Bug Catcher
Mirror
Magnify Glass
Globe
Artificial Bugs
Artificial Worms
Butterfly Net
Birds Nest
Nature Books
Gardening Gloves
Nature Pictures (old calendar pictures)
Bird Identifier
Bee Hive (empty)
Fossils
Wasp Nest (empty)
Artificial Flowers
Artificial Animals
Colored Sand
Twigs
Leaves
Mud
Pine Cones
Sea Shells
Rocks (place in empty water bottle and hot glue lid)
Sensory Box
Camouflage material
1.What do trees give us? Have you used anything that came from trees today? (Pencils, eat fruit?, paper)
2. How are tree products alike and different?
3.What do you like most about trees?
4. What animals use trees as their habitat / home?
5. How do plants grow? What do they need to grow?
Extension – on a nature walk look of new plant growth. While examining samples, ask what factors are necessary for plants to grow (sunlight, water, soil, space).
6. What is a Tree Lifecycle?
Trees have a lifecycle that includes birth, growth, injury and disease, aging, and
death. The next time you are in the presence of trees, ask children to identify
the various stages of a tree’s life.
• Are trees alive? How do you know?
• How are trees born? Do they die?
• How does a tree’s life compare to the life of a person?
• Can you find a young tree? An adult tree? An elderly tree? A dead tree?
7. Chart plant growth.
8. What are differences of night time and day time? Advanced language: nocturnal
1. Nature Collage
2. Paint with twigs
3. Discuss the life cycle of a plant. Make these into play dough shapes.
4. Dig in the sand table and classify objects under categories.
5. Nature sensory box. Guess what is inside the sensory box without looking, using sense of touch.
6. Classify nocturnal and day time animals.
7. Sequencing – sequence pictures of daytime routines.
1. At Night It Is Dark
(to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
At night, it is dark.
At night, it is dark.
The sun has gone, the moon has come.
At night, it is dark.
I can see the stars.
I can see the stars.
They twinkle softly in the sky.
I can see the stars
Owls are awake.
Owls are awake.
They are busy in the night.
Owls are awake.
Raccoons are awake.
Raccoons are awake.
They are looking for some food.
Raccoons are awake.
Bats are awake.
Bats are awake.
They flying here and flying there.
Bats are awake.
Fireflies are awake.
Fireflies are awake.
Their little lights go on and off.
Fireflies are awake.
Opossums are awake.
Opossums are awake.
They hang from trees by their tails.
Opossums are awake.
I’m getting very sleepy.
I’m getting very sleepy.
I don’t need to be awake.
I’m getting very sleepy.
Goodnight, moon and stars.
Goodnight, moon and stars.
I’ll see you tomorrow night.
Goodnight, moon and stars.
2. Worms
By Jackie Silberg
Worms, worms,
Worms crawling on the ground.
Worms, worms,
Worms crawling all around.
Fat worms, thin worms,
Wiggling, wiggling.
Short worms, long worms,
Squiggling, squiggling.
Worms, worms,
Worms crawling in the ground.
Worms, worms,
Worms crawling all around.
If I was a wiggle, wiggle worm
I would wiggle like this! [Wiggle like a worm]
3. Mud, Mud!
Mud, Mud, Mud Is Fun
(To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Mud, mud, mud is fun
Watch us stir it up
Round and round and round and round
Mud is fun to make.
Mud, mud, mud is fun
Listen to it squish
Through our fingers, round our toes
Squish is how it goes.
4. Tree Song
Sung to Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots (and roots)
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots (and roots)
Trees are important to you and to me
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots (and roots)
Movements: Hands and fingers are the leaves – wiggle high in the air
Move arms straight out for the branches
Touch upper body with hands when saying “trunk”
Touch legs when saying “roots”
(bend down again and touch legs again
when saying “and roots”)
5. Hi-ho The Oak Tree Grows
(Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
The acorn’s on the tree
The acorn’s on the tree
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The acorn’s on the tree
The acorn falls kerplop
The acorn falls kerplop
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The acorn falls kerplop
The squirrel plants the seed
The squirrel plants the seed
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The squirrel plants the seed
The rain comes gently down
The rain comes gently down
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The rain comes gently down
The sun begins to shine
The sun begins to shine
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The sun begins to shine
The seedling grows two leaves
The seedling grows two leaves
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The seedling grows two leaves
The sapling grows so tall
The sapling grows so tall
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The sapling grows so tall
The tree stands big and strong
The tree stands big and strong
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The tree stands big and strong
Its flower blooms in the spring
Its flower blooms in the spring
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
Its flower blooms in the spring
The acorn’s on the tree
The acorn’s on the tree
Hi-ho the oak tree grows
The acorn’s on the tree
1. Five Nocturnal Animals
Five nocturnal animals.
Sitting by the door.
The firefly flashed away.
And then there were four.
Four nocturnal animals.
Sitting by the tree.
The beaver started gnawing.
Then there were three.
Three nocturnal animals.
Sat on tractor new.
Bat hung upside down.
Then there were two.
Two nocturnal animals.
Looking for some fun.
Hungry owl caught a mouse.
Then there was one.
One nocturnal animal.
Watching for the sun.
Raccoon went home to bed.
Then there was none.
2. Five Little Raccoons
One little raccoon looking for things to do,
Along came another and then there were two.
Two curious raccoons trying so hard to see,
Along came another and then there were three.
Three clever raccoons trying to open the door,
Along came another and then there were four.
Four happy raccoons glad to be alive,
Along came another and then there were five.
Five little raccoons as tired as can be,
Looked up for a place to rest and scurried up the tree.
3. Night Time Animal Chant
Raccoon, Raccoon, what do you see?
“I see ripe berries ready for me.”
Barred Owl, Barred Owl, what do you see?
“I see little mice ready for me.”
Striped Skunk, Striped Skunk, what do you see?
“I see juicy insects ready for me.”
Little Mouse, Little Mouse, what do you see?
“I see lots of seeds ready for me.”
Pretty Moth, Pretty Moth, what do you see?
“I see some flowers ready for me.”
Busy Beaver, Busy Beaver, what do you see?
“I see tasty trees ready for me.”
Mother Opossum, Mother Opossum what do you see?
“I see some mushrooms ready for me.”
Firefly, Firefly what do you see?
“I see some worms waiting for me.”
Brown Bat, Brown Bat, what do you see?
“I see mosquitoes ready for me.”
Mosquito, Mosquito, what do you see?
“I see some children ready for me.”
4. My Friend Tree
My friend tree, my friend tree
Roots on you are like feet on me.
My friend tree, my friend tree
Trunk on you is like trunk on me.
My friend tree, my friend tree
Bark on you is like skin on me.
My friend tree, my friend tree
Branches on you are like arms on me.
My friend tree, my friend tree
Leaves on you are like hands on me.
1. Nature Walk Bracelets – place masking tape (loosely) around the child’s wrist and let them place their findings on the bracelet.
2. Shadow Tracing
3. Mud Pies
4. How old is this tree?
One way to learn about tree growth is to look at annual rings. Tree rings show patterns of change in a tree’s life as well as changes in the area where it grows. In this activity, you can trace environmental and historical changes using a cross section of a tree, or “tree cookie.”
5. Ring Around The Tree – like Ring Around the Rosie
(Sung to Ring Around the Rosie)
Ring around the trees
Pretty autumn trees
Red leaves, orange leaves
They all fall down
Encourage children to participate in a nature scavenger hunt. In advance, go around the playground and take pictures of things you find such as dandelions, ladybugs, different types of grass, leaves, worms, etc. Print off several sets of the pictures, shrinking them down to small squares. Tape the sets of pictures onto several containers like the plastic bug boxes you have in the science center. The children can gather the items individually or as a team. Encourage the children to tell you where they might need to look for the items and why. You can give the children hints like “one time when I was going fishing, I needed some worms and I had to dig them up”.
1. Nature Treasure Hunt
Bring nature indoors! This activity can be done anytime during the day to get children moving in different ways. Collect objects from nature on your own, or let children help you as you take a nature walk together outside. Hide the objects around the room. Then let the children know it's time for a "Treasure Hunt". Together reach high, bend low, and search above, under, around, and through the space to find treasures from above, under, around, and through the space to find treasures from nature.
2. Jump the River
Make 2 parallel lines on the ground about 12 inches apart using chalk or masking tape. This is the river. Extend your arms behind your back and bend your knees. Swing your arms forward and take off with both feet. Land on both feet at the same time. Ask children to practice with you a few times. Ask children to stand on one side of the line and try to jump over the river without getting their feet wet. Have children jump 10 times back and forth across the river, counting each jump aloud. Older children can count to a higher number.
3. Do some outdoor chores as a family. Reach, pull. push and bend.
4. Nature Locomotion
Ask your child to go for a walk. Decide together on a destination. Walk to your first stop. When you get there, look for something in nature (a bug, and animal, a flower, a tree, a bird, etc.) Choose a movement and another destination (gallop to the mailbox, skip to the big oak tree). Repeat.