Check out this beautiful leaf identification activity for kids! These leaf tiles are the perfect addition to any nature table and offer a realistic visual of the different types of leaves. These are so easy to make and look beautiful when complete!
We have piles of collected leaves and I’m always trying to think of fun ways to play, learn, and craft with them. This activity checks all three boxes! These tiles are so fun to make, children love rearranging on our nature shelf, and they help children learn the names of different types of leaves.
Ready to give it a try!? Here’s what you’ll need..
Supplies:
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Related: Check out Leafy Monster Rocks
Here’s How I Made these Leaf Identification Tiles:
Step 1:
Place your clay on parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin. You don’t want it too thin or it will crack and brake as it dries.
Step 2:
Cut out your clay shapes. I traced random objects on the piece of clay and then sliced the tile shapes with an exacto knife.
Size up your leaves to make sure they will fit on your clay tiles before you start cutting!
Step 3:
Put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the clay tile, gently press the leaf into the tile, and cover the entire surface with Mod Podge. You don’t want the leaf to be sticking up too much or it will peal away as it dries.
Step 3:
Let the tiles dry for 2-3 days. I suggest putting these away during the drying period, so curious little fingers don’t get to them. I’ve made this mistake with previous clay activities and it didn’t end well for the crafts!
Step 4:
Now that your tiles are dry, you can label your leaves. I used my plant identifier app called “Picture This” for the leaves that I was unsure of.
The kids loved touching the leaves on the tiles and learning the leaf names. This is a great sensory activity for tactile learners!
We discussed the fact that these tiles are a bit fragile, so we had to use gentle hands when touching them. If your children are too young to handle them, you can let them touch the leaves and set them on a nature shelf when finished with them. If you prop them up on the shelf, they make a beautiful decoration. Just an FYI, the colors will fade a bit as the days go on, but they look just as beautiful!
They also look great unlabeled. You can make tiles of different shapes and sizes to make them unique and special for your family or classroom!
Pin it and save it for later!
I hope you give this simple nature activity a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.
∼Tara
