Early Years Outdoor Art Inspired by Nature
Toddlers Outdoor Art: Mark Making with Found Tools is a hands-on, outdoor art resource created especially for children aged 18 months to 3 years. This pack transforms everyday natural objects like sticks, feathers, pinecones, shells, leaves, and grass into exciting mark-making tools, helping toddlers explore art through movement, texture, and sensory discovery.
Built around the Muddy Puddle Teacher approach, this resource focuses on process over product. There are no pictures to copy and no pressure to create something recognisable. Instead, toddlers experiment with how different natural tools make different marks in mud, sand, water, and on outdoor surfaces.
Everything happens outdoors, making the most of space, fresh air, and sustainable materials that are free, reusable, and rooted in nature.
What’s Included
A collection of outdoor toddler art activities using found natural tools
Mark-making experiences designed for toddlers and early years children
Ideas for creating marks in mud, sand, chalk, and water
Opportunities for big movements, sensory exploration, and repeated practice
Adult guidance to support child-led, pressure-free art outdoors
Why This Works for Toddler Outdoor Art
Supports early mark-making through whole-arm and shoulder movement
Encourages sensory confidence and exploration of texture
Helps toddlers understand cause and effect through natural materials
Uses sustainable, low-cost resources already found outdoors
Inclusive, SEN-friendly, and adaptable for different abilities
Learning Through Early Years Outdoor Art
These activities support:
Gross and fine motor development
Sensory awareness and tactile exploration
Early creativity and self-expression
Hand–eye coordination
Focus, repetition, and emotional regulation
Perfect For
Toddler outdoor art provision
Early years outdoor learning environments
Nurseries, preschools, and childminders
Forest school and nature-based settings
Practitioners looking for sustainable early years outdoor art ideas
Toddlers Outdoor Art: Mark Making with Found Tools helps young children discover that art can be made with the world around them — building confidence, coordination, and creativity through natural, joyful outdoor exploration.
