The Wonder of Trees

"Between every two pines is 

a doorway to a new world."

John Muir

 

"Look at me!" Kyle called as he stood on his tiptoes.  "I can reach so high. If I jump I can reach even higher!"

"That's nothing. I bet I can reach higher," Asher responded.

"Ok, let's see you do it!" Kyle laughed. "I can reach this high." He jumped and slapped a spot on the tree.

Asher copied the movements, jumping and tapping the tree in a different place.

"Who was higher?" they called to me.

"I'm not sure," I answered. "It's hard to tell where you each touched and compare the spots. You'll have to think of a way to mark and measure to be accurate."

Harper had been standing next to me watching the boys. 

"I know," she said. "What if you each hold a piece of chalk in your hand. When you jump you can touch the tree and leave a mark."

"Oh good idea!" I answered. "And we can check our wonder wagon to see if we have any tools that measure."

"Like a measuring stick!" Harper answered.

Spending time outside in nature each day is important for children's growth and development. There is a misconception that a robust outdoor program needs numerous tools and materials in order to be successful. However in my practice I have found that often the best inquiries spark from examining and exploring natural elements in our play yard. One of the most intriguing artifacts that children love to explore is a tree. Trees are usually easy to find, diverse, and offer endless possibilities for child-centred inquiry. Responding to children's observations and wonderings about trees can inspire rich math, literacy and science work. 

Interested in exploring the trees in your surroundings with children? Here are some ideas for getting started. 

Tell stories about the interesting markings you find on trees.  Children love to hypothesize about unique things. Ask children to imagine how a spot ended upon a tree, or look for the math within the markings (here the knot on the tree appears to be made from concentric circles).

Explore the different textures you feel on trees. Many children are sensory learners who enjoy exploring their surroundings through touch. Encourage children to feel different parts of a tree (e.g., bark, leaves, blossoms) and describe what they feel. Sensations can be categorized and sorted (e.g., making a pile of smooth leaves).

Research the different objects that grow on trees. The life cycle of trees often results in the creation of flowers and fruit. This growth pattern can be observed and tracked over time.

Inquire about what living things make their homes in trees. Each area is unique with specific animals and insects using trees as shelters. Nests can be observed and described (e.g., a robin's nest is perfectly circular). Children can be encouraged to draw pictures detailing what they see.

Hypothesize the age of a tree using different clues. The rings on a stump can help determine the age of a tree as well as its type and size. Look for stumps and ask children to count as many of the concentric circles as they can see. They can estimate the age of the tree. If a tree is still standing children can estimate how tall or old it might be.

Build gross motor skills and perseverance by climbing trees. Building resiliency, grit and perseverance helps children in all aspects of their learning. Climbing trees encourages these skills as well as being a great physical experience that many children enjoy.

Investigate how trees change over time by exploring decomposition. Logs left over time provide a wonderful opportunity for children to become curious about how it has transitioned from tree to rotting wood. Many insects make their homes in and under logs. Ask children to tell stories about what they think might have happened to fell the tree, or investigate who has been using it as shelter.

Search for clues on the tree to guess who might have visited before you. Holes in the bark can tell stories of what animals have been searching for food in the bark, or using the tree as shelter. Children can observe bark for changes over time and conduct research.

Ponder why some trees stay green all year while others lose their leaves. Coniferous trees do not usually drop their needles. Ask children to describe and categorize the trees in the yard or neighbourhood, and observe them over the course of several weeks or months.

Use materials gathered from the tree as loose parts for imaginative play. Pinecones, twigs, leaves, needles and acorns are great manipulatives for math or creative work outdoors. These can be collected from the yard or donated by families, adding variety and interest to process-based play.

Measure, record and compare the sizes and shapes of different trees. Find the largest or smallest tree in your area and challenge children to find different ways to measure the trunk's circumference. Keep track of the measurements by recording them in a nature notebook or chart paper.

These suggestions are just a starting point for using trees as the basis for rich inquiry during outdoor learning. Listening to the observations and wonderings of children can spark amazing projects. Children often have the best ideas!

Risky Play Inspired Math

"This stump is kind of wobbly. The first two are strong but when I step on the last one it wiggles when I stand on it." 

"I'm a little nervous to step on it. I'm not sure if it will tip, but I want to try and see if I can do it."

 

"Watch me! This stump is so tall that it helps me go super high when I jump off."

 

"I'm the tallest in our class when I stand on the big stump. I'm even taller than Mrs. McLennan!" 

The children were playing outside. I was fascinated as I watched them bravely climb onto different sizes of stumps lined in a row. The first two were solid and level but the last was visibly uneven. As children stepped onto it, it teetered and moved under their weight. Because it was much taller than the other two stumps, it was difficult for children to step onto, making it a challenging physical feat. Children lined up and attempted to balance on the uneven stump, jumping higher and farther from it with each subsequent attempt. By the end of our outdoor play time there was a line up of children waiting patiently for their turn - each eager to see if they could outperform their last big jump. 

Risky play, like climbing and jumping off stumps, is incredibly important for children. They feel empowered as they engage in difficult tasks, building their physical and mental endurance. Children persevere through difficulties, building their grit and stamina and feeling untouchable in their moments of triumph. When children are successful in risky tasks, they take pride in their achievements and feel unstoppable. They feel inspired to tackle new opportunities and go further in their explorations. This helps build their confidence and sense of self. They feel like they can do anything!

As a big believer in risky play I recognize the many personal and social opportunities for learning that exist in challenging activities. However watching the children explore the stumps, I recognized that risky play also provides multiple opportunities for authentic and engaging math learning. Children are often eager to mathematize their achievements by calculating how fast, how far, or how high they have moved. As the children climbed and jumped, they were discussing balance, height, length, and time. They counted how many children were in line for a turn and discussed their place within it. They created a system for measuring the height and distance of each person's jump, and tracked these to compare growth. They strategized for how to improve their performance and planned for creating a more difficult obstacle course using additional stumps for future outdoor play times. A simple natural object like the stump created opportunities for rich STEM learning that were highly motivating and meaningful for the children. The math they explored was child-centred and authentic, and deeply connected to their immediate world. 

It's easy to understand why educators (and families) shy away from risky play. We worry about children getting hurt and the consequences of these actions, especially in a playground or school setting. But depriving children of risky play sends the message to children that they might not be capable of achieving a goal. They may misinterpret our fear of the experience as a mistrust of their abilities. These hidden messages may result in children wondering about their own interests, strengths and needs, and fearful of taking other risks in their lives at school and beyond.

Encouraging and supporting risky play sends the message to children that as adults we trust and support them in difficult tasks. We acknowledge that they might be nervous or apprehensive to try something new, but let them know we are here to help them through the experience. Children develop a growth mindset and embrace mistakes and missteps as learning opportunities when they overcome an obstacle. 

Co-creating shared understandings and expectations for children regarding the play is a great way to get started. Have an honest conversation with children about the benefits and risks of the activities, and brainstorm how to keep everyone safe throughout the explorations. As children gain experience in the activity they can add ideas to the overall expectations for play. Encouraging sharing afterwards can help children articulate how the risky play went - what worked well, what needs to be improved, and what can be done differently in the future.

 

Over the course of several days the children continued to play with the stumps. As I observed them I continued to notice math emerge in their work. Joining as a play partner helped me notice and name the math I saw, and scaffold and support their inquiries. I'm curious to see how their obstacle courses continue to evolve as we enjoy the lovely fall weather and spend more time together outside.