Tree Dressing Day | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with Tree Dressing Day. Tree Dressing Day is an annual UK observance, typically held on the first weekend of December, though it can be celebrated at any time. It was initiated by Common Ground in 1990, alongside Apple Day, to celebrate trees and their importance in our lives and landscapes. It encourages communities to honour trees through art, ritual, and celebration. For official information and to learn more about this celebration, please consult the Common Ground website (www.commonground.org.uk/tree-dressing-day).

Understanding Tree Dressing Day in EYFS & KS1

Let's celebrate our leafy friends! 🌳✨ Tree Dressing Day is an annual UK observance, typically held on the first weekend of December, though its spirit can be embraced at any time. Initiated by the charity Common Ground in 1990 (the same organisation behind Apple Day), it is a celebration dedicated to trees and their vital importance in our lives and landscapes. It encourages communities to honour trees through a blend of art, ritual, and celebration, highlighting their beauty, ecological value, and the deep cultural connections we have with them. People often decorate trees with natural materials, ribbons, or lights, giving thanks for what trees provide.

For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides a wonderfully creative and nature-focused theme for exploring nature, seasons (winter/autumn), environmental awareness, art, and community. It's about fostering a connection with the natural world, understanding the role trees play, and expressing appreciation through hands-on activities. This day offers fantastic planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about ecology and creative expression both meaningful and beautiful.

Why Is Teaching About Trees & Nature Important for Young Children?

Integrating lessons about trees and nature into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) can help in fostering their understanding of the natural world, promoting environmental stewardship, and supporting holistic development.

• Environmental Awareness: Helps children understand the vital role trees play in our ecosystem (producing oxygen, providing habitat, preventing erosion).

• Connection to Nature: Fosters a love and appreciation for the natural world, encouraging outdoor exploration and imaginative play.

• Seasonal Changes: Trees visibly change with the seasons, offering a tangible way to teach children about autumn/fall and winter, and the cycle of life.

• Sensory Exploration: Engaging with trees (touching bark, smelling leaves, listening to rustling) provides rich sensory experiences.

• Creativity & Art: Trees provide natural inspiration and materials for art and craft activities, encouraging imaginative and expressive design.

• Physical Development: Outdoor exploration around trees encourages climbing, balancing, and running, supporting gross motor skills.

Engaging Tree Dressing Day Activities for Tree Dressing Day (0-7 Year Olds)

Make Tree Dressing Day a truly magical and nature-filled experience with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on appreciating trees, decorating them with care, and celebrating their importance! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by adapting some of our festive-themed printable resources to a broader "tree decoration" context.

Here's some inspiration for celebrating trees in your setting: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

• Decorate a Tree: Find a tree in your outdoor area or a local park (with permission!) and encourage children to decorate it with natural materials they find (leaves, pinecones, berries, ribbons, yarn, or handmade decorations). Emphasise the respectful treatment of the tree.

• Handmade Tree Decorations: Create decorations that can be hung on a tree. Fingerpainting on a tree shaped cut-out for example.

• Tree Art & Craft: Provide paper and art supplies for children to draw or paint their favourite trees. Use our 'Christmas Cut, Stick And Decorate Tree Activity’ and 'Christmas Design Sheets' as templates for designing general tree decorations or abstract tree art.

• Tree Rubbings: Use paper and crayons to make bark rubbings from different trees, observing their unique textures.

• Tree Story Time: Read books about trees, forests, or the changing seasons. Discuss what trees provide for us (shade, fruit, wood, homes for animals).

• Sensory Tree Exploration: Blindfold children (or have them close their eyes) and guide them to feel different trees, describing the bark, branches, and leaves.

• Building with Natural Materials: Provide sticks, twigs, leaves, and other natural "loose parts" for children to build their own miniature trees or tree houses.

• Thank You Notes for Trees: Encourage children to draw or write short "thank you" notes to trees for all they do. These could be tied gently to a tree with biodegradable string.

• Sing Tree Songs: Sing songs about trees, nature, or growing.

These activities offer great inspiration for making Tree Dressing Day a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering environmental awareness, creativity, sensory exploration, and a deep connection to the natural world.

To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.

Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘Tree Dressing Day’

Additional ‘Christmas’ printable resources for EYFS & KS1

Please visit our ‘Christmas’ page to browse our entire collection of educational materials on this theme.

Please visit our ‘Christmas’ page to browse our entire collection of educational materials on this theme.

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes

More Early Years Event Pages for December

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

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Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'Tree Dressing Day'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by Common Ground, which initiated this observance. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this event. For official information and to learn more about the campaign, please visit their website at www.commonground.org.uk.