Get Ready
Suggested Supplies
Nature provides all you need for this activity, though you can also use:
- Exploration tools like a magnifying glass, phone, or camera
- A towel or blanket for sitting comfortably
- Small container for collecting nature treasures
Before You Begin
"Today we’re going to look closely at the trees in our neighborhood (or park, playground, or school yard) to see if we notice plants or animals using the trees. I want you to use your eyes, ears, and gentle hands to explore the trees for clues about plants and animals. What plants or animals do you think we will see?”
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Pick a spot to explore.
You don’t need a forest! Try your:
- Yard or schoolyard
- Neighborhood sidewalk
- Local park or trail
- Apartment courtyard or playground
If there aren’t many trees, that’s okay! Look for birds, bugs, or vines on buildings, fences, poles, or bridges. You can ask children if they notice a place where there aren’t trees and think about if a tree could thrive there. Could you plant a tree? Could you put in a request to your city to plant a tree there?
In rural areas, look out for farm animals and how they are interacting with the nature around them.
Step 2: Watch, listen, and touch safely.
Find a comfortable place to sit or stand quietly for a few minutes. Use your eyes and ears to watch and listen for movement, sounds, and surprises.
Ask:
- “Do you hear or see any animals?”
- “What do you think lives in or on this tree?”
If you brought a phone or camera, take photos or videos to remember what you saw and heard. If there are fallen objects on the ground–like leaves, twigs, or seeds–you can collect a few items to bring back with you.
Safety tip!
Only touch what is safe and leave behind anything that a plant or animal is still using (like nests).
Step 3: Look for clues left by plants and animals.
Walk slowly and pause to look closely at the trees and shrubs around you. Together, look for:
- Animals—like birds, squirrels, or insects—living in tree holes or leafy nests, climbing, eating fruits or seeds, or perching on branches.
- Animals—like cows or horses—using trees for shade from the hot sun.
- Scratch marks or holes in the bark caused by beaks, claws, or antlers.
- Droppings on the ground—look, don’t touch!
- Vines climbing up tree trunks to soak up sunlight
- Lichens growing on bark
- Mushrooms growing on dead or dying trees
- Snags or fallen trees providing homes for many animals and plants
Ask, “Who do you think left that clue?” You don’t need to name everything—just notice and wonder together.
Step 4: Reflect on what you noticed.
Share something that you had fun doing and think of ways your family or class can help care for trees.
Ask:
- “How do plants, animals, or people in our neighborhood use trees?”
- “Is there anything you noticed that you have never seen before?”
- “Do you think we need more trees in our community?”
You can even write or draw pictures to help you remember your adventure!
Children Are Working On
- Exploring and observing using their senses–touch, listening, and looking
- Asking questions and telling stories
- Investigating and making predictions
- Patience and quiet listening
- Care and curiosity about living things
Variations
- Prefer more structure? Use a scavenger hunt.
- For babies and toddlers, focus on sensory expiration like touching bark, hearing birds, or watching the leaves move in the wind.
- For older children, add in drawing, writing, or storytelling.
- Do it fast! If you only have 5-10 minutes, focus on one tree and look for one or two clues.
- Make it a habit by visiting the same tree every day or week. What changes from season to season?
More to Explore
Word Bank
- Habitat - The place where a plant or animal finds all the things it needs to survive, including food, water, and shelter.
- Drey - a squirrel’s nest, usually a clump of twigs in a tree.
- Leaf litter – Fallen leaves, twigs, and other plant material on the ground under trees.
- Snag - A standing dead tree that provides a home or food for wildlife.
Background Information
- Trees are entire neighborhoods for animals, fungi, insects, and even other plants.
- Lichens grow on trees, but don’t hurt them. They are a mix of fungus and algae and help clean the air.
- Mushrooms help break down dead trees and return nutrients to the soil.
- Dead or fallen trees–snags–have value! Many creatures use them as shelter.
- Trees offer many benefits to people. They clean the air, offer shade, keep our neighborhoods cool, and provide beauty and enjoyment.
Reading Connections
Even More
- Family, Friends, & Forests: Find out what animals live in your state’s forests.
- Do Your Part: Make a “bug hotel” to provide shelter for beneficial insects.
- Career Exploration: Invite children to explore a green job that involves animal habitats, such as BIOLOGIST. Biologists are scientists who study living things. Practice being a biologist by observing animals and writing or drawing what you see.
Emily Van Laan
Emily Van Laan
Exploring the Neighbor-wood
Download a one-page version of the activity. The download includes a list of materials, shortened steps, what children are working on, and a suggestion for adapting or expanding the activity.