43 Fun Tree Activities for Preschoolers

There’s something magical about being outside, especially for little ones. Nature isn’t just a place to play, it’s full of things to see, touch, and learn from.

Trees are perfect for this. They change with the seasons, grow over time, and offer endless chances to learn.

Spending time near trees can teach preschoolers about colors, textures, weather, animals, and other natural phenomena.

Climbing, counting leaves, making bark rubbings, or pretending a branch is a wand all help build strong minds and happy hearts.

These simple outdoor moments boost curiosity, build fine motor skills, and spark creativity. Plus, it’s fun!

Why Tree-Themed Activities Are Perfect?

Trees are like giant playgrounds for little kids! When children play around trees, they get to touch rough bark, hear birds singing, and smell fresh leaves. This helps their senses grow stronger.

Tree play is also a great exercise. Kids can run around trees, collect leaves, and pick up twigs.

These activities help them improve their hand-eye coordination and body movement. Trees teach kids about shapes, colors, and how things change with the seasons.

Children love asking questions about why leaves fall or where squirrels live. Playing with trees helps children learn to appreciate nature and develop a desire to protect it as they grow older.

Nature Exploration Activities

Nature exploration activities invite preschoolers to discover the world around them through their senses and curiosity, particularly around trees.

These hands-on experiences develop observation skills and introduce participants to various tree parts and wildlife.

1. Leaf Scavenger Hunt

Kids search for leaves of different shapes, sizes, and colors, helping them recognize the variety of nature while being active outdoors. This activity sharpens observation skills and introduces botanical diversity in a fun way.

What You’ll Need: A checklist of leaf types, a small bag or basket to collect leaves.
How to Do It: Walk around a park or backyard and encourage kids to find leaves that match the checklist. Talk about each leaf’s texture and color as you collect them.

2. Bark Rubbing Art

Children use crayons to gently rub over paper taped to tree bark, revealing the unique patterns and textures of different trees. This develops fine motor skills and tactile awareness.

What You’ll Need: Paper, crayons, or colored pencils.
How to Do It: Tape the paper firmly to the bark, then rub crayons over it to capture the bark’s texture.

3. Tree Observation Journal

Preschoolers sit quietly near a tree and draw or write what they see: animals, leaves, and weather changes. This activity encourages patience, focus, and early scientific thinking.

What You’ll Need: Notebook or sketchbook, crayons or pencils.
How to Do It: Take time to observe the tree regularly, asking questions and drawing what they notice.

4. Seed and Nut Collection

Kids gather seeds, nuts, and pods from around trees, sorting and examining their shapes and sizes. This activity builds categorization and curiosity about plant life cycles.

What You’ll Need: Basket or container.
How to Do It: Collect various seeds and nuts, then sort them by type or size while discussing how they grow into trees.

5. Tree Shape Drawing

Children look closely at the shapes of trees and try to draw their trunks, branches, and leafy canopies, strengthening observation and drawing skills.

What You’ll Need: Paper, crayons, or markers.
How to Do It: Sit near a tree and sketch its outline, encouraging kids to notice details.

6. Bird Watching at Trees

Using binoculars or just their eyes, kids watch birds visiting trees, learning to identify species, and understanding animal habitats.

What You’ll Need: Binoculars (optional), bird guidebook or app.
How to Do It: Stay quiet near a tree and watch for birds, then use guides to name them.

7. Tree Parts Sorting Game

Collect various tree parts, leaves, twigs, bark, seeds, and sort them into groups, which promotes classification skills and knowledge of tree anatomy.

What You’ll Need: Natural materials, sorting trays or plates.
How to Do It: Gather samples and sort them by type or size, explaining the role of each part.

8. Nature Color Hunt

Children find and collect items in different colors from trees and surroundings, learning to identify and name colors in nature.

What You’ll Need: Small container or basket.
How to Do It: Search for colorful leaves, flowers, or fruits and collect them to compare shades.

9. Scent Exploration

Children smell different parts of trees, such as pine needles, bark, and leaves, to explore natural scents and improve their sensory awareness.

What You’ll Need: Samples of leaves, bark, pinecones.
How to Do It: Encourage children to smell each item and describe what they notice.

10. Tree Shadow Tracing

Using chalk on a sunny day, kids trace the shadows cast by trees, helping them understand light, shape, and time changes as shadows move.

What You’ll Need: Chalk and an outdoor, sunny space.
How to Do It: Trace the tree’s shadow and revisit later to see how it changes.

11. Insect Spotting on Trees

Preschoolers examine tree trunks and leaves closely to spot insects, learning about the tiny ecosystems within trees.

What You’ll Need: A magnifying glass and a notebook.
How to Do It: Search tree surfaces gently, observe insects, and draw or write about them.

12. Tree Bark Texture Hunt

Feel and compare the roughness or smoothness of bark on different trees, developing tactile skills and vocabulary.

What You’ll Need: Gloves (optional).
How to Do It: Touch different barks, describe textures, and compare.

13. Nature Sounds Listening

Sitting quietly under a tree, kids listen to natural sounds like the wind in the leaves, birdsong, and the rustling of animals, which improves their auditory skills and mindfulness.

What You’ll Need: Quiet outdoor area near trees.
How to Do It: Close your eyes and listen carefully, then share what you heard.

14. Leaf Shape Sorting

Collect leaves and sort them into groups by shape, such as round, oval, pointed, and lobed, helping preschoolers develop their categorization skills.

What You’ll Need: Leaves, sorting mats, or paper.
How to Do It: Sort collected leaves and talk about the differences in shapes.

15. Seasonal Tree Changes Walk

Visit the same tree over different seasons to observe changes in its leaves, flowers, fruits, and wildlife, learning about the cycles of nature.

What You’ll Need: Notebook or camera.
How to Do It: Document changes with drawings or photos and discuss what happens in each season.

Creative Art and Craft Activities

Creative art and craft activities change natural materials, such as leaves, twigs, and pinecones, into imaginative masterpieces.

These projects nurture fine motor skills, encourage artistic expression, and connect preschoolers with nature through fun, hands-on creativity.

16. Leaf Collage Art

Kids collect leaves during outdoor play, then arrange and glue them on paper to make unique patterns or pictures.

This activity helps improve fine motor skills, encourages artistic expression, and deepens their connection to the natural world as they appreciate the variety found in leaves.

What You’ll Need: A collection of leaves, glue, paper, or cardboard.
How to Do It: Encourage children to arrange the leaves in different shapes or patterns on the paper. Once they are happy with the design, help them glue the leaves down securely.

17. Tree Branch Painting

Branches create varied strokes and patterns that differ from those of regular brushes, making each artwork unique.

This tactile experience encourages experimentation and creativity while connecting kids with natural materials.

What You’ll Need: Tree branches of different sizes, washable paint, paper, or canvas.
How to Do It: Dip the branches into paint and use them to make patterns or pictures on paper. Let children try different brush sizes and strokes for varied effects.

18. Pinecone Animals

Changing pinecones into animal figures sparks imagination and storytelling in preschoolers. Kids can turn these natural items into creatures by adding googly eyes, feathers, or paper ears.

This craft improves fine motor skills and creativity, allowing children to explore the textures and shapes found in nature.

What You’ll Need: Pinecones, glue, googly eyes, and small craft materials like feathers, felt, or paper.
How to Do It: Help kids glue eyes and other features onto pinecones to create animals. Encourage them to invent stories about their new creatures.

19. Leaf Crown Making

By weaving leaves and twigs into flexible bases, kids create wearable nature-inspired accessories that encourage role-playing as forest fairies, kings, or queens.

What You’ll Need: Flexible branches or pipe cleaners, leaves, glue, or tape.
How to Do It: Form a circle to fit the child’s head, then attach leaves and twigs by weaving or gluing them onto the base. If desired, let kids decorate their crowns further.

20. Nature Stamps

When dipped in paint and pressed onto paper, these natural items create unique patterns that reveal details often overlooked, such as leaf veins or bark ridges.

This fun activity promotes artistic experimentation and tactile learning.

What You’ll Need: Leaves, bark pieces, washable paint, paper.
How to Do It: Apply paint to leaves or bark pieces and press them firmly onto paper to make prints. Encourage kids to try different shapes and colors.

21. Leaf Weaving

Threading leaves and grass through a cardboard loom helps children develop hand dexterity, pattern recognition, and creativity. It’s also a calming, focused activity that connects children with nature’s textures.

What You’ll Need: A cardboard loom with slits cut along the edges, leaves, grass or thin twigs.
How to Do It: Show children how to weave leaves and grass back and forth through the slits, creating colorful patterns.

22. Nature Mobiles

Crafting mobiles from natural items hanging from a branch helps children explore balance, movement, and composition in art.

Kids can collect leaves, pinecones, feathers, and more to string together, creating beautiful, kinetic sculptures that decorate their space with the charm of nature.

What You’ll Need: A sturdy branch, string or yarn, collected natural items, scissors.
How to Do It: Tie strings to natural items and attach them to the branch at varying lengths. Hang the mobile indoors or outside to enjoy gentle movement.

23. Painted Rock Tree Faces

Painting rocks to look like faces and placing them around trees adds whimsy and invites imaginative storytelling.

This craft engages creativity and fine motor skills, and kids love creating characters and giving their rock friends personalities.

What You’ll Need: Smooth rocks, non-toxic paint, paintbrushes.
How to Do It: Let children paint funny or friendly faces on rocks. Place the stones around the base of trees to create little “forest friends.”

24. Leaf Printing with Playdough

Pressing leaves into playdough lets kids explore nature’s textures in a tactile way.

This sensory activity encourages experimentation and observation as children discover the intricate patterns left by leaf veins and edges.

What You’ll Need: Playdough and fresh leaves.
How to Do It: Flatten the playdough into a slab and gently press the leaves into it to create impressions. Kids can try different leaves for varied patterns.

25. Tree Story Stones

Painting small stones with images of trees, animals, or leaves turns them into storytelling props.

Kids can use these stones to invent nature stories, fostering language development, creativity, and narrative skills.

What You’ll Need: Smooth stones, paint, brushes.
How to Do It: Paint images related to trees on the stones. Encourage kids to use the stones as prompts to tell their own stories.

26. Nature Collage Frames

Decorating picture frames with natural items, such as leaves, twigs, and flowers, helps kids create personalized art while learning about the textures and colors found in nature.

These frames can hold photos of three experiences or drawings.

What You’ll Need: Cardboard frames, glue, leaves, twigs, flowers.
How to Do It: Help children glue natural materials onto frames to create beautiful decorations.

27. Bark Texture Paintings

Using the textures of tree bark as inspiration, children create paintings with rough brushstrokes and mixed colors.

This activity fosters observation, artistic interpretation, and an appreciation for the details of nature.

What You’ll Need: Paint, paper or canvas, brushes, photos of bark for reference.
How to Do It: Study the patterns of bark and recreate similar textures and colors using brushes and paint.

28. Leaf Suncatchers

Making suncatchers with leaves trapped between clear contact paper allows children to enjoy nature’s colors indoors.

The translucent effect highlights leaf details and invites wonder when placed in a sunny window.

What You’ll Need: Fresh leaves, clear contact paper, scissors.
How to Do It: Arrange leaves on one sheet of contact paper, cover with another sheet, then cut into fun shapes.

29. Twig Picture Frames

Using twigs glued around a cardboard base, kids create rustic picture frames that celebrate natural materials and textures.

This craft improves fine motor skills and offers a lovely way to display nature photos or artwork.

What You’ll Need: Twigs, glue, and cardboard for the frame base.
How to Do It: Glue twigs side by side around the frame shape and let them dry before using.

30. Nature Mandalas

Mandalas are temporary artworks that arrange natural items in symmetrical, circular patterns. They help children develop focus, creativity, and an understanding of patterns in nature.

Kids enjoy collecting colorful leaves, stones, and flowers to create these mandalas.

What You’ll Need: Leaves, flowers, stones, pinecones, or other natural items.
How to Do It: Lay out collected items on the ground in circles or other symmetrical designs, encouraging balance and repetition.

Sensory and Movement Activities

Sensory and movement activities encourage preschoolers to engage their bodies and senses in playful, nature-inspired ways.

These experiences foster physical coordination and sensory awareness in a joyful and safe environment.

31. Tree Climbing (With Supervision)

Tree climbing is an excellent way for preschoolers to develop gross motor skills like balance, strength, and coordination.

Always ensure close adult supervision and select sturdy trees with accessible branches to keep the experience fun and safe.

What You’ll Need: A safe tree with low, sturdy branches; adult supervision.
How to Do It: Help children identify good branches to hold and step on. Guide them carefully as they climb up and down, ensuring they understand safe climbing techniques.

32. Leaf Pile Jumping

The crunching sounds and soft landing add to the multi-sensory experience, making this an engaging outdoor activity for any fall or dry leaf season.

What You’ll Need: A large pile of dry leaves and an outdoor space.
How to Do It: Rake leaves into piles and invite children to jump in, toss leaves in the air, or crawl through the piles.

33. Shadow Play Under Trees

Using the shade cast by trees, children explore their shadows and shapes, which encourages body awareness and creative expression.

They can experiment with movement, tracing shadows, or creating shadow puppets, fostering imaginative play.

What You’ll Need: A sunny day; open space under trees.
How to Do It: Encourage children to make different poses and watch their shadows. Use chalk to trace the outlines of shadows or create stories based on the shapes of shadows.

34. Tree Yoga Poses

Inspired by the “Tree Pose” in yoga, preschoolers practice balance and mindfulness by mimicking tree-like postures.

This activity strengthens muscles, improves concentration, and fosters a calming connection with nature.

What You’ll Need: Comfortable outdoor space or yoga mats.
How to Do It: Guide children to stand on one foot with hands above their heads, imitating a tree. Encourage deep breathing and focus.

35. Nature Obstacle Course

Setting up a nature-inspired obstacle course allows kids to climb over logs, balance on rocks, and weave around branches, promoting agility and problem-solving skills.

What You’ll Need: Natural materials such as logs, rocks, and branches; open outdoor space.
How to Do It: Arrange obstacles safely and demonstrate how to move through them. Let children study the course, encouraging them to find creative ways to navigate it.

36. Leaf Catching Game

This simple game helps develop hand-eye coordination and timing by encouraging children to catch falling or tossed leaves. It’s an active and fun way to engage with natural materials and enjoy them.

What You’ll Need: Dry leaves; an outdoor area.
How to Do It: Gently toss the leaves into the air and have the children try to catch them. Vary the height or number of leaves to make it a playful challenge.

37. Animal Movement Games

Pretend play, in which children imitate animals that live in or around trees, such as squirrels scampering, birds fluttering, or ants crawling, helps develop gross motor skills and creativity.

What You’ll Need: An open play area and imagination!
How to Do It: Call out animal names and demonstrate corresponding movements, then let the children copy them. Encourage storytelling about the animals’ habits and homes.

38. Tree Hugging and Breathing

This calming activity encourages mindfulness by having children hug a tree and focus on their breath. It promotes emotional regulation, grounding, and a tactile connection with the natural world.

What You’ll Need: Trees in a quiet outdoor space.
How to Do It: Invite children to wrap their arms around a tree, feel the texture of the bark, and take slow, deep breaths while listening to the sounds of nature.

39. Leaf Relay Race

This is a fun coordination game in which kids race while balancing leaves on their heads or hands. It promotes focus and physical control.

This energetic activity also encourages friendly competition and teamwork.

What You’ll Need: Leaves; a safe, open space.
How to Do It: Mark start and finish lines, then challenge kids to race while balancing a leaf. Modify rules to increase difficulty or add team relays.

40. Nature Freeze Dance

In this classic game with a nature twist, children dance around trees while music plays and freeze when the music stops. It develops listening skills, balance, and body control in an energetic, playful setting.

What You’ll Need: A music player and an outdoor area with trees.
How to Do It: Play music and encourage people to dance around the trees. Pause the music randomly, and have the children freeze in place until it resumes.

Science and Nature Learning Activities

41. Tree Growth Experiment

This hands-on experiment enables preschoolers to plant seeds, such as acorns or pine nuts, and observe how they grow into saplings over time.

It teaches the basics of plant biology, patience, and the importance of care and nurturing.

What You’ll Need: Seeds (such as acorns), small pots or containers, soil, water.
How to Do It: Help children plant the seeds in soil-filled pots, place them in a sunny spot, and water them regularly. Encourage daily or weekly observations to track growth and discuss what plants need to thrive.

42. Tree Identification Walk

Take preschoolers on a nature walk to identify different tree species by examining leaves, bark, fruits, and overall shapes.

This activity introduces kids to biodiversity and classification skills, building foundational knowledge about local flora.

What You’ll Need: A tree guidebook or identification app, a notebook or clipboard with paper, and pencils.
How to Do It: Walk through a park or forest, stop at different trees to compare features with the guidebook or app. Help kids sketch leaves or note distinctive traits to identify each tree.

43. Seasonal Changes Exploration

By visiting the same tree throughout the year, children can observe how it changes with the seasons, blossoming in spring, bearing fruits in summer, shedding leaves in fall, and resting in winter.

What You’ll Need: A camera or notebook for photos and notes.
How to Do It: Schedule regular visits to a favorite tree and document changes with pictures or drawings. Talk about why these changes happen and what they mean for animals and the environment.

Educational Benefits of Tree Activities

Tree-related activities offer rich educational opportunities for preschoolers, helping them grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally.

Here’s how engaging with trees benefits early childhood development:

Improve cognitive development by encouraging children to observe closely, compare different tree parts, and think critically about nature’s processes.
Build language skills by allowing children to learn and use new words, such as bark, leaves, roots, trunk, and branches, while describing what they see and feel.
Introduce basic STEM concepts: how trees grow, the changes they go through during different seasons, and how they interact with animals and weather.
Support social skills development by promoting teamwork and communication during group activities, such as scavenger hunts or tree planting.
Boost emotional development: by inspiring feelings of wonder and patience, and by nurturing a sense of care and responsibility for living things.

These experiences lay a strong foundation for lifelong learning by combining hands-on exploration with natural curiosity.

Conclusion

Spending time with preschoolers exploring trees is an excellent way to nurture their curiosity, creativity, and connection to the natural world.

If it’s through hands-on crafts, sensory play, or simple observation, these activities help young children develop essential skills while having fun outdoors.

As parents and teachers, you play a key role in guiding these experiences and encouraging a lifelong love of the natural world.

In the comments below, share your favorite tree-themed activities or any special moments you’ve had with preschoolers in nature.