How to Make a Lifesize Tree Out of Butcher Paper

Butcher paper comes in a variety of widths.

Brown colored butcher paper is an ideal material for many crafts, but most of all for making a life-size tree. Life-size trees can be used for a variety of educational and social projects, from decorating a classroom bulletin board, to providing a visual aid for teaching plant science, or as a party decoration. Choose brown butcher paper over other colors to match the brown bark of a real tree trunk.

Things You'll Need

• Brown butcher paper
• Scissors
• Masking tape
• Adult helper
• Pencil
• Stapler or double-sided tape
• Green tempura paint
• Craft paintbrush

Instructions

1. Cut off a 8-foot piece of brown butcher paper. Cut from a roll that is at least 20 inches wide.

2. Tape the paper vertically against a wall with masking tape; masking tape is easier to remove from paper than other types of tape.

3. 

   Your tree has a thick trunk and two large branches.

   Instruct an adult to stand in front of the paper facing forward with his arms stretched upwards like a tree trunk with branches. Trace the adult with a pencil onto the butcher paper. Include the stretched up arms in the tracing.

4. Cut out the tracing with scissors. Staple the tree trunk to a bulletin board or use double-sided tape to secure it to a large wall.

5. Cut out 100 oval-shaped leaves, approximately 6 inches long each, from the butcher paper, and paint them green with tempura paint using a craft paintbrush. Tape or staple the leaves to the top of the tree's branches. Form a rounded treetop shape with all the leaves.

Tips & Warnings

• The butcher paper can be painted green first and then torn and crumbled for leaves.

• Trace the hands of all the students to form the leaves and experiment with different colors for the leaves.

• Use a real tree species as a reference to your life-size tree.