Sticky Tree Walk

from 16 months · 15-20 min · Gross motor

What you need

Cut a simple tree shape from the cardboard and cut a big hole where the leafy top should be.
Tape a piece of sticky-back plastic over the hole with the sticky side facing the front.
Take the tree outside on a walk and let your toddler carry it.
Each time they find a fallen leaf, help them press it onto the sticky part.
Name the colours as the tree fills up, and hang it on the fridge when you get back.

Every leaf they find has somewhere to go, so a walk turns into a hunt with a picture at the end.

Bending and picking up: Squatting to grab a leaf and standing back up is good work for legs and balance.
Pressing on: Pressing each leaf flat onto the sticky part takes a careful hand.
Noticing colours: Autumn leaves come in lots of colours, which gives you plenty to name.

Watch which leaves they choose. Some toddlers go for the biggest, some for the brightest, and some want every single one.

Dry leaves stick best. Keep the sticky side away from their hair and give it a quick press once you are home so the leaves stay on.

Easier: stay in the garden and put a few leaves on the ground for them to find

Harder: look for leaves in one colour at a time: a red one, then a yellow one, then a brown one