'Step outside the box and into the beauty of nature'
At All Things OSHC: Outside the Box, I believe the most magical play happens when children are given the chance to explore, create, and imagine with the natural world around them.
A stick becomes a wand, a leaf becomes a canvas, and a puddle becomes a potion. Through nature-inspired crafts and experiences, I invite educators to step outside the box of traditional programming and rediscover the wonder that lives in every rock, petal, and patch of earth.
My activity sheets, tutorials, and ideas are designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and connection, making every OSHC environment a place where whimsy meets sustainability. I want to show that any service, anywhere, can weave nature into their program. You don’t need access to a forest or to purchase expensive natural item kits online, you just need curiosity, some simple tools, and the confidence to start.
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Nature scavenger hunt
Get ready to start your outdoor adventure! This simple printable is a wonderful way to spark curiosity and exploration in your outdoor environment. Just print it out, pair up the children, and let them discover the treasures nature has to offer.
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It’s also a great take-home activity, encouraging children to continue their scavenger hunt with their families, explore different natural spaces, and spend more time connecting with the world around them.
Bug hotel
This activity guides children to design and build their very own bug hotel for the outdoor environment. It’s a wonderful long-term project where children can return to observe, check in on, and document the little visitors who make the hotel their home, encouraging wonder, responsibility, and a deeper connection to nature.
Nature press
This activity invites them to create their own nature press using recycled materials and simple resources already in your program. Children will love building the press, then heading outdoors to connect with Country as they gather and preserve their natural finds, ready to use in future art, craft, and nature-based projects.
Nature photography
Taking photos of nature helps us slow down and really look at the world around us. When we focus on the tiny details, the lines on a leaf, the colours in a flower, the way sunlight shines through a tree, we start to notice how amazing and important every part of nature is. By capturing these moments with a camera, children learn to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the environment and develop a sense of care and responsibility for looking after it. Photography encourages curiosity, observation, and respect for even the smallest living things, helping us all to protect and cherish the world we share.
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This resource will help you get the children involved in capturing all those moments in the environment immediately surrounding them.
