Pine Needle Hedgehog Craft

This Pine Needle Hedgehog Craft is a simple, fun way to use those good old pine needles!

It’s super easy to set up this craft. You’ll need just a few materials to get started. We’re using our Best Play-dough Recipe using Natural Food Dye in this craft, which is the simplest, softest, truly non-toxic play-dough for little hands. Be sure to check it out! You’ll need pine needles to make this hedgehog all prickly, so have fun outside collecting a bunch and enjoy the cooling weather!

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Materials:

Play-dough, beige (try our homemade play-dough recipe using natural food dye!)
Pine needles
Toy pizza cutter
Toy rolling pin
Peppercorn
Small black pom-pom

Instructions:

Take a large chunk of play-dough and roll it out on the table to create an even layer.
Using the toy pizza cutter, carefully cut away extra play-dough to make a hedgehog body. You can help your little ones with this step.

Add the peppercorn for the eye, pressing it in slightly.
Add the small pom-pom for the nose, pressing it in slightly.

Now, layer the pine needles starting at the top of the hedgehog and working your way down. Press the pine needles into the play-dough so they stay securely in place.

more fun nature-inspired fall activities

Go on an Autumn hunt for nature’s treasures and arrange your findings onto a tray, add some play-dough and get creative!

This Autumn Leaf Embossing Activity is an easy, nature-inspired activity for kids of all ages!

What is my child learning and improving?

Fine motor skills (rolling out the play-dough, picking up the peppercorn and pom-pom, picking up and layering the pine needles)
Sensories (playing with the play-dough, feeling the prickly pine needles and round peppercorn/pom-pom)
Creativity
Hand-eye coordination