Wild and Free Handcrafts: 32 Activities to Build Confidence, Creativity, and Skill

by Ainsley Arment

The companion to The Call of the Wild +  styled in the lush aesthetic of the Wild + Free brand, a four-color book offering crafts, activities, and essays, that parents, educators, and caregivers can use to inspire their children.Wild + Free Handcrafts is a beautiful, four-color resource book for parents, educators, and caregivers to enjoy doing hands-on activities with kids. A handcraft engages one’s hands, requires a level of learned skill, encourages children to do their best work, and produces an end product that is useful. It has been used in homeschool settings for decades as one way to encourage them to work with their hands and discover a skillful craft they love to practice. It also is a great way for traditionally educated kids who are home for the summer, or in afterschool programs, or with their families on the weekends, to do fun activities that will stimulate their imaginations and creativity.

This book will feature crafts such

Felted acorns

Paper beads

Nature wreaths

Cocoa mint lip balm

Woven willow hearts

Finger knit bracelets

Eco-dyed kitchen towels

Fairy tale treehouse

Flower crowns

Bug hotel

 

With the same lush photography as The Call of the Wild + Free, this book includes step-by-step pictures that show parents how to do the craft, and essays on the usefulness and purpose of handcrafts as a tool to spark children’s curiosity and wonder.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Art, Crafts, Reference, Adult

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2020

About the author

Ainsley Arment is the founder of Wild + Free, co-founder of Wild Explorers Club and the Wild + Free Farm Village, and host of the weekly Wild + Free podcast. She and her husband Ben are raising their five children, Wyatt, Dylan, Cody, Annie, and Millie, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. | IG: @ainsl3y | bewildandfree.org

Reviews

[Kirsten Hinds · Rating 4 out of 5]

A handful of nature based crafts. They are simple in that they are made with natural elements but most are complex in that I would need to be involved with most steps for my children to complete. I liked the focus on natural ingredients and avoiding chemicals but some of the ingredients would be expensive and hard to get.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved reading the narrations about each craft and gathering ideas my children might enjoy. Most of them were very advanced or required special materials that aren't easily found/bought. I appreciated that many were useful instead of simply trash-bound decorations.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes handcrafts so approachable- many using nature finds. So inspiring to me! I’m bummed it needs to go back to the library...going on my wish list!

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are tons of fun, easy, nature-centered crafts in this book that even I, a grown-up, look forward to trying.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading about these crafts, hygge just seemed to seep from the pages.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent for a newbie.

[Courtney Clifton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly simple nature crafts with beautiful narrations and photographs. Lots of fun ideas to get kids creating in or with natural resources.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I in in love with home crafts and bonus if you need little from the craft store to make it happen. This one is one of the best and is organized into months of the year as to ease into what project works best for your season.