Activity Instruction Page
Tree Top Hop
- Activity Type: Hands-On Activity
- Theme: Season: Fall, Squirrels & Acorns, Woodland Forest Animals
- Learning Center: Physical Development & Health
Embark on a tree-top adventure! Watch as little ones leap from tree to tree, developing gross motor skills, balance, and coordination in a fun and imaginative way.
Materials & Direction
Materials List:
– Green felt or paper for leaves
– Brown construction paper or cardstock for tree trunks
– Scissors
– Tape or glue
Preschool Learning Objectives:
1. Develop gross motor skills by hopping from tree to tree.
2. Enhance balance and coordination through physical activity.
3. Foster imaginative play by pretending to be animals in a tree-top adventure.
Preschool Teacher Instructions:
1. Cut out several large leaf shapes from the green felt or paper to represent tree leaves. You can make them in different sizes for variety.
2. Cut out tree trunk shapes from the brown construction paper or cardstock. Make sure they are stable enough for preschoolers to hop on.
3. Place the tree trunks on the floor, spacing them out enough for children to hop from one to the next.
4. Encourage the children to pretend to be animals (e.g. monkeys, squirrels) as they hop from tree to tree.
5. Provide guidance and support to children who may need help with balance and coordination.
6. For differentiated instruction, you can vary the distance between the tree trunks or create different levels of difficulty by adding obstacles or challenges for the children to navigate while hopping.
7. Encourage children to use their imaginations and create stories as they move from tree to tree.
8. Follow up the activity with a group discussion about the animals they pretended to be and how they felt hopping from tree to tree.
