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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Leaf animals

Look at leaves in a different way and use them to make an animal collage.

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You’ll need

  • A4 card
  • Natural materials (for example, leaves, twigs, feathers)
  • PVA glue
  • Paint brushes

To watch in full screen, double click the video

 

Before you begin

  • Collect a variety of leaves and seed cases (for example, sycamore seeds). It’s up to you whether you collect them during walks or wide games in the local area, or whether people bring some in from home.
  • Press the leaves lightly between sheets of newspaper and weigh them down with books. The leaves will be easier to use if they’re flat and dry.

Leaf study

  1. Everyone should look at the collection of leaves, paying attention to all the different shapes and sizes. Everyone should try to imagine some animals they could create from the leaf shapes.
  1. Everyone should take a few leaves from the pile to create their animal. 
  2. Everyone should arrange their leaves on a piece of card to make the animal. Once they’re happy with their design, they should glue the leaves down. 
  3. Everyone should add any special features with paint or a pen. Does their animal need eyes to see? What about a place to live or sleep? 
  4. Once everyone’s happy with their leaf animal, everyone should take the chance to admire each other’s creations.

Make like a tree and leaf...

Here are some examples of leaf animals to get you going.

Reflection

This activity needed everyone to keep going. Did everyone’s pictures turn out exactly how they planned? Did anyone have to change what they were creating as they went along? Was it obvious which animal the leaves could become, or did people have to play around with them? It’s OK if people change their minds when things don’t work out – the important thing is that they keep on trying.

This activity was also a chance to try new things. People had to use their imagination to figure out how some leaves could turn into animals. Did everyone enjoy looking at the pictures? Could people guess what animals they were?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Gardening and nature

Everyone must wash their hands after the activity has finished. Wear gloves if needed. Explain how to safely use equipment and set clear boundaries so everyone knows what’s allowed.

Glue and solvents

Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.

  • You could draw some templates for people to finish with leaves – for example, draw a lion’s face so people can stick leaves around it to make the mane.
  • Why not use leaves to create a whole scene? You could add grass, trees, a jungle, or more animals to the scene. You could also use leaves to create a border or frame.

Make it accessible

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.