Family Apple Tree

9/29/2015

It's apple-picking season, so I was inspired to create an activity involving family AND apple trees. This is the Family Apple Tree. Here are the materials I used:

Computer with Internet connection and color printer
3/8" self-adhesive Velcro dots
Scissors
Glue stick
Small family member headshot photos
Laminator (optional)

Do you know about OpenClipArt.org? It's a simple website on which graphic artists upload all sorts of clip art images and they are completely free to download and use, even for commercial purposes, without attribution necessary. On this website, I found simple tree and apple images to use for this activity. I downloaded them and printed them out on my home computer. I made the tree image take up most of an 8.5x11" paper, but then scaled the apple image down much smaller so that I could get a bunch of apples to fit on the tree.

I cut out the tree and each little apple. Then I went to my file of family member headshot photos and scaled them so that they would fit on the apples. I glued them on with a glue stick.

Then I heated up my laminator and laminated the tree and all the apples. This part is optional, but it will make the set more durable, especially if you plan on having a younger toddler or preschooler use it regularly. (Before I laminated the tree, I put another layer of cardstock behind it to make it a little less flimsy.)

After I had trimmed off the excess laminating plastic, I stuck a 3/8" Velcro dot on each apple, and then the corresponding other dot on the tree itself.

One Velcro dot on the tree, another on the apple.

And that's it! This tree that I made is only my husband's immediate family: His parents, siblings, their spouses, and all the grandkids. You could make one for each side of your family. This is a perfect activity for toddlers and preschoolers, to help them better learn and recognize extended family members. It's a great 'busy-bag' activity to keep in your purse or in the car for when you know you might be waiting around awhile (doctor's office). And, it helps young children practice fine motor skills!