Spring Nature Table Ideas

A spring nature table is a space in the home used for placing natural items that reflect the season. It is meant to be explored and used as a nature study aid in the home. Nature tables are perfect for sensory development and imaginative play and are often used in Montessori and Waldorf education.

There are many wonderful ways to design a nature table. The space you have, your purpose, your interests, the resources you have available, the age(s) of your children, and your mood will all influence the nature table you create.

Related: Summer Nature Table Ideas

Spring Nature Table Purpose

When you have a spring nature table, your children will be excited to get outside exploring nature and learning about everything under the sun.

There is so much more going on than the simple collecting and admiring of these objects. Ask your children simple questions about what they find to help them begin to discover the natural wonders and magic in the world around them. This is how learning takes place.

It’s very exciting for my daughter to find things to take home to explore in more depth. The sparkle I see in her eyes when she declares that she is going to bring something home for the nature table makes it all worthwhile.

Studying nature and the seasons is not the only use for nature tables. Playing with nature tables provides a rich sensory experience for the developing child.

A nature table can also be used as an invitation to play.

Spring Nature Table Directions

Making a spring nature table is fun and easy. You can be as minimal or extravagant as you please. The basic idea is to place items on it found in nature and items that reflect the season of spring.

Make it something your family likes to look at and your children love to explore. Some optional ideas include:

Get outside on a nature hunt to collect things to bring home to explore in more depth.
Create spring arts and crafts to place on it. Ideas include wooden egg crafts, felt flowers, flower art, a rainstick, bunnies, and spring chick crafts.
Dig your spring box out of storage and find things to display that you love.
Place natural sentimental objects like crystals and your favorite nature finds like heart rocks that are okay for your children to touch.
Make an Easter Tree or a butterfly tree to place on your spring nature table.
Put a Himalayan salt lamp on your spring nature table.

Make is something meaningful for you and your family and you can’t go wrong.

Items on Our Spring Nature Table

In Waldorf education, playsilks are often draped upon a nature table and used to create nature scenes similar to the one pictured above. We used play silks in emerald, lime & turquoise to reflect the green grasses and ponds typical of the spring season.
My daughter loves ducks so we made a little duck pond with these cute little duck candles, sea glass, and a turquoise playsilk.
DIY Wooden Easter Eggs and Spring Chicks. These represent the life cycle and new beginnings found at this time of year.
A spring nature sensory bin with blooming herbs to smell, small pine cones, sticks, feathers and rocks my daughter collected. You can use any natural materials found in your area at this time of year. Nature sensory baskets should be kept on or near the nature table. If you use a large bin that you don’t want to look at, it can be slid under the table so your child can easily access it.
Spring board book by Gerda Muller. Muller has a book for all seasons and we always have one of her books on our nature table. For more spring book ideas have a look at this magical collection of Spring Books for Kids.
A mother bluebird of happiness and a baby bluebird of happiness. The spring is mating season for many birds so these represent new beginnings, happiness in our home, and our mother-daughter bond. (Please don’t include small or breakable objects if your children are not ready to handle them.)
A branch from the oak tree in our backyard to make a log by the pond. My husband used a saw to cut a piece from a fallen branch and then split it in half.
Live house plants.
A small vase with fresh flowers from our organic flower garden.
An Easter Tree or a Butterfly Tree.
A birdhouse that my father in law painted and gave to my husband and I, with money in it, on our wedding day. It would also be fun to make toilet roll birdhouse ornaments if you will be including a spring tree on your nature table.

Related: DIY Nature Memory Game

Make Your Own Spring Nature Table

You can see how we used natural, found, and sentimental items that have meaning for our family, on our spring nature table.

Enjoy creating a spring nature table with your children. Make your spring nature table exactly as you like. You can be as minimal or as outlandish as you please.

There are no limits other than the limits of your own imagination.

Get out on a nature hunt looking for the signs of spring and natural magical items for your nature table today.

Head over to have a look at our spring bucket list seasonal guide for more fun spring activities.

Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!