As the weather gets warmer, we have slowly been moving our art supplies outdoors. My kids are used to doing art inside at the table, but there is something refreshing and exciting for toddlers about taking the materials we have and using them in a new space. Outdoor art, especially our nature prints, gives us a sense of freedom that we don’t have indoors— we are able to use bigger body movements while we create, and the mess and clean-up are less intimidating.  

By bringing these materials outside, we have been able to discover new materials, new textures, and new canvases. These materials are all around us and create such amazing inspiration for art, like these fun outdoor nature prints for kids. We are also busy painting rocks with watercolors, tracing leaves on paper, and drawing in the dirt with sticks.  

Outdoor Nature Prints

Recently my kids have become hyper-aware of the grass as they work with my husband to vigorously attempt to fill in a few bald spots. He has been thoughtful about including my kids in the process and checking in on the daily progress. I will admit, grass is something that I completely take for granted, but I thought it was a great opportunity to use it in art! Instead of pulling out chunks of grass to paint with, we decided to paint right on the grass to create these beautiful nature prints. 

Setting up the Materials for our Nature Prints

First, I set up small “canvases”—I used a small piece of cardboard and taped a piece of paper on top. By reinforcing the paper, the kids were able to hold the paper better because it wasn’t floppy or curling. This is my go-to for prints. My kids take a lot of pride in holding and displaying their canvas. 

I poured a bit of washable paint into a cup and gave the kids a big brush. Once they got over the shock of me telling them to paint on the grass, they jumped right in!

Creating our Nature Prints

We started with a single color. We painted a small patch, and then took our “canvas” and smushed it down on the patch. 

My kids were thrilled with the pattern and textures created by these prints. They were soft, and lively. My son thought these looked like beautiful fireworks exploding on the page. 

We added on several layers of other colors. Each time we found a small chunk of grass and added new colors. 

After a good mow and watering, the paint had washed away, but my kids proudly displayed their nature prints and were eager to explore what other kinds of prints they could make.  

These outdoor nature prints are such a fun way to get kids outside having fun, and the end result is a beautiful piece of nature art. Have fun creating!

Jessie is a mom of two amazingly creative children–ages 4 and 2. She loves having her home full of sensory play and process art. Jessie also runs her own account, Hands In Handmade where you can find more inspiration for play or check out her sensory kits.

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