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Printable scenes provide a cheap and easy way to provide kids with a quick craft or promote open-ended play.  Play scenes are so versatle and easily fold up for travel.  Because I love play mats so much, I created my own tree branch scene, and you can download the PDF for free.

Here are some ideas as to how you can use this scene with kids to strengthen fine motor skills, inspire creativity and keep them busy while you get work done.

As you can see in my picture, we used owl stickers that I purchased at the dollar store.  My little one is very into stickers right now, and she really enjoyed putting the owls on the tree.  Using stickers, you could even print four of these play mats and have an older toddler create a scene for each season.

For a fun spring craft, create tissue paper flowers and gluing them on the tree branches.  Kids can even draw or put stickers of bees or birds in the sky.  If you don’t have tissue paper, coffee filters are another fun way for kids to create texture to this play mat.  Add color to coffee filters with markers or dobbers.  

Speaking of dobber activities, kids can fill the branches with different color dots to create a fall tree.  If you are looking for a good washable dobber, try these on Amazon by clicking here.

I hope that your kid(s) enjoy this play scene.  You may even want to print it and put it in your purse with some stickers to keep kid(s) occupied while waiting at a restaurant or a long car ride.

Here’s the link to the Free Printable Kids Craft Play Mat Tree PDF.  I’d love to see some of your creations!  Please feel free to tell me about the ways you’ve used this tree branch play scene or post a picture on Pinterest!  Happy crafting!