Hands-On Sensory Activities Exploring the Importance of Soil

Teaching students about the importance of soil is critical to understanding our planet and sustainability. Explore soil using students’ senses with these activities an ideas that include sensory bins, soil shakers, mud painting, and much more!

tree grows from a fox lying down surrounded by forest friends

The Memory Tree

Teaching young children about the loss of a loved one can be a difficult topic. In this picture book, a fox lives a long and happy life in the forest, but he is now ready to sleep and closes his eyes forever. As the fox’s friends begin to share memories and tell stories, a tree starts to grow taller and stronger with every memory.

Young boy wearing a red coat, white shirt, blue jeans, and white lace up sneakers running through a lush green forest holding a journal

My Forest is Green

Follow along a curious young boy who explores the urban forest near his home and describes the shapes, textures, and colors of the plants and animals that live there and encourages young children to observe and appreciate the nature around them.

PLT’s Newest Activity Collection: Connecting for Health and Planet

Our latest release features three PLT activities for educators of students ages 8-11 and grades 3-5. Use the activities to invite students to investigate how being outside—and among trees, specifically—provides people with many different physical, emotional, social, and learning benefits.

Recommended Summer Reading for Forest Lovers

As the days stay sunny for longer, summer can be the perfect time for kids and adults to relax under their favorite tree and catch up on their reading lists. Explore some of our favorite all-ages books about forests and trees to connect with the natural world!

chipmunk sitting on a log eating a seed with the text STEM Backyard Safari

STEM: Backyard Safari

Investigate how animals living in our backyards or schoolyards get what they need to survive and explore habitats nearby. These enrichments for a PLT activity, Backyard Safari, model the practices of a biologist by collecting and analyzing data and applying comparison and reflection skills to interpret research findings.

Red cardinal sitting on a fence

How to Introduce Students to Urban Birdwatching

Introduce kids to urban birdwatching and help them enjoy their immediate environments! Check out how to get started with urban birdwatching at your school, daycare, summer camp, or home, along with bird-themed activities that you can adapt for your classroom.