This creative and messy activity can make for a very fun afternoon! Use mud and other natural objects to give a tree a face or make a tree creature. Let your creativity run wild!
What you will need:
- An outdoor space with trees
- Some fallen natural materials such as sticks, leaves, pinecones or ferns
- Soap and water
- A trowel or small spade (or more if in a bigger group)
- A bucket (or more if in a bigger group)
How to make your tree creature:
- Find a suitable tree to create your muddy masterpiece on!
- Have a think about your design. Are you going to create a face of someone you know or imagine one? Are you going to make an animal face instead? What sort of natural materials do you need to create it?
- Head off to gather the natural materials. Remember to try take things from the ground and avoid picking from living plants.
- It’s time for the mud! Using a trowel, dig a hole (between 5 to 20cm deep). Dig out the soil and fill the bucket. If the soil is dry, slowly add water until the mud is sticky and malleable. You can test the mud on a nearby tree – if the mud sticks, it’s good to go!
- Now that your mud is ready, start by taking the mud (a good few handfuls should do) and sticking it to the bark of the tree and mould it into the shape you want. Press down the edges of the mud, so that it holds firmly onto the tree.
- Using your collected natural materials, it’s time to decorate you face – sticks can become whiskers, pinecones can become eyes! Let your imagination run wild.
- Stand back and admire your tree creature! If you are in a group, you could add a little competition and do a vote for the favourite!
This activity was developed as part of the Let’s Notice Nature initiative of Earn Your Stripes, in partnership with Scottish Badgers.
Share a photo of your creatures using #DiscoverLearnPlay