Seeds to Trees Pocket Guide

PLT’s Seeds to Trees Pocket Guide connects children to nature through sensory experiences. It excites their imagination and curiosity about the natural world. The Pocket Guide is designed for adult leaders, educators, and families working with children ages 3–6. It includes four hands-on experiences to do with children in groups up to eight, plus preparation instructions, material and time requirements, and directions for leading each experience. The introduction provides guidance and tips for leading outdoor activities and embracing play and exploration.

The activities in this pocket guide help young learners understand forest concepts such as:

• Trees are living plants and are made of recognizable parts.
• Trees help to conserve the air, soil, water, and wildlife.
• Trees give us food, wood, paper, and other products.
• People can help trees and forests thrive by caring for them.
• Trees are a renewable resource.

Exercises in the guide work well on their own as well as collectively. Adapt the activities to meet the unique needs of the children you work with, the natural environment in your area, and the materials that you have available.

PLT is grateful to the many educators, resource professionals, and program partners who contribute to the development of our high-quality environmental education materials.

This Pocket Guide was adapted from PLT’s award-winning Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood guide, which contains 130 experiences that engage young children in outdoor play and exploration. PLT also offers a variety of professional development opportunities across the U.S., and in several other countries, for anyone who wants to engage children in learning about the environment and to learn new skills for teaching outdoors.

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