Tree activities are a great way to connect kids with the natural world while learning and developing fine motor skills. They offer a fun way to explore the outdoors while learning about the fascinating world of trees.
Tree Activities for kids
For young children, simple activities like collecting pine needles and pine cones can spark curiosity about different tree types and their environments. A fun activity to help promote fine motor skills could involve creating leaf shapes by tracing around various leaves found in the local park.
If you don’t want to trace your own leaves, check out this free leaf template and outline with tons of free leaf printables.
For older elementary kids, tree activities can be expanded into more structured lesson plans that incorporate science and art. For instance, a project could involve making leaf rubbings using a piece of paper and crayons to capture the unique textures of leaves and even tree trunks . This not only serves as an art project but also teaches them about the life cycle of trees and their role in absorbing carbon dioxide.
You can see below an example where you can even use faux leaves to trace and make leaf rubbings. Although this isn’t quite as fun as exploring the outdoors and finding your own, it’s a great alternative for rainy days.
Kids can create a visual representation of their family tree using construction paper, incorporating leaf shapes and pine cones to represent different family members and their traits.
You can see how using natural materials to make a physical family tree is a great learning opportunity for younger kids and older ones too.
One great activity is to take a nature walk where children can observe and identify different types of trees. They can learn about the parts of a tree, such as roots, a tree trunk, branches, and leaves, while enjoying the fresh air. Along the way, kids can collect small items like pine cones and acorns, which can later be used in creative art projects.
You can see where we previously shared about taking a nature walk to pick up acorns and use them for an alphabet learning activity.
Another simple activity that can be both educational and entertaining is examining tree rings. Kids can learn how to count the rings in a cross-section of a tree stump to determine its age, offering insights into the tree’s life history and the conditions it has experienced over the years. This can be tied into tree science activities that explain how trees grow and adapt to their environment, making it a great way to enhance their understanding of nature.
For younger children, creating little trees using craft supplies can be a fun way to reinforce their learning. They can use construction paper, markers, and even natural materials like leaves and twigs to create their own representations of trees.
Jamie shares a great Apple Tree craft that uses construction paper and glue.
You can see another project where we created our own fingerprint tree craft with just construction paper and paint!
Community tree activities
As Earth Day approaches, pay attention to your city and see if they offer free trees. This is a great way for families to participate in community tree planting events, reinforcing the importance of trees in our ecosystem.
Another great way to broaden your little ones mind with tree activities is with books! Reading stories that highlight the importance of trees or their role in the ecosystem can inspire kids to think critically about the natural world. Here are a few of our favorite tree books below:
- The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups– This is a beautiful, hard back book that features 33 different trees that grow in North America. Each profile includes a botanical watercolor illustration showing the tree as it appears in a particular season.
- Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids– This is the perfect book to go along with Arbor Day and teach kids a little bit about trees and the science behind them like Photosynthesis. It also talks about how to identify certain trees.
- Who Will Plant a Tree?– This books shares the life cycle of how trees are planted and grow and a little bit about how all creatures participate in nature’s cycle of tree planting.
- Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Trees– This is a great book to take along on a nature walk and help identify the different types of trees. The best thing is that it’s the perfect size for your pocket or backpack.
- Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book– For younger kids, this is the perfect book to spark their interest in the seasons and how a forest and the animals change throughout the year. It’s a fun Peekaboo book.
Whether through nature walks, science activities, or art projects, exploring trees provides a wealth of opportunities for kids to connect with nature and appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors.