Love Tree

Materials required:

• Paint (markers can be used, but paint is better)
• Pen or pencil
• White paper

Every child is unique, and so is what they love!  Help children build their very own ‘love tree’ in this fun activity.  Children can work alone or with help depending on age and ability.

Trace the child’s hand and arm onto a sheet or white paper using the pencil or pen.  Their arm will be the trunk, and their fingers are the branches.  They can paint (or colour) the trunk and branches however they wish.

Then, using the paint, children daub their fingers with colour and press fingerprint ‘leaves’ onto the page.  Encourage children to experiment by mixing paint colours, if possible – for example, begin with the primary colours (red, yellow, blue) and mix to create orange (red + yellow), green (yellow + blue), purple (blue + red), etc.  Every tree will be colourful and different!

Once trees are dry, children can label each branch with the name of something or someone they love.  (If branches are too dark to write on, children can write or draw on paper and glue/tape it to the painting.)

Learning Outcomes

Social and Emotional Development

Understanding relationships: Children learn the dynamics of forming healthy relationships with others.