Make the most of nature’s most beautiful FREE craft supplies at home, in the classroom, or in summer camp with these real fresh flower crafts ideas for kids and adults.
Fresh flower crafts are fun for children from toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners to teens. Even adults will enjoy this list of gorgeous nature craft ideas. Like many natural items, real flowers make excellent FREE crafting material (unless you buy a fresh bouquet at the store). Look at all the creative ways to make nature arts and crafts with dried, pressed, and fresh flowers on the list of ideas below.
First published on March 29, 2017, this list of fresh flower craft ideas is regularly updated and republished to improve the content. You might enjoy these flower art projects, crafts, and painting ideas. It also shares several other flower arts and crafts you can try for fun as part of a flower-themed activity, party, festival, event, or botany lesson.
Creative Flower Crafts with Fresh, Pressed, and Dried Flowers
Crafting with flowers is one of my favorite spring and summer activities. Because my daughter enjoys picking flowers in our yard, on our daily nature walks, and grabbing fresh bouquets from the store or florist with her dad, I’ve had to find several creative ways to use them, so I created the list of flower craft ideas below.
I love to use flowers creatively to make crafts with my daughter, decorate our home, and make gifts for friends and loved ones. We also enjoy using some of the flowers my daughter picks in our homeschool botany lesson plans. Since she was in preschool, one of my daughter’s favorite flower activities is arranging them in decorative vases and placing them all over the house as DIY flower home decor.
However, several other simple ways to decorate or craft with fresh or pressed flowers are on this list of flower craft ideas below. Discover all the fun ways to craft with flowers with the collection of fresh, pressed, and dried flower nature craft ideas for kids, teens, and adults below! For more nature craft ideas, look at these nature arts and crafts.
Related: Rose Watercolor Resist Art Project
Best Real Flower Craft Ideas for Kids, Teens, and Adults:
Use the flowers from your yard or garden or fresh flowers from a florist to make the craft ideas below. Several of the ideas below make extending the life of your floral arrangements easy. Instead of tossing them in the compost or the trash, use the dried flowers (without any mold) to make the creative flower crafts below.
Unleash the beauty of nature right at your fingertips with the enchanting art of crafting using real fresh, dried, or pressed flowers. Working with botanicals allows artists of all ages to create stunning masterpieces that exude elegance and natural charm. Scroll down to see several easy fresh, pressed, and dried flower crafts you can try at home or in the classroom. You might also enjoy painting a rose with watercolors.
How to Craft with Flowers:
Making crafts with fresh flowers is a delightful nature activity for children and adults alike. The first step is selecting a variety of blooms, ranging from vibrant roses to dainty daisies, each contributing its unique color and texture. Gather them from your yard on nature walks, where it is okay to pick flowers. Believe it or not, picking wildflowers in many areas, such as state and national parks, is illegal.
Alternatively, you can pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers to craft with from your local florist or supermarket. Whether you’re making pressed flower cards, crowns, or other beautiful dried botanical crafts, the possibilities are as vast as nature. The ideas below include fresh, dried, and pressed flower crafts.
Do not Make Crafts with Moldy Flowers:
Please discard flowers with mold in the compost or trash bin. Moldy flowers are unsafe to craft with and less pretty than those without mold.
Drying flowers for Crafts:
There are three simple ways to dry flowers for crafting and other uses. Try one of the flower-drying methods below:
- Air-drying flowers: First, select fresh, unblemished blooms to dry flowers for crafts and remove any excess foliage. Next, tie the flower stems in small bunches and hang them upside down in a warm, dark, and well-ventilated area for about two to three weeks to dry them.
- This flower-drying technique will help preserve their color and shape while preventing mold.
- Dry flowers in silica gel: For quicker results and better shape retention, bury fresh flowers in an airtight container filled with silica gel. Next, allow them to sit for a few days.
- Once the flowers are dried, store them in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use them in your projects.
- Press and Dry Flowers: Allow flowers to dry while pressing them using one of the methods in the step-by-step instructions in the following sections:
Pressing Flowers for Crafts:
When making pressed flower crafts, start by placing your blooms in a large flower press, a plant, leaf, and flower press for microwaves, or put them between pieces of cardstock under a stack of heavy books.
Then, allow time for the fresh flowers to dry and flatten, just as you would press and preserve leaves. Pressed flowers can take several days to a few weeks to dry, depending on the type of flower and the environmental conditions in which they are dried.
Pressing and Gluing Flowers In a Nature Journal:
Another simple flower-pressing idea is to press and dry them within the pages of a nature journal or notebook. Then, glue the pressed flowers into the pages of your nature journal to create a homemade flower guide as part of a botany lesson with the instructions below. You can also use pressed flowers as simple decorations and embellishments within your journal or notebook pages to complement your thoughts and experiences in the great outdoors.
As you arrange the flowers in your journal, let your artistic vision guide you and experiment with different combinations to create eye-catching designs. Once the flowers are pressed and dried, glue them onto the pages of your nature journal with a foam brush and a coat of Mod Podge or another clear-drying glue to seal them in place. Or explore the delightful flower craft ideas on the list below!
Making Dried, Pressed, and Fresh Flower Crafts:
The fun flower nature crafts below are divided into categories to make navigating the different types of flower craft ideas we found easier. Click on the creator of each flower craft to see the complete tutorial with step-by-step instructions. You may also like these nature arts and crafts for kids and adults. It contains several nature crafts and activities that make crafting and creating beautiful arts and crafts with natural materials (including flowers) easy!
Best Flower Crown DIY Tutorials for Children and Adults:
Floral hairpieces made with dried or fresh blooms of flowers are perfect for spring and summer festivals and events. Try these flower crown craft ideas below for a wedding, May Day celebration, music festival, birthday party, photo shoot, the Summer Solstice, or any other special event.
Flower crowns are fun for children from toddlers to teens and adults to make and can be personalized to fit. Try the DIY ideas with fresh flowers on the list of step-by-step flower wreath headpiece tutorials below, or click the link to learn how to make a flower crown with felt and other faux flowers.
- How to Make a Flower Crown | Willowday
- Daisy Chain Crown Step-By-Step Instructions | Be A Fun Mom
- Flower Crown DIY | Pro Flowers (video tutorial below)
Flower Art Ideas:
There are several fun ways to create art using real, fresh flowers. You might also enjoy these flower art projects and painting ideas. Below are some of our favorite flower art projects for kids.
- Disney Princess Dress Up Fresh Flower Crafts | Mother Natured
- Rainbow Flowers 3-D Art | Hello, Wonderful
- Nature Weaving | Craftiments
- Flower Garden Windows | The Crafty Crow
- Sticky Garden Sensory Art | Fantastic Fun and Learning
- Nature Craft Collage | Kids Activities Blog
- Flower Printing At Project | Learning 4 Kids
- Nature Art and Sensory Play | Edventures with Kids
Crafting with Flowers: Flower Faces and Portraits:
Making faces and portraits with fresh flowers is another fun and easy flower craft for kids. Children love to make faces using real fresh flowers and other natural items as art materials. Check out the fun flower faces and nature portrait ideas below.
- Nature Craft Collage | Mother Nurtured
- Fun Nature Faces | Happy Hooligans
- Gorgeous Nature Portraits | Adventure in A Box
Pressed Flower Crafts and DIY Home Decor:
Use the pressed flower craft ideas below to make bookmarks, candle holders, mobiles, and pendants. Some of the flower nature crafts on this list would make excellent Mother’s Day gifts. (Look at these creative Mother’s Day crafts for more ideas.) Invite children to make your favorite flower craft idea today!
- Flower Petal Candle Holders | Adventure in a Box
- Pressed Flower Bookmarks | DIY Adulation
- Bookmark Craft For Kids Using Pressed Flowers and Leaves | Buggy and Buddy
- Pressed Flower Mobile | Twig and Toadstool
- Colorful Pressed Flower Clay Tile Pendants | Daily Art Inspiration
- Pressed Flowers in Clay | Art Camp
Flower Garland Crafts and DIY Home Decor:
Fresh flower garlands offer a creative way to use fresh flowers, but like other fresh flower crafts, the flowers will not stay fresh for long. However, they will become beautiful dried flower crafts. Make flower garlands with the DIY tutorial below:
- How to Make a Fresh Flower Garland Wall Hanging | The Kitchy Kitchen
- DIY Flower Garland & Hanging Flower Garlands | House Beautiful
Flower Mandalas:
Many flowers form natural mandalas, but all flowers can be used to make a mandala. A few more flower craft mandala ideas can be found in “flower suncatcher crafts” in the section below.
- How to Make a Nature Mandala | Rhythms of Play
- Nature Mandala | Nurturestore
- Flower Mandalas Nature Art | In the Playroom
- Nature Mandala Outdoor Art | Learning and Exploring Through Play
Flower Suncatcher Crafts:
Look at this list of fresh flower project ideas, which shares 10 of my favorite flower suncatcher crafts. Another fun suncatcher craft idea (that babies and toddlers love) is a sensory bag suncatcher made with real flowers. Find the directions for this flower craft over on HOAWG. The fresh flower craft projects listed below are featured in the photo collage.
- Nature Suncatcher Wind Chimes | Hands-On As We Grow
- Contact Paper Suncatcher in a Wood Frame | The Artful Parent
- Flower Petal Stained Glass Door| The Artful Parent
- Mandala Suncatchers | Twig and Toadstool
Related: Fun Arts and Craft Ideas for Kids and Teens
Crafty Flower Activities for Kids that Use Real Flowers:
Here’s a list of fresh flower activities you can try at home or in the classroom during spring and summer. You may also enjoy this list of sensory bottle DIYs made with natural materials, including fresh flowers.
- Nature Threading | Play Teach Repeat (formerly known as Munchkins and Moms)
- Butterfly Finger Puppet | While Wearing Heels
- Petal Potions for Kids | Mother Nurtured
Related: Fall Leaf Lacing Cards: Begining Sewing Activity
Flower Sensory Bottles:
Here are a few sensory play toys you can make for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and children with special needs to help them calm down and unwind. Sensory toys made with fresh flowers also make a lovely gift idea for mom, grandma, nana, or your child’s favorite teacher.
- Nature Sensory Bag Suncatcher | Hands-On As We Grow
- Find a list of flower sensory bottle craft ideas in Nature-Inspired Sensory Bottles.
Flower Craft Ideas That Use Natural Materials
Use natural items to create flowers for a fun twist on flower nature crafts! A few gorgeous examples are on the list below:
- Flower Stones Nature Craft | Rhythms of Play and The Craft Train
- Easy Shell Daisy | Rhythms of Play
- Shell Sunflower | Rhythms of Play
- Pinecone Rose Bouquet | Creative Green Living
- Homemade Pinecone Rose Card | Rhythms of Play (photo below)
Crafting with Flowers: Real Flower Craft Ideas for Kids & Adults
Take advantage of nature’s most beautiful FREE craft supply with these easy, natural flower nature crafts for kids. Crafting with flowers is an excellent way to raise anyone’s spirits. The flower craft ideas above make it easy to use all the beautiful flowers my daughter picks in our yard and garden throughout the spring and summer months.
Working with fresh flowers connects you to the natural world and cultivates mindfulness and appreciation for their fleeting beauty. Breathe in the sweet scent of blossoms, and let your creativity bloom with fresh flowers.
You may enjoy this Montessori Flower Arranging activity or pressing flowers into a nature journal or notebook. Making arts and crafts with flowers provides sensory stimulation and helps children and adults strengthen their fine motor skills. However, working with beautiful blooms of dried flowers is just as exhilarating.
Use the flower craft ideas above as part of a botany lesson plan for older kids or a flower-themed activity for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. You can also offer flower activities like those included here to aging adults to help them keep their hands strong into their later years.
We hope you enjoyed this fun collection of nature crafts and activities that make creating arts and crafts with flowers easy! Make sure to pop over to have a look at our spring bucket list or summer bucket list for even more fun nature crafts and activities for kids and adults.
More Flower Craft Ideas and Art Projects for Kids:
- Best Flower Art Projects for Kids
- Watercolor Rose Art
- Felt Flower Lei Necklace DIY
- Easy Felt Flower Craft
- Fingerprint Flower Magnets
- DIY Fingerprint Flower Necklace or Keychain Charm
Wonderful ideas! Easy to follow. Keep creating. Thank you!
Thanks for the vote of approval Allison, we will most definitely keep creating arts and crafts because we love it! I hope you found a fun flower project to try. Enjoy!