Trees - 5 Great Family Nature Activities

Social distancing does not mean you have to lock yourself in the house, close the curtains and hunker down. It means do not hang out with other humans. Flowers and trees, birds and animals, rocks and stars… these guys are your new best friends!

You can still go outside and enjoy nature. Getting outside will relieve stress and make you feel more relaxed. Not to mention burn off some excess energy for your kids or the family fur baby.

Go outside to an area with trees – your backyard, a local park, even along the street. Older neighborhoods often have great trees.

This series will explore several different themes or topics. In this blog, you will be introduced to some fun and creative ways to learn more about trees.

Learn, explore and engage!

Trees

Trees are fascinating plants. They do so much for the world. Start by thinking about all that trees give us.

• They take in carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen

• Stabilize and fertilize the soil

• Filter dust, pollution and reduce noise

• Provide shade and homes for wildlife

• Produce food for humans and wildlife

• Are a natural resource – natural fuel and lumber

• Mitigate the urban heat sink and help cool cities

Many species of wildlife make trees their home such as raccoons.

So Lets Show Trees We Appreciate Them!

Hug a Tree

Not just for children!

• Use all your senses. Hugging a tree allows you to feel its strength and sturdiness of the tree. Feel the bark and leaves.

• Smell the tree - does it have a particular odor? Some trees smell wonderful. For instance, the smell of a pine tree has been commercialized.

• Listen - does the tree make noise? Is the wind blowing the leaves and branches? Do you hear birds or squirrels who may live on the tree?

• There is some evidence that embracing a tree has a positive mental health reaction. You can squeeze the tree and let all your frustrations go into the tree.

• A fun twist is to do this blindfolded. Work in pairs. One person leads a blindfolded person to a tree. The person with the blindfold feels the tree and describes its texture and shape.

• More challenging: The seeing partner can lead the person away from the tree, take off the blindfold and see if they can now find their tree without being blindfolded.

Identify Trees

Learning to identify trees is fun and challenging. It will also put you in touch with your environment. When you know the species of trees it gives you clues to the climate, what animals may be nearby, and what resources the tree may provide.

I recommend these Fandex guides because they are easy to use while outside. The tree one shows the leaf, bark pattern, flower, nut or seed, and a photo of the full tree so that you can identify them all!

Another fun way to learn about different tree species is to compare them. Pick two different trees and look at what makes them similar and different. Some of the things that differentiate a tree: leaf type, tips, and bottom shape, where it’s growing, texture; twigs; fruits, flowers, and seeds; bark, and the overall tree size and shape.

For a greater challenge learn to identify trees by their bark. Some trees such as the birch make it easy for you. Some trees are more challenging.

Look for trees in interesting places. This dead branch is by my creek at Fox Run EEC. What do you think happened?

FAMILY ACTIVITY: WHAT’S THE VALUE OF THAT TREE?

Project Learnng Tree has a fun lesson plan on there website where you can figure out the trees value using a app for your phone.

This app lets you look at a variety of benefits from any given tree.

i-Tree

***On a side note I recommend using the scientific process to identify a tree by its characteristics before using a computer/phone app. This will help your child learn and really observe and not just get an immediate answer.

Art and Trees

Bark Rubbing

Make a bark rubbing. This is fun because you get a feel for the texture. Try to do several on different tree species. Then compare your pictures and think about what makes them similar or different.

Take a piece of paper and hold it flat against the tree. Then takes a crayon (minus paper wrapping) or a piece of chalk and lay it lengthwise on the paper. Move the crayon, pastel, or chalk up and down.

Sketch, Photograph, or Write a Story or Poem

Be creative. Bring some art supplies or a camera when you go look at the trees. Have your child draw or take pictures of the tree. Focus on some of the details of the tree.

Get their imaginations going. Sit under a tree and make up a story or a poem.

follow us on Pinterest.

we have a great board on environmental education with lots of fabulous ideas!

Build a Tree House

This is a longer project but well worth the time. Building a treehouse gets you outside and gives your family a place to relax and have fun in nature. Make sure to pick a sturdy tree and use supports to secure your fort.

You can make it simple by just building a platform. This will give your child a wonderful place to read, enjoy the sounds and smells of the tree habitat or have a place to just get away.

Photo by Anne Spratt

Plant A Tree

After you use lumber to build your treehouse you should plant a tree. One of the great things about natural resources is that they are renewable. However, that means we have a responsibility to replant them so that they are not depleted.

You can choose a tree to meet your needs. Plant a pine if you want a wind block or shelter for birds. Choose a fruit tree if you want to add to your edible garden. Choose a Redbud if you want beautiful flowers in spring.

Here is a great story about two families from opposite sides of the world who each plant a tree. Great for families with young children.

Author, Ame Vanorio has 29 years of experience living off-grid and gardening organically and is a certified teacher. She is the director of Fox Run Environmental Education Center and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Ame teaches online and local classes.

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