Plan and Play
Developed in collaboration with Project Learning Tree® (PLT) and a team of expert advisors, these activities are adapted from PLT’s Trees & Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children.

Each activity includes step-by-step guidance, video support, learning outcomes, variations, and more.
Theo Family - looking and pointing at forest
Exploring the Neighbor-wood
Explore a nearby outdoor space to look for signs of how trees are used by plants and animals.
small preschool group listening to book
Sounds All Around
Take a walk—or find a quiet place to sit—and listen to the sounds of nature.
group touching lambs ear plant
Texture Detectives
Explore natural materials with your sense of touch and practice using descriptive words.
children gathering around the garden
Gifts of Green
Take a slow, mindful walk through nature and use your senses to notice trees, animals, plants, and other natural elements.
girls showing off binoculars
Seek & Find
Children build simple binoculars then head outside to search for hidden animals or natural treasures.
young child with armful of pinecones
More from Project Learning Tree®
Activities and resources to engage children in learning about the environment through the lens of trees and forests.

Fast & Fun Outdoor Learning

Explore activities for young children that can be done in a short amount of time, wherever you live and learn. Each activity connects to children's development, so you can see the learning in action.

Filter All Activities
preschool child showing off leaf art
Activities
preschooler pointing at stop sign

I Spy

Take the alphabet game outdoors, searching for letters and sounds on signs and buildings, wandering and winding your way from A to Z!
planting seeds in a bag

Bean Scene

Observe a seed over days and weeks, watching how sunshine and water nourish it into a tiny sprout. 
ice melt tray with animal figurines

Temperature Tray

Let your baby explore a tray of textures and temperatures while you narrate the fun, building their senses, vocabulary, and curiosity one surprise at a time!
mom and baby looking at tree in winter

Outdoor Overture

Step outside and share in the magic of nature—talking or singing about birds, trees, and the breeze helps your baby connect words with the world, sparking wonder, bonding, and early language skills.
outdoor book nook

Outdoor Reading Nook

Spark curiosity and journey to lands near and far with a cozy outdoor reading nook that turns storytime into an adventure that builds a lifelong love of reading.
playing with dinosaurs on the picnic table

Inside Outside

Take a few indoor toys like costumes, kitchen utensils, or trucks, to the backyard for pretend play that sparks imagination, conversation, and new ways to play with familiar favorites.
preschooler drawing with stick in sand

Nature's Canvas

Sticks and stones become pencils and every patch of dirt, sand, and snow becomes a canvas for nature-made letters, shapes, and designs---a playful way to build early literacy skills.
child looking through upside down binoculars

Backyard Birding

Grab a bird guide or app and head outside—spotting and naming feathered friends in your neighborhood turns everyday walks into exciting adventures in observation, discovery, and scientific thinking.