Sticky-tape is such a great craft resource for children — more so if we let them take it outside to use on projects that incorporate natural materials. This idea wasn’t mine, it came from our daughters while they were playing in a garden.

Aisha arranges the flowers, April 2012
Aisha arranges picked flowers as she decides what to do with them.

Then Aisha thinks to ask if they can use their sticky-tape outside. Of course! What a great idea!

Aisha and Brioni use tape outside, April 2012
The girls work together to cut pieces of sticky tape.

Aisha’s boat needs more construction oomph than sticky-tape, so the project is abandoned. Brioni, however, has her imagination ignited by the flowers and combines them with a soft toy.

Brioni tapes flowers to a teddy, April 2012
Brioni tapes flowers to her tiny teddy. "The petals all flap when she's flying," she explains.

Brioni holds a fairy teddy, April 2012
When Fairy Teddy is all taped up, she's ready to fly!

Whenever I buy sticky-tape, I always buy great quantities so I don’t feel like I need to moderate the girls’ use of it. This was a lesson I learned last year with matches, and letting go of little things like monitoring how much sticky-tape is being used is incredibly freeing!