This summer one of the plans we have for a crafty craft for the kids is going

to happen on a campingweekend. We will take along some crackers and peanutbutter

and plaster of parisand a large, flat metal tray (deep dish pizza pan or a cookie sheet

with a lipworksgreat). You fill the metal tray with some claylike mud that is not too

runny but will hold an impression. Then set some crackers with peanutbutter in the

center of the tray. Set this out before dark one night (not tooclose to your tent!) and

check it very early in the morning. During the night it will have been visited by animals.

They will have had to step into the mud to get to the crackers and peanutbutter.

They will leave nice footprints behind in the mud. Carefully fill the foot prints with plaster.

.I use the quick dry kind... then leave it to set in the sun where it will not be

disturbed. Later you can look up the animal tracks in a fieldguide and discover who

came to visit your late night snack tray! It's a great way to show the kids things

about the world around them and talk about the other children of the goddess..

who those animals are usually akin to,which god or goddess they are associated

with, relate myths or stories or poems relating to those animals. Another can be done

at home or just about anywhere.. you can get photographic paper and put leaves

on it then place it in the sun.This will take a "photo" of the leaves. It's very neat.

Also, we collect leaves and ferns and spray paint them against paper. You lift the

leaves,etc off the paper when you have finished spraying and you have silouettes.

 This is a great way to learn about what leaves belong to what plant. This is a great

way to learn the different herbs in your garden! They also make really nice

greeting cards if done on construction paper and folded in half. Along those same lines..

we get sculpey clay or other hardeningclay and chalk and a can of spray on waterproof

varnish. We roll out theclay and cut it into shapes.. usually squares, ovals, circles, triangles.

Then we collect wildflowers and press them into the clay carefully. We lift them

out then bake the clay. We take the hardened tiles and rub them with coloured chalk

then brush the dust off. Then we spray them with the varnish. These make beautiful decorations, necklaces, ornaments,etc and great gifts!Again.. a great way to learn about nature and the world around you. Anotheridea is that you could use the plaster animal tracks to make

impressions in the clay before baking it!

I got this in an emailing list it was from Wolf MistWeaver, thank you for shareing this with us. :)