German Crafts for Kids

German crafts for kids to make in autumn from natural materials.

As I write this, we're in the middle of a German autumn. When I pick the kids up from school, horse chestnuts fall on our heads from massive trees. They're everywhere, and the kids are gathering armloads!

Try this German kids' craft - zany little creatures made from horse chestnuts.

Horse Chestnut Creatures

Two chestnut people and a bear.

Horse chestnuts (or Kastanien in German) are great for all sorts of craft projects. In Germany, the kids collect tons of them in autumn, to make the projects below.

You'll need:

Horse chestnuts and a few twigs, acorns, sycamore or maple seeds. Also gather the spiky seed cases from chestnuts and horse chestnuts, and acorn cups, if you can find them.

strong kitchen scissors or wire-cutters

Push-pins with plastic ends (such as the ones used for noticeboards).

toothpicks or wooden skewers

What to do:

Using a push-pin, poke holes in the horse chestnuts where you want to insert a toothpick to join two together.(Wiggle the pin around to make a large-enough hole.)

Cut up pieces of wooden skewer or toothpick and stick them into the holes to make zany animals and people.

Add sycamore or maple seeds, twigs, acorn cups, and spiky seed cases for the features.

Have a good look at these pictures for ideas.

Horse chestnut craft caterpillar

A crazy chestnut caterpillar, a hedgehog, a porcupine, and a fly.

Think of your own creatures and make them from horse chestnuts, acorns, gumnuts, or whatever seeds and nuts you have.

Or glue shells, driftwood and seaweed together to make zany creatures.

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