In this activity, children explore trees and their parts using the sense of touch.
This is one of 12 activities that can be found in PLT’s Trees & Me activity guide for exploring nature with young children. For the complete activity and more like it, purchase Trees & Me at Shop.PLT.org and/or attend a professional development training in your state.
Below are some supporting resources for this activity.
Download the copyright-free student pages that are included with this activity:
Family & Friends (PDF)
Expand your students’ learning and imaginations. Help students meet their reading goals, while building upon concepts learned in this activity, with the following children’s book recommendations:
Try a simple variation of this activity to engage children in the outdoors at home. Download this fun and easy-to-do family activity.
The following tools and resources may be used to enhance the activity.
Create a DIY sensory board to encourage young learners to explore a variety of textures.
Help children learn and remember tree parts with the video Mr. R’s Parts of Trees Song (to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”).
Help learners understand why it is sometimes necessary to cut trees in order to get wood, protect other trees, or reduce tree hazards. The book Why Would Anyone Cut a Tree Down? is geared for students in grades 1–3 and also provides tips for planting a new tree.
Leafsnap is a free app that uses visual recognition software to help identify tree species from leaf photographs you take in the field. Leafsnap currently focuses on tree species found in the Northeastern United States and Canada, but expansion is underway to include all U.S. regions.
AllTrails is a free app that helps users discover the outdoors. Use it to find a hiking path suitable for children, to search for local places to bike or fish, or to plan a national park visit.
Are you looking for information on the field of childhood education? All Education Schools offers a clearinghouse of resources to explore professional organizations, licensing and credentials, teaching strategies, research, and more – all related to early childhood.
Creating an edible soil activity featuring the different layers of soil—organic layer, topsoil, subsoil, parent material, and bedrock—is a fun way to engage participants in learning about the structure of soil and how it supports plant life.
As the holiday season approaches, it’s a great time to get outside to refuel and recharge yourself by taking a gratitude walk! A gratitude walk helps us pause, reflect, and give thanks to every person and living thing in our natural world.
Sticks are a versatile and cost-free resource that offers endless possibilities for engaging in STEM activities. Enlist the help of your students to gather sticks, then explore a variety of fun, hands-on activities that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity!
Explore the world outside or bring the outdoors in with nature-based sensory activities that meet the needs of all students, including those with special or diverse needs.
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