These botanical sun catchers are a great way to add a bit of colorful cheer to your home or classroom! Students can compare and contrast different types of flowers and leaves, plus they can work on developing important fine-motor skills. If you do not have access to fresh flowers, a bouquet that is towards the end of its life will work nicely for this activity. These botanical sun catchers would be lovely handmade gifts for family and friends!
Creating the Sun Catchers
To make these botanical sun catchers, you will need:
- Clear Self-Adhesive Shelf Liner
- Flower Petals — the more variety, the better!
- Leaves
- Paper Plates
- Scissors
- Hole Punch
- Pipe Cleaners or Yarn (for hanging – you will definitely want to hang these up!)
Before You Begin:
Cut out the center of a paper plate and attach the clear shelf liner to the back with the sticky side facing the front of the plate.
Getting Started:
Invite students to arrange bits of flower petals and leaves onto the shelf liner. This would be a great time to explore patterns, compare and contrast different types of flowers, and work on developing fine-motor skills!
Finishing Touches:
Once the students have arranged the flower petals and leaves, cover their designs with another layer of clear shelf liner (cut to fit inside the paper plate). Use a hole punch to make two holes near the top of the plate, and attach some yarn or a pipe cleaner for hanging.
Display the botanical sun catchers proudly in sunny window of your classroom or home! When the sun shines through, these sun catchers are sure to add a bit of colorful cheer to any space!
More Nature Learning Activities to Explore:
- Pond Life Activities for Kids
- Planting With Kids (free “parts of a plant” printable)
- 5 Tips for Exploring Nature with Kids
- Tree Nature Study
- Nature Activity – Leaf Detectives!
- Paper Christmas Tree: Christmas Craft for Kids - November 15, 2019
- Turkey Hat Craft - November 5, 2019
- Pretend Play Pumpkin Pie Craft - November 1, 2019
Such a cute idea! Love it! 🙂 Lisa