During this season of doing too much, “The Night Tree” by Eve Bunting is a lovely story about slowing down for a minute and enjoying a simple holiday tradition. The story begins when a family bundles into a truck and drives to the quiet of the woods to decorate “their” tree for the forest animals. They put up strings of popcorn; they hang fruits and millet balls. After enjoying hot chocolate and singing, they leave the tree behind for the forest animals until next year.
In our Falmouth, MA nursery school we use this quiet story to help calm the craziness of the holiday season. After reading the story several times, our students love this idea and we then pick out the best tree for decorating on the play ground.
We make low cost treats to hang on the tree. Nursery school aged children can string cheerios on pipe cleaners or spread peanut butter with plastic knives on bagels, toast or apples rings and dip them in birdseed. Use cream cheese if you have peanut allergies in your home/class. We are lucky enough to have the local bagel shop or supermarket donate day old bread products to use.
Our nursery school students  are awed when they see the birds (crows in our case) and squirrels foraging around their tree eating the offerings.
Enjoy this project!