How to Make a Family Tree Twig Craft

A family tree twig craft is the perfect project to teach children about their roots and family background. By helping your child complete this easy craft, you can also include stories about relatives as you place their leaves up on the tree. You only need a few common materials to complete this fascinating craft, and it is a great school project, or just a lazy day activity.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Twig or small stick with many branches
• Clay
• Hole puncher
• Green pipe cleaners
• Green construction paper
• Black marker
• Paper cup

1. Place a small block of clay in the bottom of the paper cup; press it down firmly to secure it.

2. Insert the bottom of your twig or stick into the clay in the bottom of the paper cup.

3. Cut out one leaf shape from the green construction paper for each member of the family you wish to include on your family tree. You want to make the leaves big enough for the names to be written on, and if you want to add pictures to the leaves, then make them large enough to hold the photos.

4. Using a black marker, write the names of the family members onto the leaves. Put one name on each leaf, and try to include the relationship of the person whose name you are writing, such as "Aunt."

5. Make a hole in the bottom of each leaf using the hole puncher.

6. Put a green pipe cleaner through the hole in the bottom of each leaf.

7. Attach each leaf to the stick or twig by wrapping the pipe cleaners around the branches. Have the younger people at the top and the older at the bottom. Your craft will now be finished, but your children can continue to decorate the stick or twig with ribbons, or the paper cup with markers, crayons or other objects.

Tips & Warnings

• Tell your child a story about relatives as you make their leaves or as you tie them on the tree.
• Let your child decorate the tree or paper cup to give it a more personal effect.
• Supervise children when they use scissors.