Materials: A fallen branch (dried, not green) from a hardwood tree (maple, ash, oak, hickory, elm) Acrylic paints, String or shoe laces, Beads, Bells, Feathers, Pinecones, or anything else desired. When looking for the stick, find one that is comfortable for the child to grip. It should be a little higher than their waist, standing from the ground, up. Peel away the bark. If it is still rough, smooth it with some sandpaper. Let the child paint bold colors and designs all over the stick. Use string or laces to attach the ornaments to the top of the stick. Let the child make up their own story of walking through nature and what they see along the way.
i did something just like this a few weeks ago, just less kid oriented haha. i found some perfectly dried pine in montana. i sanded it down real well with a rock and got all the limbs off and sanded the nubs down. i had some twine with me so i made a handle. when i got home i used a woodburner and burned some sweet designs into it. so anyone can enjoy this . i could imagine kids having a lot of fun with your idea though