Tree Parties

Plant a tree

If you have room in your garden why not plant a tree yourself. There are top tips on how to plant and care for a tree yourself here, along with other tree trivia.

If you don't have space in your garden to plant a tree, why not find out if someone in your local area is running a tree planting event?

Seed hunt

Take advantage of the autumn harvest by going on a seed hunt.

If you find anything edible you could have a woodland feast - but be absolutely sure it is safe to eat your discoveries.

Tree dressing

Find out if your local area is holding a Tree Dressing Day in the run up to Christmas. These are a great way to find out about local customs and folklore surrounding trees.

Or why not make woodland decorations to hang on a special tree in your garden? Invite your friends and family along and make it a special event.

Leaf hunt

Hunt around your garden or local park collecting as many different leaves as you can.

You can then try and identify them and see how many different types of tree you have.

Children can use them for leaf printing, using water based paint, or for collage - or why not see if you can keep them until they turn into leaf skeletons?

Download the Tree Party Leaf Hunt sheet (2702KB) to help you.

Bark rubbing

Why not collect pieces of fallen bark or take the children to a nearby woodland to do some bark rubbings?

Different types of bark create different patterns.Look out for mini beasts living in the tree bark and try to identify them - why do you think they live here?

Woodland writing

Tell each other what your favourite piece of local woodland or woodland creature is and then create a story or poem around it, being as creative as you can.

Why not title it 'The Big Tree'?

See if you can find tree stories other people have written to find out why trees are special to so many people.

What's in the box?

Hide dry, rustling leaves, smooth shiny conkers and squishy blackberries in boxes. Then get your family to put a hand into each box to guess its contents - by touching, smelling and listening.

Whoever guesses the contents of every box wins a prize!

Hand printing

Paint a big tree trunk on a large piece of paper or white sheet and then create autumn-coloured hand prints using water-based paint. Arrange them around the trunk and branches like autumn leaves.

Masks

Layer leaves and PVA glue or wallpaper paste over a blown up balloon, covering only half the balloon. When the layer is thick enough and the glue has dried, burst the balloon inside.

Use the papier mache shape to create a tree mask by cutting out eye holes and drawing on features. You could even make paper leaves for the hair.

Or try making tree masks from cardboard, craft materials, leaves and twigs. Your local scrap store may be able to provide you with recycled materials which you might like to use

Woodland walks

Help keep the whole family fit and healthy by going on a woodland walk in your local area.

You can print off copies of the Autumnwatch Spotter Guide to help you identify the plants and animals you see along the way.

See if you can find out about the history of your local woodland - did something exciting happen here once?