someone else to find—and laugh over! Your family can get quite creative with this fun nature art idea.

8. Nature puppets

With some glue and a popsicle stick (or even a regular ol’ stick), you can make an adorable, creative puppet with items you found in nature. My girls and I made this one with leaves, dandelion stems and even marigold seeds – Although I think I had more fun than they did with this nature art activity!

9. Home sweet tent

Collect sticks or rocks—whatever is most plentiful in your campsite. Then spell out the word “home” in front of your tent.

Doesn’t your tent feel cozier now?

10. Fairy houses: The best camping activity for kids

Using whatever nature materials you have at your campsite, your kids can build a home for fairies to live in! My kids got so into this camping art project that it stretched over three days.

They would add to it (the final fairy house included an obstacle course, playground and chandelier) and play with their ponies in the structures. They ended up using our firewood—so we had to get more, since we couldn’t burn their fairy houses!

This camping arts and craft project really allows them to use their imagination and will keep your kids entertained for hours on end.

11. Leaf rubbings

Remember doing leaf rubbings when you were a kid? Just have your child put leaves, ferns or other items from nature under a sheet of paper, then gently rub a paper-free crayon over the paper. Your child will watch an etching of the leaf appear!

12. Color explorations: the best kids nature art for the fall

This activity works best in the fall, when nature’s colorful side is on full display, but you can do it anytime of the year.

Pick a narrow range of colors—e.g. red-orange-yellow—and collect as many things within those hues as you can (e.g. leaves). Then arrange them on the ground by gradation of color. In this example, you’d start with the deepest red on one end, and the color would transition to yellow on the other end. It’s like nature ombre!

13. Nature paintbrushes

All you need to bring along for this nature art and crafts project is washable paint and paper. Collect different items in nature—a fern frond, a small pine branch, flowers, anything—and use them as a paintbrush.

Invite your kids to experiment by printing with the natural item or brushing. Your kids will be delighted by the diverse effects.

14. Leaf towers

It’s amazing how something as simple as a leaf can be used in so many different kids camping activities! To make these leaf towers, find a thin stick, then collect as many different leaves as you can. Poke the stick through the center of each leaf—don’t worry if you tear it, there are plenty more! Leave a few inches between the leaves.

You can create a pattern on your leaf tower (maple-ash-maple-ash) or simply add leaves in an order that feels natural.

When you’re done, help your kids poke the wider end of the stick into the ground, creating a beautiful—and unexpected—piece of nature art.

15. Fairy wands

Invite your kids to collect pieces of nature that call to them, like dandelion blooms, cattails, ferns or anything else. Arrange the items near the edge of a sturdy stick about 12 inches long. Use string (or even the twine that kept your firewood bundle together) to tie the items to the end of the stick. Now your kids have fairy wands!

16. Flower crown

If you’re anything like me, you have fond memories of sitting in the grass as a kid and weaving together daisy chains for a flower crown. Teach your kids this crucial life skill.

The last time I made a flower crown, I didn’t just stick to daisies; I wove in other wildflowers for a less uniform—and more organic—look. This is one of my favorite art projects and my kids get so excited every time we make these flower crowns.

17. Grass pom poms

Pom poms are having their moment—so you might as well bring them with you camping. Rip thick grass into sections about 3 inches long. Gather a small handful and arrange them so they’re roughly in an even stack. Use a longer, sturdy piece of grass (hay-like grass that’s in between fresh and dry works great) to tie the bundle together in the middle.

Fluff out the pieces of grass so they create a pom pom—and hang it from somewhere fun, like your rain fly! #pompomdecor

18. Leaf confetti

If you want your camping trip to be extra-celebratory, just bring along a hole punch: You can punch different colored leaves to make confetti! Simply punch leaves over a plate (so they don’t get scattered on the ground) until you have enough to take handfuls—and HOORAY! Instant camp party!

19. Nature necklaces

Since you have your hole punch handy, punch holes at the base of leaves and other items in nature. Then string them through a piece of twine you have on-hand—or even long strands of grass. Tie the ends together to make a gorgeous nature necklace for your kids.

20. Bodies in nature

Have your child lie down on the ground and trace her body with a stick. All along the outline, place whatever you have handy at your campsite: pinecones, rocks, or even seashells. Then have your kid fill in her portrait. This nature art project for kids is a beautiful—and engrossing—activity that could last your entire camping trip!

21. Tree stump portraits

Find a tree stump and use it as the starting point for a portrait. On the tree stump “face,” you can add hair (grass, moss), eyes (clovers, sand dollars), lips (leaves, berries) and anything else your child can imagine for this nature craft project.

22. Nature chalk drawings

Time to get really creative with the next few kids camping activities, and they’ll love it! With chalk, draw outlines of things you find in nature—then continue to draw to turn them into animals, landscapes or whatever your child can imagine! The outline of a leaf, for example, could turn into a hedgehog, the flame from a fire-breathing dragon or the top of a tree. 

23. Bark painting

Forget paper; paint on tree bark instead. Simply find some bark on the ground (though please don’t pull it off of living trees, as it stresses and harms the tree) and paint whatever you like. Your kids may be curious about the different results of painting on the rough outside and the smoother inside with this nature art project.

24. Decorate nature fairies

I recently printed out these free drawings from Mer Mag, and the girls and I transformed them into forest fairies by adding found objects from nature.

I’ll definitely plan ahead for our next family camping trip so we can add this camping art project to the mix!

25. Dangling nature art

Bring along string or yarn from home—your kids will love this camping art project. Simply tie things you find in nature to strings of varying length. Then hang the strings from a tree branch for a gorgeous art installation.

They remind me of disco beads, yes?

26. Nature spirals

This camping nature art project is super-simple. Just collect a bunch of the same things—my kids gathered basalt rocks on a recent family camping trip—and arrange them in a spiral.

Spirals are found naturally everywhere in nature. Just think of the arrangement of sunflower seeds, the curve of a seashell or even a hurricane. Humans have been using a spiral as a sacred symbol in art and architecture for centuries; why not add it to your nature art project, too?

27. Nature God’s eye

You might have made these at summer camp with popsicle sticks and fluorescent yarn; you can make this all-natural art from materials found outside, too.

Cross two short sticks in an X. Take a bendable vine (such as a long ivy branch) and begin to wrap it back and forth around the intersection where the sticks meet in the middle. When you get to the end of the vine, tie it to another vine—either the same kind or a different one for an alternating pattern. Continue until the nature God’s eye is full to the edge of the stick (or earlier if your little ones lose patience!). Tie off the vine at the end, and hang it from your tent or a tree.

28. Hammered flower prints

We always keep a mallet in our camping box; you might have a hammer. Use it to create gorgeous flower prints, a camping craft idea you may not be familiar with!

Lay a piece of white paper on something sturdy that you don’t mind getting slightly dented (such as a beat-up picnic table). Lay out a design of brightly colored flowers. Cover your design with a paper towel. Gently tap all over the paper towel with the mallet or hammer, doing your best to not move the flowers too much underneath.

Lift up the paper towel and peel off the flowers to reveal your flower prints! 

29. Leaf stencils

Lay a leaf onto a sheet of paper. Hold it still by pressing one finger into the center of the leaf. Using a sponge or a wide paintbrush, dab the area around the leaf and on the edges of the leaf. Carefully lift up the leaf (it works best to lift it from the stem). You’ll reveal white space where your leaf used to be.

30. Mushroom prints

Pick a mushroom (just familiarize yourself with your region’s fungi to ensure you’re not picking something poisonous; check out this book on North American fungi), then remove the stalk. Place the mushroom cap gills-down on a blank piece of paper. Place a cup over the mushroom cap to keep the breeze from disturbing it and leave the mushroom overnight.

In the morning, pick up the cap—you should see a print left behind from the spores the mushroom released!

31. Life-sized nature people

Using rocks, branches, driftwood, even seaweed—whatever materials you have around—make a life-sized person out of nature. You can even dress him or her up, give a fancy hairdo, or add some bling!

What’s more, this is a fun nature art project you can continue to add to over the course of your time outside. Start this outdoor art project at the beginning of your camping trip, for example, and see how it evolves throughout your stay.

32. Nature weaving

Find three sticks and collect a bunch of long vines or grasses. Push the base of each stick into the ground, close to each other in a row. Tie one end of a vine or blade of grass to one of the outside sticks near where it meets the ground. Weave the vine in and out of the sticks to create a gorgeous nature weaving project.

33. “Paint” with dandelions

One of our new favorite camping arts and crafts: painting with dandelions! I love the vibrant yellow of dandelions—and did you know you can use them to paint or draw?

Simply pick a few dandelions and smudge them over paper. The pretty yellow hue shows up on the paper! This is the perfect camping craft for toddlers.

34. Braid flowers

If you’re like me, you might be skilled at braiding your kids’ hair—so why not transfer that expertise to flowers? 

Simply tie together three flowers with long stems. (I use a long piece of grass to tie them together under the base of the flower.) Then braid them, adding a new flower to the strand every other time you cross the stems. 

I recently braided flowers into a dandelion crown. The kids later used it to decorate the entrance to our tent. Then Maxine turned the flower braid into a zip line for her fairy house!

The best camping activities for kids (and the whole family)

Now that you’ve looked through all these fun camping crafts for kids, you have so many ideas for family camping trips—or just your back yard. You and your little ones will be inspired to play outdoors with all these outside activities for kids.

Do you have a favorite? One you’re most excited to try? Tell me in the comments! And don’t forget to pin this post or email it to a friend!

And if you want to make buckets for camping arts and crafts for your own kids, see the directions below.

Yield: 1 activity bucket for kids

Create a Camping Arts and Crafts Bucket

Print

Make a camping arts and crafts bucket for kids! On your next family camping trip or outdoor adventure, these buckets have all the supplies and inspiration for fun camping activities for kids.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Difficulty easy

Materials

• Bucket or pail
• Puff paint
• Notepad
• Crayons
• Pencil and colored pencils
• Magnifying glass
• Yarn
• Paintbrush and paint (watercolors or washable tempera)
• White glue
• Sidewalk chalk
• *You don't need everything on the supplies list, though these materials will allow your kids to do nearly every camping activity in this post.

Instructions

1. Assemble the camping arts and crafts supplies you'll need. Buy supplies from the materials list above or rummage through your craft drawer.
2. Using puff paint, write your child's name on a bucket.
3. Once the paint is dry, fill the bucket with camping arts and crafts supplies.
4. Customize supplies if you like, e.g. writing your child's name on the notepad.
5. Keep the bucket secret so you can surprise your kids on your next family camping trip or outdoor adventure!

Recommended Products

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• 
  Sturdy buckets 
• 
  Washable sidewalk chalk
• 
  Washable paint that won't stain

Did you try this? What did you think?

Were these instructions helpful? Be a gem and share this info with someone else who could use it!

PS – Want ideas for family camping in Oregon? Check out my post on yurt camping at Ft. Stevens on the Oregon Coast, or tent camping at Milo McIver State Park near Portland.

The post 34 GORGEOUS Camping Activities For Kids: The Best Nature Art Projects appeared first on To & Fro Fam.