What can I do with pinecones?
Now that there is more time to spend in the forest with my kids, there is more time to craft with the amazing materials Mother Earth has given us and my children have collected. You might find yourself asking, “What can I do with all of these pinecones?”
Bookmark this page so you can remember what to do with all those pinecones your children collect over the next few weeks. Alos, remember to slow bake your pinecones before bringing them into your home. Otherwise, just keep them outside for your outdoor crafting needs.
Easy, cheap and fun to use!
At this time my family is social distancing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without a doubt, you and your family are choosing to social distance from friends and family and are likely looking for easy, cheap and fun activities. Here you will find several activities to keep in your back pocket when the time comes for you to take action with these jumbo tree seeds.
Why natural materials should be incorporated in play
When your kids come to use asking, “What can I do with these pinecones?” you are going to know exactly what to say. Natural objects are excellent tools for children to work with and so find pinecones and collecting them can give them a rich play experiences and benefit their senses.
DIY your pinecone-loving heart out!
There are many things you can do with pinecones. First, you can paint pinecones to look like flowers. Zinnias and sunflowers would look very cute!
Second, you could make a bird feeder for your backyard visitors by spreading nut butters and birdseed inside the crevices of the pinecone. The birds will thank you.
Third, you could create characters by adding recycled bits of felt, fabric, and crafting materials. The character can be used for free play, as a finger puppet in a play, or as a game piece.
Pinecones can also be used in creating bee hotels and bee gardens. For more on this, read here.
Clean your pinecones if you bring them indoors.
When I was in third grade, my mom’s friend gave me a big grocery store bag filled with jumbo pinecones. My crafting heart was ecstatic! After a couple of days of sitting in my bedroom, bugs decided to hatch and then infest my room. We ended up needing to call the exterminator and had to leave the house for a few days. Now I know how important it is to make sure ALL BUGS and EGGS are removed from natural items prior to coming into my home. If you’re wondering how to go about killing the bugs, I recommend this post from wikiHow. Promise me you will clean the pinecones FIRST!
Are you interested in taking your children outside? Join the Outdoor Classroom Teacher Community to share ideas or follow along on Facebook at The Cactus Class for more activities perfect for indoors or outdoors.