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.

Texture Mosaic or Collage

Proved any of the following: seeds, pipe cleaners, fabrics, cotton balls, tin foil, wax paper, denim, springs, feathers, carpet, grass, etc. The children can then use glue to make a texture mosaic or collage on some paper.

Stick Count Song

Point out the sound made from the texture of rhythm sticks. Point out the bumps and grooves and smooth parts that make the different sound. Pass out sticks to each child, chant the stick count song while tapping in beat in the various places chanted about:

When we say one, one, one,
Play on your thumb,
When we say two, two, two,
Play on your shoe,
When we say three, three, three,
Play on your knee,
When we say four, four, four,
Play on the floor,
When we say five, five, five,
You do the jive,
When we say six, six, six,
Put down your sticks.

Clothing Textures

Talk about and/or read a book about the different types of clothing people wear from all over the world. Set out various types of cloth for the children to explore the textures. Provide sewing hoops, needles and thread and help the children learn how to sew on different types of fabric.

Wheat Grinding

Take some whole (unground) wheat kernels, let the children explore the texture before and after grinding the wheat. If possible, grind some coarsely (like cracked wheat) and some fine (like flour) and let them feel the difference.

Squishy & Slimy

Let the children play with oobleck, playdough, slime, etc., exploring the squishy or slimy textures.

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Gritty Painting

Add salt or sand to paint and let the children observe the difference in texture as they paint and after their paintings dry.

Texture Pretend Play Ideas

Set up any of the following in your dramatic play area:
Bakery (baking utensils, bowls, pans, pretend oven, signs, recipes);
Hair Salon (hair tools, chair, mirror, cape);
Fabric Store (racks with different fabrics, measuring tapes, cash register);
Safari (pretend animals, binoculars, play jeep, cameras, safari clothes)

Walking on Textures

Gather several different texture items and let your children walk on them, put on some music and let them dance on the textures too.

Texture Box

Set out a texture box filled with items that have distinct textures for children to explore and describe.