This activity will inspire observation and appreciation of nature while also making a beautiful craft. Start by encouraging kids to observe the plants around them. What shapes of leaves are there? Are they all the same colour/shade? Do you see any interesting and beautiful flowers? Invite kids to collect a variety of leaves and flowers that catch their eye.  For this project, more delicate and flat natural objects work great and big, thick flowers like roses and leaves with too much water in them, such as succulents, are hard to press. Then, get a couple of heavy thick books.  When choosing books it’s important to make sure the pages are uncoated so that they can absorb and allow the natural objects to dry. Place the leaves and flowers in the middle pages, front part facing down and as flat as possible. Make sure they’re well spaced out and not touching each other. Ask kids to carefully close the book and place another book or other heavy items on top to help the natural objects flatten and dry between the pages. 

After about two weeks, open the book and make sure the plant parts completely dried out before moving on to the next steps (it’s worth allowing more days if you’re not sure they’re ready). It’s a good idea for kids to write messages on the card while waiting for the natural objects to dry out.  When ready, gently separate the flowers and leaves from the paper by carefully pulling them off the paper. Now it’s time to get creative! Kids can use construction paper to make a card. Pour Elmer’s glue in a bowl and use a paintbrush to paint glue to the paper before sticking the pressed natural objects on the paper. Kids can experiment with a variety of leaves and flowers to see which work best. You can also place the leaves and flowers between photocopy paper to let the leaves and flowers dry between them (this will also prevent your books from getting slightly stained).  Consider making bookmarks, framable art or any other decorative projects their imagination allows! You can do this activity indoors by picking leaves from a house plant. One pretty leaf or flower is enough to make your craft naturally beautiful!