My kids have always been so excited about gardening and trees and flowers during the spring! As we celebrate National Arbor Day at the end of this month--it gives plenty of time to plan some fun activities to help the kids learn about the importance of this day! What are some things you should know about Arbor Day--and what are some fun activities that your family can do to celebrate this national holiday? Here are 8 family friendly Arbor Day activities for kids. If you are following along from the Blogging from A to Z Challenge--A is for Arbor Day!
Read a Book About Trees
In the weeks before any holiday, we have always trekked off to the library for some themed children's books about the subject. If you can find a book about Arbor Day specifically-that's perfect. If not--we have enjoyed We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow; A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry; and The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins.
Create an Arbor Day Craft
With preschool aged little ones, we were always tackling creative themed crafts! From creating sponge painting trees to practicing cutting skills to create leaf collages--we love tree themed crafts. ChildFun has a ton of ideas for Arbor Day craft ideas. We enjoy taking hikes and creating framed collages of leaves and forest finds. This framed fall collage craft is an example of a collage that could really be adapted to any season. One year, we even planned ahead and began making plans for my daughter's fall Halloween costume! She was an apple tree--and the apple tree costume was adorable!
Visit an Arboretum
My mother-in-law had a knack for nature. She knew the names of nearly every tree, plant, flower and bush that we encountered. She just seemed to absorb that information everywhere she went! In reality, she enjoyed learning about trees and plants and loved nature. I always loved walking with her as she shared nature knowledge! Touring arboretums and botanical gardens is a wonderful way to teach the family about the plants and trees around them--but, to encourage them to appreciate the different species too. You likely have several arboretums near you--and may discover that many host special event and family activities in celebration of Arbor Day and throughout the year.
Create Some Snacks
What foods do we get from trees? Depending on where you live (and when your area celebrates Arbor Day)--you may have some trees producing food. While we have apple trees and cherry trees--and can gather walnuts and pawpaws nearby--we are months from begin able to harvest fruits and nuts from our local trees. That's okay--we can still learn about the food that we get from trees and make some fun snacks like Grilled Apples or Waffles with Cherry Sauce
Make it a Scavenger Hunt
I love creating photo scavenger hunts for the kids! Collecting objects is fun--but, when I add in the requirements of photos with each scavenger hunt clue--I get to keep some extra memories as well. We have done Find the Leaf style scavenger hunts using pictures of named leaves. We have also combined a leaf hunt with a simple outdoor nature scavenger hunt too.
Plant a Tree
One of my favorite memories is planting a maple sapling with my grandfather when I was a little girl. While my grandparents have long passed away and their home was sold years ago--I still love driving by their house and checking on my tree! The kids will love watching their tree grow with them over the years and it will hold a place in their hearts and memories too! If you aren't sure which trees grow well in your area, visit your local tree nursery or the Arbor Day Foundation website for advice, suggestions and planting tips.
Attend an Arbor Day Event
Use the interactive map on the Arbor Day Foundation website to find an Arbor Day event in your area. We have several local tree planting events planned for Arbor Day. Some events give away saplings for you to plant and hold special contests or walks through designated parks or nature preserves.
Get Involved
Many communities hold special Arbor Day Revitalization Projects, Community Plantings or Community Cleanups and need volunteers to accomplish the projects. Volunteering helps out the local community and the environment and give families fun ways to give back and even make new friends in the neighborhood. Watch for opportunities directly from your city or from sites like VolunteerMatch.
Celebrating National Arbor Day is a fun way to get the family excited about preserving the environment and to educate them about local, native trees and plants.
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