Back To School Apple Trees

Lilly and one of her BFF's, Jo Jo, started back to preschool this week. They are in the same 3 year old class this year. Jo Jo came over to spend some time with us this week so I thought I would come up with a project for the girls to do to celebrate going back to school. I came up with a recycled apple tree. The project is made of a cereal box, paper towel rolls and red tissue paper left over from a Christmas gift...yes, I save everything :) Here's how we made 'em: First, I cut apart a cereal box and flattened it out. Then, I used a sharpie to draw tree tops and cut them out for the girls (of course older children could cut their own)

The girls painted the tree tops green. Next, I cut 2 inch slits at the tops and bottoms of the paper towel roll on both sides of the roll. Then they painted the "trunks" brown.

I set the tree top and trunk aside to dry.

Next, I cut small squares of tissue paper and the girls bunched the up into little "apples". After the tree tops are dry, glue on the "apples".

Finally, I cut a 4"x2" rectangle out of the cereal box scraps to use at the base of the trunk for stability.

Slide the tree tops into the slits at the top of the "trunk" and slide the rectangle into the bottom slits. That's it! I think they are so colorful and fun!