Nature postcard prints

This activity stimulates observation skills, a key science skill, and nurtures a love of nature. The postcards offer your child a chance to express themselves through writing.

Setup

1. Take a walk in a park or even in your own back garden.
2. As you walk, notice things around you, under your feet, and along the path. What colours do you see? What animals might live here?
3. Collect bits of nature as you walk: leaves, seeds, seedpods, flowers, weeds, small sticks, etc.
4. Back home, place some of the nature treasures that you found onto the blank side of a large index card, arranging them in a pleasing design. Glue everything down with the Tacky glue. 
5. Hold the objects in place for a minute or two. It may also be helpful to place a book on top of the entire design to flatten it which will make printing easier. This design will become the “plate” that you print from tomorrow.
6. Let dry overnight.

Assemble & decorate nature postcard prints

1. When glue has dried, paint on top of your design with tempera paint. You can use one solid colour or any combination of colours. Work quickly, so that the paint does not dry before you can make a print.
2. Place a large index card, blank side down over the painted design and rub gently, holding the card so that it does not wiggle and smear the print.
3. Carefully lift the card off of the painted card and look at your nature print! This process can be repeated many times, changing the colours and the amount of paint.

Extension Activity:
Once your postcard prints are dry, have your child write quick notes to family and friends.