Welcome to part 2 of a series on nature activities. This post is about things to do inside. Part 1 was about things to do outside.

Watch something grow

• Grow mushrooms from a box. I used a Life Cykel grow kit to grow oyster mushrooms. They only require moisture and a warm environment to grow. When the mushrooms start to appear, they double in size every 24 hours. It’s very exciting to watch!
• Make a tiny garden in a jar. They’re called terrariums, and they are beautiful and easy to care for. Get started with these instructions from Little Sprouts.

Craft with nature

• Make a simple Christmas wreath using leaves and a reclaimed piece of cardboard. This eco-friendly craft from Mother Natured is fun, easy and safe for small hands.
• Try a Japanese natural printmaking technique called hapa zome, or ‘leaf-dye’. Place fresh leaves and flowers between two layers of fabric and pound with a hammer, like How We Montessori did, to make a print.
• Make leaf art using crayons and watercolour paint. This activity from Art Bar combines leaf rubbings with a wax resist technique.

Make a nature-inspired craft

• Print and put together a flip book, like these ones created by artist Stephanie Hathaway. She has ready-to-print flip books on butterfly metamorphosis, volcanic eruption and the phases of the moon.
• Craft a sensory forest using embroidery hoops and materials you can find around the house.
• Colour in an Australian animal with these free sheets from the Wilderness Society. There’s a numbat, koala, wombat, black cockatoo or greater glider to choose from.
• Make a flying Australian bird with some card and a couple of straws. Leonie at Lotta Magazine has created 4 templates that can be used to make over 12 different birds.

• Paint polar bears using watercolour ice cubes made with food colouring. This is a fun, toddler-friendly craft from the Sea Museum.
• Make a jumping kangaroo out of paper cups and elastic bands using a template at Lotta Magazine. Watch this video to see the kangaroo jump!