National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season. This event is organised by The Tree Council to promote the importance of trees, encourage public engagement in tree conservation, and inspire people to plant more trees.
National Tree Week is an excellent opportunity to teach young children about the importance of trees to our planet, environment, and wildlife.
Here are some engaging ways to celebrate National Tree Week in an early years setting:
Draw or Paint Trees: Encourage children to draw or paint pictures of trees. They can create trees for different seasons, showing changes in color and shape.
Tree Role Play: Use tree and forest props to create a forest role play area. The children can pretend to be trees or animals that live in trees.
Nature Walks: Take children on a walk to a local park or forest. Help them identify different types of trees and collect leaves. Discuss how trees change with seasons.
Tree Crafts: Provide materials for children to create their own tree-related crafts. This could be leaf rubbings, tree bark rubbings, making trees out of handprints, or creating collages with leaves.
Remember, the goal is to make learning about trees fun and interactive while instilling an appreciation for nature and the environment.