Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Pinecone Craft Ideas: Free Printable Guide for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Pinecone Craft Ideas is a free printable guide for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). It shows five things to make from a pinecone: a snowy cone, an owl, a hanging decoration, a hedgehog and a glitter cone. Children choose one idea, pick their materials and follow simple steps. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet five simple makes, each built around one pinecone. They can dab white paint on the tips of a snowy cone, glue felt eyes and a beak onto an owl, tie string around the top of a hanging decoration, stick eyes and a nose onto a hedgehog, or brush on glue and sprinkle glitter. They choose one idea, decide which materials to use and follow the steps.
- Snowy cone: dab white paint on the tips.
- Pinecone owl: glue on felt eyes and a beak.
- Hanging decoration: tie string around the top.
- Pinecone hedgehog: stick on small eyes and a nose.
- Glitter cone: brush with glue and sprinkle glitter.
What you need to make them
Pinecones
Collect dry cones on a walk. Brush off loose dirt and let them dry before painting or gluing. Cones of different sizes give you different creatures.
Paint and glue
White paint suits the snowy cone. Child safe glue holds on eyes, beaks and glitter. An adult should help with the glue.
Felt and small eyes
Felt makes a good owl beak and eyes. Small stick on eyes and a nose suit the hedgehog. Keep them in a tray so they do not roll away.
String and glitter
String ties around the top of the hanging decoration. Glitter goes on last. An adult should help with it, and it is best done over a tray or a sheet of paper.
Why make things from pinecones?
Pinecones are easy to find in woods, parks and gardens, and they cost nothing. Their scaly shape gives children a lot to work with. The tips can be painted, the gaps between the scales can hold small pieces, and the whole cone can become a body for an animal. A single cone can turn into something quite different depending on the choices a child makes.
Craft work in Year 2 is about more than the finished model. Children decide what to make, choose materials that suit the job and follow steps in a sensible order. Afterwards they can say what worked and what they would change. That links to the making strand of Design and Technology in Key Stage 1, and it gives children a good reason to talk about their choices.
Glue and glitter are for a grown-up to help with. Glitter and small parts such as felt pieces and eyes should stay away from mouths and eyes. If anyone wants to use hot glue, an adult must do all of that part. Wash hands after handling cones and craft materials.
Pinecone facts for kids
- Pinecones grow on conifer trees, such as pine, fir and spruce.
- A pinecone is where a conifer tree keeps its seeds.
- A pinecone is made of many overlapping scales.
- Many pinecones close up when it is wet and open out when it is dry.
- Pinecones fall from the tree, so you can often find them on the ground.
Skills and curriculum link
- Choosing materials
- Following steps
- Planning a make
- Fine motor control
- Talking about choices
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Design and Technology | Make | Year 2 |
What children will be able to do
- I can choose materials for my craft.
- I can follow simple steps.
- I can say what I would change next time.
Ideas for helping children make
- Plan before you startLay out the materials first. Ask your child which idea they want to try and what they will need. Planning is part of making.
- One step at a timeDo one step, then pause. Paint needs time to dry before the next part is added. Waiting is a useful skill.
- Let them chooseOffer a small choice of materials, such as two colours of felt. Children make more careful decisions when the choice is real.
- Talk while you workAsk what they are doing and why. Saying a plan out loud helps children think it through.
Key words
- PineconeThe hard, scaly case that holds a conifer tree's seeds.
- MaterialWhat something is made from, such as felt, string or paint.
- FeltA soft, thick fabric that is often used for crafts.
- BeakThe hard pointed part of a bird's mouth.
- DecorationSomething that makes a place look bright or special.
- StepOne small part of a job. Steps are done in order.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for yourself.
- Look at the five makes together. Ask your child to choose one idea to try first.
- Gather the materials. Ask a grown-up to help with glue and glitter.
- Work through the make together the first time. Talk about each choice and follow the steps in order.
- Come back to it another day and try a different idea. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Choose the easiest make and do it together. The snowy cone is a good place to start, as it only needs white paint dabbed on the tips. Do one step at a time, and let your child finish each step before moving on.
To stretch confident children
Design a pinecone creature of your own. Decide what it is, which materials it needs and what steps to follow. Draw a quick plan first. Afterwards, say what you would change next time.
Make it a game
Hang the finished makes on a branch. Count them together and say how each one was made. Ask each child to tell the others which materials they chose and why.
Talk about it
- Which pinecone make would you like to try first, and why?
- Which materials did you choose, and why do they suit the job?
- What was the hardest step?
- What does your pinecone remind you of?
- What would you do differently next time?
- Where could we hang or display it?
Take it off the page
Pinecone hunt
Go for a walk and collect pinecones of different sizes. Sort them by size, then choose which make each one suits best.
Draw your creature
Draw a pinecone animal before you make it. Label the materials you plan to use.
Branch gallery
Find a fallen branch and use it to display finished makes. Give each make a name and tell a short story about it.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first make and let them lead. Help with the glue and glitter, and let them do the choosing and the steps. Praise effort and thinking, not only a tidy result.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, a homework task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and it links to the making strand of Design and Technology. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a nature walk to collect cones, and let the sheet become part of a wider crafts plan. It can be used again for brothers and sisters, or to try a different make a few weeks later.
Where making skills lead
Before this sheet, children in Key Stage 1 learn to handle simple tools and materials, such as glue, paint and paper. They begin to follow short instructions and to talk about what they want to make.
After it, children can plan their own makes with more detail. They can choose materials for a reason, follow longer sets of steps and judge how well their finished model works. The questions "What would you change?" and "Why did you choose that?" carry on into later years.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Why did you choose those materials?
- What was the hardest step?
- What would you do differently?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Pinecone Craft Ideas for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can try the easiest make with a grown-up, and older children can use the stretch idea to design their own pinecone creature.
- What will children practise?
They practise choosing materials and following simple craft steps. They also plan what to make, use their hands carefully and say what they would change next time. These are skills that link to making in Design and Technology.
- How do I use it?
Choose one idea and ask a grown-up to help with glue and glitter. Work through it together the first time and talk about each choice. Use page 2 for notes. Come back another day to try a different make.
- What if it feels too hard?
Choose the easiest make and do it together. The snowy cone, which only needs white paint on the tips, is a gentle start. Do one step at a time and let your child finish each step before the next.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No, you do not need colour. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. The colour comes from your own paint, felt and glitter.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Remember that an adult should help with glue and glitter.
- Can I use it for home education?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider crafts plan. It pairs well with a nature walk to find pinecones, and it is free to print again for brothers and sisters.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.