DIY: Make Your Own Nature Loom

By Melanie Gasmen-Fleck. Images by Anna Killian. 

Looking for an easy DIY that explores nature’s beauty? This simple activity from issue 16, featuring Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, helps kids wind down, feel more mindful, and express their creativity. Another plus: You can make this nature loom using materials you’d find in the backyard.

SUPPLIES

yarn or twine

ruler

4 sturdy sticks (about 8 inches each)

scissors

items from nature (such as leaves and flowers)

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1

Cut four 16-inch lengths of yarn. Make a square with the sticks by overlapping them at the corners. In each of the four corners, use a piece of yarn to tie a knot around the spot where the sticks meet. Wrap the yarn around one of the corners in an X pattern until it’s stable. Then do the same thing to the other three corners. Knot and trim the yarn at each corner.

Step 2

Carefully tie yarn to the bottom of the stick frame. Wrap the yarn up and around the top of the frame, then back down again. Wrap the yarn up and down five or six more times, spacing the yarn evenly across the frame. Make sure to pull the yarn tight! When the square is full, cut the yarn and tie the end securely to the top of the frame.

Step 3

Time to start weaving! Gather flowers, leaves, or feathers from outside. Begin weaving one item at a time into the loom in an over-under pattern until it is held securely in the yarn. Keep adding more beautiful nature finds until the loom is full. Showcase your natural work of art outside or in a window!