Fairies and elves: Every child's favorite fantasy

I was reading one of my favorite nature activity books and I found a terrific activity for a nice Fall day.  This idea is borrowed from the book Nature's Playground by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield.  Here's an excerpt and their paraphrased instructions for making whimsical fairy or elf houses.  I added fairy houses to the idea because my daughter is particularly fond of fairies.

"Building elf houses from whatever materials can be found is a great outlet for lively imaginations in almost every environment.....Girls and boys of all ages love to create their own little worlds, playing with such deep intensity that nothing can break into the vivid, magical places they imagine."


Making Elf and Fairy Houses
They can be made anywhere, provided there are natural materials to use.  The materials can be fallen leaves, fruit, bark, seeds, nuts, sticks, moss, stones or anything your children find interesting.

• Find an appropriate spot to build the houses such as between the roots of a tree, beside a log, among a pile a stones or beside a boulder.  Allow your child to chooses their own spot.
• As children search and play they will become familiar with the natural materials and develop an awareness of the never-ending process of growth and decay as they find rotting leaves or chewed nuts.
• Allow them plenty of time to create whatever they want.
• Choose somewhere they can return to easily.  Their play can be ongoing over time and they may create an entire village.
• Try visiting different environments where they can collect their materials.
• Make sure everyone washes their hands when finished!!
  

I introduced this activity to my children and my five-year old daughter was enthralled.  She was so involved that she forgot to ask me to play tag or hide n' seek, which is a daily favorite. I was happy for the change of pace.:)  My two-year-old son enjoyed copying my daughter and made little piles with his collected materials and he beamed with pride.  We were outside until dusk and I had to drag them inside!

I look forward to watching our little elf village grow over the next several weeks and then be buried under the first snowfall.  It will be especially exciting to rediscover it next spring when it magically appears again once the snow melts.

We ended the afternoon with a fun romp in the giant leaf pile we created last weekend when all of our oak trees lost their leaves  The perfect end to a nice time outdoors.

 Warning:  Do not let your children collect fungi or berries that could be poisonous.  If there is any question in your mind a "no touch" policy is best.