Being in nature is both beneficial and refreshing. There are countless wonderful advantages to spending time outdoors—fresh air, sunshine, and the opportunity to connect with and learn from the natural world. That’s why so many of my resources incorporate nature-based activities. Nature School is a fabulous outdoor-inspired resource you can get as part of my Everything Preschool Bundle, but it also works wonderfully as a standalone tool for families who want to embrace nature-based learning.

Nature School is packed with hands-on fun. It is organized into seven unique nature themes. Today, I’m excited to give you a peek into one of my favorite activities from the Sticks theme—Stick Weaving! It’s a fun, creative way to build those all-important fine motor skills.

Each theme in Nature School includes an activity designed to strengthen hand muscles, improve pincer grip, and boost overall dexterity. And the best part? Kids develop these skills naturally just by playing outside! These early motor skills are the foundation for writing later on, and they grow best through tons of playful practice.

So let’s head outdoors and get weaving!

Free Printable Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt

Before we start this activity, I have a lovely four-season nature walk scavenger hunt freebie to offer you. Enter your email below to be instantly sent these great outdoor scavenger hunts for your kids to enjoy!

Nature Activities for Preschoolers – Stick Weaving

Let’s get started on this fun, relaxing, and beneficial activity. 

The materials needed are as follows:

• 2 sticks
• twine or yarn

That’s it!

Since we love the outdoors, heading out on a hike was the perfect way to kick off this activity. We were on a mission to find two perfect sticks—straight, sturdy, and the same length. Well, we ended up coming home with several! (Many not pictured!) If your kids are anything like mine, once they’re on a mission, they’re laser-focused and often go above and beyond the original goal.

Depending on your child’s age, you may need to help them get started by securing the sticks. You can begin by crossing the two sticks to form an X. Then, tie a piece of yarn around the intersection to hold them in place.

 

I began by demonstrating how to weave for my kids. Starting in a circle, I wrapped the yarn once around the first stick, then the second, continuing this pattern around. Then I guided my kids to take over, helping them to wrap the yarn around each stick in turn, gradually moving outward.

I noticed an interesting contrast between my two kids while they worked—one child focused on efficiency, eager to weave quickly, while the other prioritized precision, carefully making sure each loop was neat and correct.

Once we finished, we tied off the final end of the string. The kids were so proud of what they had created! They were excited to decide where to put their projects—one chose to keep it as a toy, while the other decided to hang it on the wall. Both ideas were fantastic.

This activity was not only fun, but also packed with developmental benefits. Building fine motor skills early on can give children a strong foundation for future learning. If you think your child would enjoy this activity, then they will love all the nature activities in Nature School.

As you go through Nature School, we help the learning unfold naturally by exposing your child to activities that focus on literacy, numeracy, fine motor development, sensory experiences, and crafting. We will explore rocks, sticks, leaves, flowers, dirt, water, and shells. Each theme is full of nature activities for preschoolers, beautiful printables, and exciting ways to get outside and enjoy our beautiful world.

If you enjoy connecting, playing, and learning with your little one in nature, you’ll love Nature School!

Take a peek and get your copy of Nature School right here:
https://shop.howweelearn.com/pages/nature-school