Spring is one of the best times of the year to get out and about and learn about science and nature. As we finish our Earth Day celebrations our interest turns to Arbor Day, where we can create some fun crafts and turn them into interesting learning activities.
Hug a Tree: Take a walk around the block or park and hug a tree. Keep track in your child’s journal which trees were big or little around. Come home and use it for a writing prompt on what the trunk of the tree does.
We’re going on a leaf hunt! Gonna get some green ones!
Collect leaves from your backyard, park, playground or neighborhood. Take them home and create a tree journal trying to match the leaves to pictures in a book or online. Next find out what leaves do and how they do it.
Leaf Press
If you don’t want to create a book grab some clear contact paper. Cut it out one sheet 16 x 20 . Place leaves on bottom of the sheet. Press down. Add top sheet and press together to create a placemat. Use pinking shears to make a unique edge or using those Crayola scissors that make a design.
Create a poem with the word TREE or use as a writing prompt
Simply grab a piece of paper and Write T R E E in capital letters down the side. Now, use those letters to describe or talk about trees.
Tree Craft
Using a paper towel holder create the trunk of the tree. Grab some cotton balls and put them in a ziploc bag. Add green food coloring to turn them green. Let dry. Add the green cotton balls to the trunk of the tree. You can also quickly and easily make it a table centerpiece by putting a candle inside the paper towel holder (A votive candle works well.)
Branch out with a picture frame or picture frame magnet
Collect some branches. Glue a picture down onto the foam, centering it. Measure and cut the branches and glue them down onto a sturdy piece of foam to make the “frame” . (You may need to help with a glue gun for this one.). Tie colorful ribbons around the branches at each corner. If you want to make it a magnet – add one of those magnets from the local taxi company you will probably never use but got at a baseball game that is on the fridge. Glue it to the back and center of the foam. Let dry and share.
Explore Nature with this FREE “Nature Explore” Family Fun kit available in several language, courtesy of the Arbor Day Foundation. Use it for your family, community or school to help continue the fun and the learning of Arbor Day.
He who plants a tree
Plants a hope.
~Lucy Larcom, “Plant a Tree”
Some good ideas here.
My wife and I found a pretty good list of things to find on a nature scavenger hunt. Then we visited the local arboretum and had a blast. Just make a checklist for each kid with items like: acorn, seed, animal tracks, something red, oak tree, etc.
It ends up being way more fun than you’d expect.
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Love that idea!