Arbor Day, observed to encourage tree planting and care, is observed nationally on the last Friday in April. Arbor Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872.
Celebrate Arbor’s day in your daycare center by promoting knowledge and exploration of nature through fun-filled activities. Child care center activities also include presenting age-appropriate stories that focus on trees and environmental stewardship.
Arbor Day Arts and Crafts
Handprint Tree
Materials Needed:
- Blue poster board or construction paper
- Brown crayons, colored pencils, markers, or paint
- Leaves (collect fallen leaves)
- Glue
- Scissors
- Easter grass (optional)
- Cotton balls (optional)
Instructions: On construction paper or poster board, trace each child’s arm from the elbow up, including the fingers. This is the tree trunk. Color the tree trunk brown and let dry if necessary. Glue fallen leaves on the tree trunk. As an added bonus, children can glue on Easter grass and glue on cotton balls for clouds.
Science Activity: Plant a Tree
Become a member of The Arbor Day Foundation ($10). Members receive 10 free trees. Plant trees with the children and regularly spend time nurturing the tree. Discuss how to care for trees and what to expect in terms of growth. Periodically take notes of any observed growth or changes.
Arbor Day Field Trip:
A trip to your local nature center is the perfect place to learn more and appreciate trees. Many nature centers hold an Arbor Day celebration. Many times the celebration will include Tree seedling giveaways, tree planting demonstrations, nature workshops for children, story time, nature hikes, and live music. Field trips are a great part of childcare jobs because they allow for hands-on experience and exploration offsite.
Story Time: Preschool Books for Arbor Day
Recommended books about Arbor Day for Preschoolers:
The Happiness Tree: Celebrating the Gift of Trees We Treasure by Andrea Alban Gosline and Lisa Burnnett Bossi [Feiwell & Friends, 2008]
Arbor Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays) by Kelly Bennett [Children’s Press (CT), 2003]
Arbor Day Square by Kathryn Osebold Galbraith and Cyd Moore [Peachtree Publishers, 2010]
It’s Arbor Day Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz [Random House, 1977]
Circles of Hope by Karen Lynn Williams and Linda Saport [Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005]
Franklin Plants a Tree by Sharon Jennings, Paulette Bourgeois, Brenda Clark, and Sean Jeffrey [Scholastic, 2001]
A Tree is a Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla and Stacy Schuett [Collins, 2001]
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