Day 5: Nature Bouquet
I needed to gather some "supplies" for an upcoming Children, Nature, and Art class for early childhood educators. Okay, so the supplies were really what most consider WEEDS. I went to my grandparent's house to check out their weeds and told them just that, "I need to pick some of your weeds, if that's okay." At this point of the year, many of the wildflowers and other plants are drying out and brown, but there are still plenty of textures, shapes, and variations. There is even a pop of color from time to time!
My son helped me with the collection. He really liked the Queen Anne's Lace. It curls up like a crinoid. He said, "Mom, this is fun!" He's already learning the joy of giving service!
I thought it was pretty out, though quite different from winter, spring, or summer hikes when we've been out there before.
Later that day, we still had a huge basket of natural items in the van and an hour while older brothers were in the library. We found an empty picnic table behind the library and started putting different textures together. Of course, the toddler needed to help, too. He actually figured out what we were doing--putting various elements in the vase.
Any container could work for a nature bouquet. A mason jar would be great, though a paper cone (did any of you make May Day baskets as a child? I did!) or repurposed cup or tin would work great. I had this vase from my days learning Ikebana when I lived in Japan.
I grabbed some various ribbons as I walked out the door, too. A simple ribbon tied around a cluster of like items is lovely. Who would resist that winning smile?
This guy wanted to make his own! He was very particular about what he included. One of his toys and extra ribbons even became part of it! It really was about spending time with the elements and being a part of the creative process.
I liked varying the textures, heights, and colors. A nature bouquet would be different in every season. A neat thing about these is that it is completely recyclable! We didn't go to the store to buy supplies and will return all the elements back to nature when we are done. We also helped with seed dispersal!
I really think Nature Bouquets would work with any age. The approach may be different. You could talk about the different plants used. I encourage you to think out of the box--what might be interesting? What "weeds" are available to you? What might make an impact in your bouquet?