Save Your Flowers – Wooden Botanical Flower Press
Autumn is one of the most fascinating seasons for children. With the Wooden Botanical Flower Press, they can collect and preserve colorful leaves and delicate flowers from outdoor walks, turning fleeting discoveries into lasting memories and meaningful classroom work.
Observing Nature in Autumn
- Leaves: Notice different sizes, shapes, and colors—smooth vs. jagged edges, round vs. narrow forms.
- Trees: Talk about which trees are losing leaves and which remain evergreen.
- Seasons: Use autumn changes to discuss the cycle of the four seasons and what comes next—winter.
- Animals: Observe how squirrels collect nuts, how birds prepare to migrate, and how other animals get ready for winter.
How to Use the Wooden Botanical Flower Press
- Collect fresh leaves, flowers, or small plants during a nature walk (parks, schoolyard, forest, backyard).
- Open the press and layer specimens between the cardboard sheets. Space them so they don’t overlap.
- Align the wooden plates and tighten the knobs evenly to press the plants flat.
- Leave for a few days (humidity-dependent) until the specimens are dry and flat.
Teacher tip: Choose thin, fresh specimens. If very moist, blot gently with paper before pressing. Check after 2–5 days.
What to Do with Pressed Leaves and Flowers
- Art projects: Glue onto thick paper to make collages, bookmarks, greeting cards, and seasonal decorations.
- Nature journal: Attach specimens in a notebook, label tree/plant names, add drawings or written observations.
- Seasonal calendar: Create a wall chart for Autumn; later compare with pressed flowers from spring or summer.
- Science studies: Sort by leaf shape, size, color, or tree type; discuss parts of a leaf and differences between species.
- Classroom display: Build a rotating nature table or bulletin board; make garlands or framed compositions.
- Gifts: Turn pressed botanicals into handmade cards or framed artwork for families and school events.
Montessori Connections
- Practical Life: Careful handling develops fine motor control, patience, and responsibility for materials.
- Science (Botany): Observation, classification, and vocabulary building around leaves, trees, and seasonal change.
- Culture: Conversations about autumn as one of the four seasons and how people and animals prepare for winter.
- Art: Natural, beautiful materials inspire design thinking and creativity.
