Try Out Branch Weaving

What You Do:

1. First, take your child on a hike to collect the materials. It's important to find the right tree branch to make the base. The branch should be sturdy and have two or three branches that stick out in a "Y" shape. Try to find branches that have already fallen off the tree.
2. While you're out looking for the tree branch, encourage your child to also pick up any interesting nature items she sees such as long grasses, weeds, leaves, or corn husks. She can weave these into her branch as decoration.
3. When you've gathered all your materials, head home and start your weaving! Tie a piece of yarn around one of the branches, then encourage your child to start looping it around the branches. She can loop the yarn in a straight line, so that it wraps evenly around the branches, or she can wrap it randomly, like a spiderweb. This will make the yarn base.
4. When the base is done, she can weave other yarn, wool, grasses, fabric strips or any other interesting items into the yarn base. Just have her take her item and push it into the yarn base, by placing it over one yarn string, then under, then over, then under, until it is firmly in place. Encourage her to use her imagination in picking how to decorate and where to put each piece.
5. When she's all done, find a place to display it! This is a unique piece of artwork that deserves its own special spot!

This activity can be altered to make a perfect Halloween decoration. Simply use white yarn in the weaving, and when she's done, encourage her to glue on fake spiders and bugs. It's a perfect, easy, and cheap Halloween decoration that will give your home a spooky touch of originality.