Are you looking for a fun, family-friendly activity that will get your kiddos out in nature this weekend? Nature Mandalas, or nature “circles”, represent life’s ever-changing cycles and the beauty of New Beginnings. Now is the perfect time to head out in nature and create a beautiful work of art in honor of the new year. Follow the instructions below or click here to download a print-ready version.
What you’ll need:
Basket for collecting your nature goodies (fallen leaves, sticks, rocks, feathers, seed pods, grasses)
Scissors – Only cut what nature can afford to give. Flowers are rare this time of year and would better serve hungry pollinators, but fallen leaves and acorns are in abundance.
Camera to capture the final product. Mandalas are temporary gifts made to honor our generous Mother Earth. The joy comes from the process of making and memories made, not the final product. Once completed, these works of art are left to rejoin the great circle of life.
Now the Fun Begins:
- Start by gathering your material. Try and collect 10 individual pieces of each item you gather to make sure you have enough. *Flowers from holiday floral arrangements can be a great pop of color to your masterpiece.
- Use an eye-catching focal point to start the center of the mandala.
- Begin building out from the center. Staying as symmetrical as possible, start adding pieces of differing colors, textures, lines and unique shapes. Stack leaves on leaves, seeds on grasses, berries on rocks to create depth in your design. Have fun and let your creative juices flow.
- Take a picture and share it with us! You can e-mail photos to botanicalgardens.naic@gmail.com, text them to 325-451-0487, or use the social media hashtag #LegacyPlazaNatureMandalas.
We can’t wait to see what you come up with. Here are some examples for inspiration:
Google Image Search “Nature Mandala” for more examples.