Pine Cone Creatures
pine cones
acorn caps
other natural materials (acorns, leaves, moss, twigs, bark)
pom poms
glue
shoe box
construction paper
art supplies
• supports fine-motor development
• encourages creative play
With your child, collect pinecones (or you can purchase them at a nursery), along with leaves, twigs, and other “natural” materials.  To make a pine cone creature, your child can glue a pom pom to one end of the pine cone, make wings out of leaves or arms out of twigs, eyes out of acorn caps or construction paper, a nose out of a leaf or construction paper, and so on.  Glue acorn caps to the bottom of the creature to make feet (and to keep the creature more stable). Decorate the inside of a shoebox with paint or construction paper and leaves, twigs, and other natural items to create a habitat for the creatures. Ask your child to name his pine cone creatures. The two of you can make up stories and adventures for this new species!
Learning benefits:
