By Lucy Corkhill
16th November 2015
The National Tree Week website lists the events on a handy map, and you can register your own there. Events don’t need to be on a grand scale, but encouraging people to come together to plant trees is a great way to teach youngsters about the ‘lungs of the earth’ and get some fresh air and exercise.
If you don’t get along to an event, you can still participate. Consider planting a tree in your own garden or yard: there are so many different types of tree you will be able to find one that will flourish whatever the conditions. The Tree Council offers helpful advice on when, where and how to plant trees, plus information about buying them.
Trees are vital for our children’s future. In a year, one acre of trees provides enough oxygen for eighteen people. They provide shelter and food for a vast array of wildlife. Trees also protect against global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide: in a year, one acre of trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced by driving a car 26,000 miles. But our connection to trees runs deeper than that; trees feature in the stories of many religions and trees can provide us with a deep sense of spiritual peace. Planting a tree is a gift to your children and your children’s children and on and on for generations to come.
Get your children involved in choosing a tree to plant. As trees have such an important role to play in life on earth, discovering more about them sets off a journey of discovery through an array of subjects from biology to history. Learning about trees helps children understand about the interconnectedness of all life. Whilst you are planting your tree, here are ten ways for kids to enjoy and celebrate the trees in your locality:
1. Make a bark rubbing 2. Create leaf prints 3. Collect seeds 4. See how many handspans it takes to circumvent a tree trunk 5. Count the rings on a tree stump 6. Find a fallen branch and make a walking stick 7. Whittle a stick into a animal 8. Make a wreath from fallen fir branches 9. Use a sketch of a local tree to create a family tree 10. See how many creatures you can find on a tree.
