“All good things are wild and free.”
- Thoreau
TREES!!! Regardless of the month, it's always a great time to learn about trees. As a matter of fact, you can even study trees as they change through the seasons, making these tree activities for preschoolers great for ongoing nature studies.
There are so many different interpretations and directions you could take a unit study like this, depending on your child's age and interests. From botany to Montessori math, to genealogical and genetic trees, and even computer science data structures (great for older kids), the possibilities are endless with tree activities for preschoolers.
Let's explore together several tree activities for your preschooler and grab your FREE printable leaf 3-part cards below.
Also, feel free to stop by our other unit studies for more topics.
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Montessori Tree Activities for Preschoolers
These Montessori Tree activities focus on: Identification, Tree Species, Shapes of Trees (pyramidal, conical, etc), Leaves, Life Cycles, & Other Types of Trees.
I had a lot of fun gathering the materials and setting up the activities. Also, our kids really enjoy the work, so I'm excited to share what resources make up the focal point of this unit for our family.
Be sure to check out all of our Montessori Botany Books in our shop.
Free Leaf Identification 3-Part Cards
Learn more about trees and leaves with these free leaf identification 3-part cards. These 3-part cards are designed to be used with a collection of leaves, with the Mirus Toys double-sided leaf puzzle, or with your favorite books.
Match leaves found in nature or the double-sided leaf puzzle pieces to the picture cards for object-to-picture matching.
With 14 different species to explore, there's plenty of opportunity to get creative. Leaves include oak, poplar, maple, walnut, aspen, pine, alder, ash, olive, eucalyptus, willow, cypress, acacia, and horse chestnut.
To use these leaf identification cards as 3-part cards, print 2 copies and cut the labels off one of the copies. The youngest of kids can match the picture cards. As kids are mastering letter recognition and letter sounds, they can practice matching the label as well.
Montessori Tree Activities: Reference Books & Field Guides
- The Practical Naturalist - a great resource for all ages, even covers what gear should be in you/your children's pack when you head out to explore
- Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest - a great regional field guide
- Trees: A Rooted History - great for learning the role of trees and extends into various other types of trees
- The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-ups - covers a wide variety of tree species indigenous to North America
- Tree - an excellent reference book with large photographic images throughout
- Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World - my hands-down favorite book for mixing nature reference material and art - it's essentially a beautiful nature journal
- Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest - a great field guide for kids, regional ecosystem content related to PNW divided by habitat
- Trees Up Close - a beautiful little book filled with photography to inspire learning, exploration, and art
- The Life Cycle of a Tree {Similar} - a great life cycle book that contains photographs and illustrations
- Trees, Leaves, and Bark - another one of those awesome take-along guides we use. This is such a lovely series of resources for kids
- Under the Canopy: Trees Around the World - this books is excellent for exploring trees found around the world
Montessori Tree Activities for Preschoolers: Picture Books
- Tree Song - couldn't find a link for this lol, but it's a great book if you happen to run into it
- The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack - my daughter loves this book. has really funny illustrations and includes one word per scene for your child to focus on
- Leaf Man - this is a really cute, whimsical storybook
- Tree: A Peek-Thru Picture Book - my 2-year old son really enjoys this book, he likes to hold it and touch everything while I read aloud
- Meeting Trees - a heartwarming tale with beautiful paintings throughout
- The Sequoia Lives On - this book is a picture book meets reference book. it has the look and feel of a beautiful picture book and includes content about the sequoia tree
- Seeds and Trees - this is a great addition to our peace curriculum and explores the power of words on feelings and emotions
- This Tree Counts! - this is a great counting book and it explores the concept of a tree as a wildlife habitat
Books on Relevant People
- A Year in the Woods - Henry David Thoreau, transcendentalist, poet, philosopher
- The Tree Lady - Kate Sessions, scientist, botanist, landscape architect
Montessori Tree Activities and Shelf Work
- Nature Scavenger Hunt
- Nature Sort using Scavenger Hunt items
- Watercolor a canvas using Fall Colors
- Acorn Hide-N-Seek
- Mud Faces on Trees
- Baking with Leaf & Acorn Cookie Cutters
- Leaf & Acorn Garland using Cookie Cutters and Twine
- Drawing Trees/Tree Shapes with Easel or Nature Journal
- Tree Culture Card (FREE)
- Tree & Leaf Three-Part Cards (FREE) - Parts of a Tree/Leaf
- Montessori Botany Puzzles - great on their own for my 2-year-old and with 3-part card matching for our 3.5-year-old
- Sandpaper Letters - great for matching with 3-part cards and beginning/middle/ending sound matching, letter tracing, and recognition
- Moveable Alphabet - great for use with 3-part cards and beginning/middle/ending sounds, blends
- Oak Tree Life Cycle (FREE)
- Pine Tree Life Cycle (FREE)
- Montessori Math Colored Bead Stair/Tree
- Math Colored Bead Stair/Tree Coloring Pages with Control Card (FREE)
- Object-to-Picture Matching using Safari Trees miniatures and Three-Part Cards
Preparing for an outdoor scavenger hunt at a nearby park.
A nature scavenger hunt followed by a Nature Collage on a painted canvas.
Matching the tree nomenclature card labels to the image followed by object-to-picture matching with the tree manipulatives. These little trees were also really useful in our helpers unit.
Summary of Montessori Tree Activities for Preschoolers
Given all the materials and the level of interest, these tree activities keep our kids occupied for several weeks. It complements our other works in various subject areas so it's a great fit for us right now.
We already owned most of the materials included in this unit and, with the exception of the Safari Trees 3-Part Cards, the printables were free.
Special thanks to all the curriculum writers who contributed to these Montessori tree activities for preschoolers.
Free Preschool & Kindergarten Homeschool Course
Would you like to learn more about how to homeschool your preschooler or kindergartener the Montessori way?
This 8-week course will provide parents and caregivers with a no-nonsense approach to homeschooling. You will learn how to homeschool using hands-on, child-centered, and diverse learning experiences.
This course covers ALL the relevant subjects. You'll receive information and insight that will help you identify what is best for your child. You'll also be introduced to plenty of free resources along the way.
Most importantly, you will walk away with the tools and resources you need to confidently begin your own homeschooling journey.
More Unit Studies
- Space Activities
- Oceania and Coral Reef Unit
- Geology and Paleontology
- Montessori Grace and Courtesy
- Bee Unit for Preschool and Elementary
As always, thanks for stopping by!
- Kristin
Montessori Tree Activities for Preschoolers
These Montessori tree books, tree crafts for preschoolers, and tree activities are perfect for exploring botany concepts such as life cycles, parts of a tree, leaves, and more while covering various subjects such as Art, Language, Science, and Math.
Materials
- The Practical Naturalist
- Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest
- Trees: A Rooted History
- The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-ups
- Tree
- Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World
- Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest
- Trees Up Close
- Life Cycles: Everything from Start to Finish
- Trees, Leaves, and Bark
- Tree Song
- The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack
- Leaf Man
- Tree: A Peek-Thru Picture Book
- Meeting Trees
- The Sequoia Lives On
- Seeds and Trees
- This Tree Counts!
- A Year in the Woods
- The Tree Lady
- Play the Forest School Way
- Items from Nature
- Free Leaf Identification 3-Part Cards
- Mirus Toys Double-Sided Leaf Puzzle
- Watercolor Canvas
- Watercolor Paints
- Paintbrushes
- Leaf & Acorn Cookie Cutters
- Cardstock
- Twine
- Easel
- Montessori Botany Puzzles
- Sandpaper Letters
- Moveable Alphabet
- Montessori Math Colored Bead Stair/Tree
- Safari LTD Trees
- Tree Culture Card printable
- Tree & Leaf Three-Part Cards printable
- Oak Tree Life Cycle printable
- Pine Tree Life Cycle printable
- Math Colored Bead Stair/Tree Coloring Pages with Control Card printable
Tools
- See Materials List
Instructions
- Use the Montessori Botany books to explore various topics related to trees. Allow your child to lead the conversation and provide prompts as needed. Pursue topics the child shows interest in.
- Collect nature items as a scavenger hunt or in everyday exploration.
- Sort nature items according to type, size, color, shape, etc.
- Match leaves to the free leaf identification 3-part cards.
- Introduce the double-sided leaf puzzle for matching leaf type to its shape or leaf to tree label, depending on the ability and interest of the child. Kids can also match the leaf puzzle pieces to leaves from the nature collection or the free leaf identification 3-part cards. Discuss differences between shapes and colors of leaves on both sides of the leaf puzzle. Discuss changes in color from the natural side to the fall color side.
- Provide watercolor paints, canvas, paintbrushes, and easel for creating tree-related art. Completed work can be hung on the wall at eye level or displayed in some other way for the whole family to enjoy. A nature journal made from cardstock will also work well.
- Explore activities such as Acorn Hide-N-Seek and Mud Faces on Trees from Play the Forest School Way as the child shows interest.
- Use the Leaf and Acorn Cookie Cutters in practical life activities in the kitchen. Alternatively, they can be used to create a garland with cardstock and twine.
- Create a beautiful tree-themed shelf or work area using the culture card, 3-part cards, botany puzzles, life cycle printables, etc.
- Provide the Montessori Botany puzzles on their own for younger preschoolers and with the 3-part cards when the child is further along in their language skills.
- Include activities with sandpaper letters for matching with 3-part cards and beginning/middle/ending sound matching, letter tracing, and recognition. The specific activity can be tailored to the child's level of understanding.
- Introduce the movable alphabet with the 3-part cards for exploring beginning/middle/ending sounds and blends as the child is ready for this work.
- Use the colored bead stair and coloring page for building the bead stair and then coloring the printable stair to match. Provide plenty of opportunities for repetition of this work as the child masters beginning math skills.
Notes
Full Lesson Info and Pictures at: https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/montessori-tree-unit-study-october-2019/
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