16Jul 2026 by Jessie
Chrysalis and Cocoon Art

Chrysalis and Cocoon Art

activities, classroom activities, kids & families, leave the leaves, nature school
Need a simple, but fun craft for a variety of ages? Make cocoon art! This is great for classrooms because they look stunning en masse, but just as fun for a family afternoon. Supplies are minimal and inexpensive. While it was designed for elementary aged kids, there is no reason older students couldn't enjoy is as well, potentially adding complexity. In fact, a group of adults might enjoy this craft as well! Start this project by looking at some examples of real chrysalis/ cocoons that critters make-- the real thing is absolutely amazing and completely inspiring. Artists like Levon Biss and the Caterpillar Lab are great places to start. This is a great project to work on after learning about butterfly/ moth life cycles, cocoons and chrysalises, and (of course!)…
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14Jun 2026 by Jessie
Leave the Leaves Seek & Find 2 Ways!

Leave the Leaves Seek & Find 2 Ways!

activities, classroom activities, kids & families, leave the leaves, nature school
Two different fun ways to look for critters hiding in the leaves! Now that you know that lots of different animals depend on fallen leaves for lots of different reasons, why not try an d spot some? You can start by looking for hidden insects in the seek and find drawing below. Once you have sharpened your skills, grab a magnifying glass and try to find some real critters outside! Good thing you left those fall leaves! Leave the Leaves Seek and Find First click on the drawing below. (It will open in a new window.) See if you can find all 8 of the hidden cocoons, chrysalis', and caterpillars who are spending winter snug in the leaves. Remember, a moth makes a cocoon from fiber-y strands while a butterfly…
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09Jun 2026 by Jessie
Buggy Leaf Sun Catchers

Buggy Leaf Sun Catchers

activities, classroom activities, fall crafts, free printable, kids & families, leave the leaves, nature school
Do you love collecting fall leaves? Me too! And... I love bugs! And bugs love the leaves! So here is a fun way to to use some of those leaves to make a seasonal sun catcher. (for you, not bugs...) Make sure you leave plenty of leaves on the ground for the real bugs, but there is no harm in collecting some for crafts too. You can download and print out the template below or draw your own if you prefer. You will need something clear to stick the leaves to, you can either use some recycled plastic from a food container (something like those big containers of spinach or lettuce) which we love because you are re-using something that would otherwise be discarded, or if it's easier you can…
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06May 2026 by Jessie
Chrysalis Sleeping Bags

Chrysalis Sleeping Bags

activities, classroom activities, kids & families, leave the leaves, nature school
Many insects are inactive during the winter and enter a sleep-like state called diapause. Butterflies and moths most often spend the winter “sleeping” in cocoons or chrysalises. I think they look a little bit like fancy sleeping bags! The patterns on chrysalises can be incredibly intricate and beautiful, perfect inspiration for an art project! Since insects make their own, instead choose a favorite stuffed animal to create a sleeping bag for. Gather a few simple materials and take inspiration from these talented insect artists!    A photographer named Levon Biss takes amazing photos of all different types of chrysalises that are a great reference to check out for this project.  Levon Biss Chrysalis Sleeping Bags for Stuffies Materials: Old sweatpants Felt scraps Needle and embroidery floss Gold fabric paint (or whatever…
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17Mar 2026 by Jessie No Comments
Leaf Critters

Leaf Critters

activities, classroom activities, fall crafts, kids & families, leave the leaves, nature school, portfolio
Collecting fall leaves is a fun activity in and of itself. If you want to take it a step further, take a look at the work of artist Raku Inoue. He makes amazing insects and animals out of leaves. Try your hand at creating something with fallen leaves! Materials: fallen leaves natural materials (sticks, bark, seeds etc.)  paper (optional) glue (optional) drawing materials (optional) scissors (optional) Method:  Gather a variety of fallen leaves in different shapes and textures. Grab some other natural materials like sticks and seeds. Think about what they remind you of—is that maple samara a wing? (A samara is the seed of the maple tree that we often call helicopters). Does the texture of a leaf make you think of a particular animal or insect? Maybe the…
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17Mar 2026 by Jessie No Comments
Fall Leaf

Fall Leaf

portfolio
I never get tired of collecting fall leaves in interesting colors. I thought this one was especially striking! It's from a Norway Maple which is an invasive species where I like. (An invasive species means that humans transported it someplace it wouldn't naturally grow, and now it doesn't have it's usual predators so it grows very quickly) I collect leaves to use in projects, to draw, and sometimes, like this one, just because I like looking at them!
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