Tree Trips

Go on a nature walk in a forest, visit a tree farm, or visit a nursery. Look at and have someone teach about different types of trees and their different parts.

Trip to a tree farm:

Tree Bird Feeders

Spread peanut butter on a pine cone & roll it in bird seed. Hang bird feeders on trees outside that can be viewed from the classroom windows.

Guacamole Dip

1 medium avocado
2 Tablespoons of chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt,
Tablespoons of mayonnaise or salad dressing (like miracle whip)

Peel and cut the avocado into pieces and process at medium speed in a a blender. Add remaining ingredients and Blend. Serve with tortillas or corn chips.

Be sure to read a book or talk about how avocados grow on trees.

Foods that Grow on Trees

(Sing to the tune- The Farmer & the Dell)

Foods that grow on trees,
foods that grow on trees,
let us sing a song about,
foods that grow on trees.

Cherries grow on trees,
cherries grow on trees
pick them red and sweet,
cherries grow on trees.

Pears grow on trees,
pears grow on trees,
pick them sweet & juicy,
pears grow on trees.

Walnuts grow on trees,
walnuts grow on trees,
pick them brown & crunchy,
walnuts grow on trees.

Have the children help you make up other verses about different foods that grow on trees.

All About Trees

Talk about and read books about the different types of trees around the world (which trees grow in different climates), about the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees, and about the tradition and meaning of using evergreen trees for Christmas trees.

Playing Trees

Set up ideas for the dramatic play area:

• a tree farm (little fake trees lined up, pretend saws, cash register, etc.)

• a forest (stuffed animals, pictures or posters of trees hung on the wall, blue blanket for a stream, etc.)

construction paper cut out and taped up

we hung a blue sheet for a waterfall

more construction paper cutouts

Tree Nuts

Provide tree nuts in shells and let the children classify and explore them (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, etc.).

Wood Shavings

Place wood shavings, measuring cups, utensils, colanders, containers, etc. in the sensory table for children to explore. Talk about how we use wood from trees.

Matching Leaves

Collect a few leaves from a variety of trees. The children can sort and match them.

Leaf Wreaths

Glue different leaves on paper plates (cut out the middle of the plate), hang for decorations.

More Tree Songs

If you talk about trees around Christmas time, you can sing either of the following tree songs:

Pretty Tree
(Sung To: This is the Way We Wash Our Clothes)
1. This is the way we look for a tree,
Look for a tree, look for a tree.
This is the way we look for a tree,
Early in December.
2.This is the way we chop the tree,
Chop the tree, chop the tree.
This is the way we chop the tree,
Early in December.
3.This is the way we carry it home,
Carry it home, carry it home.
This is the way we carry it home,
Early in December.
4.This is the way we stand it up,
Stand it up, stand it up.
This is the way we stand it up,
Early in December.
5.This is the way we make it pretty,
Make it pretty, make it pretty.
This is the way we make it pretty,
Early in December.


O Christmas Tree
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How lovely are your branches!
Your boughs are green in summer's clime
And through the snows of wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How lovely are your branches!

Tree Journal Page

Read a book about trees then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "What do you like about trees (fruit, nuts, climbing, shade, pretty, wood, etc)?" Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Tree Parts

Talk about the different parts to a tree (leaves, branches, fruit, trunk, roots, etc.) and how different parts of different trees are used for different things (food, wood, shade, etc.).

Tree Seeds

Have the children sort seeds from trees, matching them to labels with names and pictures of the seeds.

Leaf Dancing

Use any classical or instrumental song that could sound like wind, have the children dance to the music acting like leaves in the wind. An alternative is to dance outside with piles of leaves.

Leaf Rubbings

Collect different types of leaves. Place paper over leaves and rub crayons over them to create a leaf image.

Trees Lesson Plan

Click on the image to view and/or print.