Nature crowns are a little bit of magic. Weaving branches, flowers, leaves, and tiny bits of green into a crown invites kids to connect with the land, build fine-motor skills, and jump straight into imaginative outdoor play. Best part? This version is made from 100% natural materials—play hard, then compost. Updated on August 19, 2025. This post was originally published in 2019 and now includes fresh photos, clearer steps, and harvesting tips. Why Make a Willow Nature Crown? Nature crowns come in all shapes and sizes, and my favorite thing is they’re made from 100% nature—no fake flowers, no wire, no plastic—just branches, leaves, and blooms. Willow is especially great: it’s wonderfully bendy so kids can shape it into a circle without any hardware, the fresh weave holds its form and makes little pockets for tucking in flowers and leaves, it sits comfortably once you trim any scratchy ends, and when the play is done you can snip out any non-natural bits (like a ribbon from a special day) and pop the whole crown into the compost—easy on the earth, easy on cleanup, and pure magic. If you’ve got willow near ponds or streams, it’s a quick gather, a quick … Continue reading How to Make a Willow Nature Crown with Your Child