In Germany, one tradition is for boys to secretly plant a May tree in front of the window of the girl they love. Follow these directions and you can make a May Day tree full of colorful flowers. (Learn more about May Day traditions here.)

• Age Guideline: 3 Years and Up
• Time Required: 20 minutes (Does not include drying time)

The above age and time guidelines are estimates. This project can be modified to suit other ages and may take more or less time depending on your circumstances.


Materials Needed:

• Construction Paper
• Crayons
• Miscellaneous Craft Supplies (see suggestions below)
• Craft Glue
• Scissors

Instructions:
On the large piece of construction paper, trace your hand and forearm all the way up to your elbow. Make sure your fingers are spread apart. The tracing of your forearm will be the tree trunk and your fingers will be the branches! Color it in with brown crayons (you can also use paint or markers).

Using whatever craft supplies you have on hand, cut out leaf and flower shapes and glue them all over your tree's branches. Try some of these suggestions:

• Construction Paper
• Tissue Paper
• Cardboard
• Crepe Paper
• Wallpaper Samples
• Scrap Material
• Buttons
• Felt
• Pieces of Real Leaves and Flowers
• Anything else you can find!

You can also use paint to make the leaves. Pour a little paint on a paper plate, dip your finger in it, and then make fingerprints on the tree branches. Then you can make flowers for your tree using any of the items above.

- See a larger photo of this craft completed by Max in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Ethan in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Gabrielle in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Janelle in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Katie in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Martha in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Nathan in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Renee in MO

- See a photo of this craft completed by Sam in MO