Leaf Animals

What You Need:

• Leaves
• Paper
• Glue
• Markers

What You Do:

1. Get outside and collect some leaves.
2. Help your child take stock of the leaves you gathered. What shapes do you have? Some of them may be shaped like wings, fins, scales or antlers. What textures are there? You may have shiny leaves or even fuzzy leaves that suggest shell or furry ears. Also look for variations in color. Some holly’s are redder than others and some herbs are almost silver. 
3. Now that your child has seen what she has to work with, encourage her to shuffle the leaves around on a piece of paper, laying them out in one way and then another. Can she create the shape of a penguin? A rabbit? A fish? A turtle? Remind her that she can use the leaves to create both limbs and the central body. When she has a shape she likes, it's time to get to work.
4. If the leaves form the center of the drawing, as with the turtle, have her glue them into place. 
5. Once the glue has set, pick a contrasting or coordinating marker and finish your drawing. 
6. If the leaves form the outside of the drawing, as they do in the fish, choose a marker and draw the body of the animal first.
7. Then have her glue on the leaves and let the glue set.

Experiment with different leaves and different combinations. Which is easier to make? A collage with just a few leaves or a collage that is almost all leaves? Display your child’s gallery of leafy creatures to show off her creativity.