The weather is getting better, and it’s a great time to immerse children in Nature. Just being around trees has been known to be beneficial to our mental and physical well-being. Your kids likely love climbing trees, but would they be able to identify or name them?
Click start to play today’s Crossword, where we learn to explore our ‘world’ with an informed perspective.
A 2021 study by the University College London, of 3,568 children aged between 9 and 15, found that just being in the presence of trees improves cognitive development and reduces the risk of emotional and behavioural problems.
According to an April 2022 report in the National Geographic, when children are observant and learn how to identify trees, they begin to care more about their natural environment. Here are a few ways to turn them into little detectives, based on the National Geographic report, so children can discover the world around them:
1. Look for the leaves
Plenty of trees have unusually shaped leaves that give you insight into its species. Do the leaves have long needles, five prongs or something else? Identifying leaves is the perfect start to learning about different kinds of trees.
2. Follow your nose
Some trees have distinctive smells – just break a twig and sniff. Tulip poplar trees, for instance, have a spicy smell, and the fruit of ginkgos can have you retching.
3. Trust your touch
The ridges of tree bark can give you clues as to its species. White ash bark, for instance, has vertical ridges that intersect, while pine or spruce trees in some countries feature bark that looks like scales.
4. Observe the shape
Step back and observe the tree’s entire shape. Pyramid oaks, Lombardy poplars and other trees grow in long, tall columns. Other trees have pyramid shapes, or are distinctively round.
5. Get tree tech
It might feel like cheating, but there are plenty of apps that help you identify trees through a series of yes-or-no questions. Such apps promote observation skills and let you identify trees without technology. Other apps allow you to take pictures of the tree and its bark, so you can log the different kinds of trees you’ve spotted.
Do you try to identify trees when you’re outdoors? Play today’s Crossword and let us know at games@gulfnews.com.
