To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
- William Blake
Are you looking for a fun, creative and sensory filled activity for kids to celebrate Earth Day? Then look no further. A nature mandala is a wonderful, group activity which brings the outdoors in.
Supplies for a Nature Mandala
vinyl table cloth or other large drop cloth
measuring tape
straight edge or ruler
black felt marker
found items from nature
How to make a Nature Mandala
Lay the vinyl table cloth white side up, mark the centre, from there create a geometric pattern for the mandala ( I went with an easy star burst).
Go for a nature walk and collect lots of interesting items: pinecones, moss, sticks, bark, sand, leaves, rocks, berries, grass, etc.
Create the mandala by placing the various items onto the geometric pattern. For a group give each child one item and have them take turns deciding on its placement.
Be aware that this activity does involve bringing the outdoors in. Come prepared with a broom and dustpan for easy clean-up or better yet make the mandala outside.
Inspired by Shanti Generation’s Earth Yoga: Inspirations for Celebrating Earth Day with Kids and Teens
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I love this idea! I am participating in an outdoor “Youth Peace Summit” this weekend in PA and we are creating a mandala out of colored rice on Friday evening to start the event- (my friend from India showed me how to do this.) I would love to provide this as an alternate activity for the kids. Thank you so much for re-posting!