Spring is just around the corner here in Europe and it’s a welcome break from the cold winter months for most of the continent. The warmer weather and longer days always inspire us to get outside, embrace nature and get creating. We from the Lenguaventura summer camp in Tarifa propose these five creative outdoor activities to do in nature to really embrace Spring.
Make a cyanotype
Did you know cyanotypes are one of the oldest forms of photography, discovered in 1842? They are created with the use of two chemicals (which you can buy at any good art shop or online) and developed using sunlight. What a cool way to engage with nature, by letting nature do the creating for you! Try the process at home with an easy Sunprint Kit. Place some interesting natural objects, such as leaves, flowers or feathers onto the paper on a sunny day and let the photograph develop before your eyes. It’s great fun and they make beautiful unique artworks to keep for years to come.
Flower pressing
During the spring and summer months, there is an abundance of beautiful flora and fauna around so take the chance to preserve some nature by flower pressing. You can buy specialist pressing kits but a heavy book will work just as well too. Simply choose the flowers or leaves you’d like to press and then place them between two sheets of parchment in between the pages of a heavy book. Leave the flowers to press for 3-4 weeks, checking them every few days. The process of pressing flowers slightly dulls their colour so we recommend picking them in their prime for the best results. Give it a try!
Sketch a tree
Something we have found so comforting during this very challenging year is that nature is always nature. No matter what is going on in the world, a tree is still a tree, the birds are still tweeting and flowers will still grow. It reminds us that there is joy to come and the world will still continue despite the sad times. Taking some time to sit and sketch a tree in your garden or local park is a great way to connect with nature, gain a new perspective, stay present and humble yourself – all while being creative! Over on our other blog we have written some great tips to help you stay present and be positive so check out our blog there too!
Make a sand sculpture
If you’re lucky enough to be located near to a beach, then take some time to be creative and make a sand sculpture. Try and challenge yourself to build something more complex than the traditional sandcastle and see what you can create!
Take a photography walk
The best way to really take in the nature around you is to look closely when walking and capture the things you see with your phone or camera. Discover insects on plants, birds nesting and flower buds emerging. You could even start a nature diary on your daily walks and see how things have grown around you.
