Has your little one been bringing home pockets full of leaves and asking why they turn red? This free activity book is a lovely fit for that curiosity. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources shares a free 24-page activity book, Illinois’ Forest Facts, for preschool through 3rd grade. Kids learn what makes a tree a tree, how to tell leaves apart, how seeds travel, why leaves change color in the fall, and the many things we get from trees.
Download your FREE fall leaves and trees activity book here (look for “Illinois Forest Facts”) →
What’s included
- A 24-page activity book in US Letter size, with an answer key near the back.
- Tree basics and “Know the Leaves” pages, where kids sort simple and compound leaves and draw a pine needle.
- “Tree Transport” and nut pages about how trees spread their seeds.
- “Color Change” pages on why leaves turn red, yellow, purple, brown and orange, plus a fill-in-the-blank review.
- Forest uses, a step-by-step look at how a tree becomes furniture molding, and a long list of everyday things made from trees (crayons, pencils, baseball bats and more).
- A “Test Yourself” quiz at the end.
Honest note: this booklet comes from Illinois, so a few pages are Illinois-specific. These include counting Illinois tree types, Illinois fall-color trees, Illinois forestry-jobs facts, some Illinois businesses making wood molding, and an “Illinois Trees and Their Products” spread. Many of those trees (oaks, maples, hickories) grow across much of the U.S., so the pages are easy to adapt to your own backyard, or you can simply skip them.
Who it’s for
The booklet lists its target grades as prekindergarten through 3rd grade. Early readers can work through the pages on their own, while preschoolers will enjoy doing them with a parent reading aloud. It’s a sweet way to turn a fall nature walk into a little science lesson.
How to use
- Go on a leaf hunt first, then use “Know the Leaves” to sort what you found.
- Do the Color Change pages on a crisp fall day, when the trees outside are turning.
- Hunt around the house for tree products from the list.
- Use it as a week-long mini unit study, a page or two a day, and finish with the quiz.
Get the free activity book
Head over to the Illinois DNR activity books page to grab the FREE Illinois Forest Facts booklet → (it’s listed in English and Spanish).
More free fall leaf and tree printables on FHD
- FREE Why Leaves Change Color — Fall Leaf Science Pack
- FREE Oak Trees Life Cycle Lesson Printables
- Fall Leaf Writing Activity and Craft Printable
- Fall Tree Leaf Themed Bingo Game
- FREE Pumpkin Unit Study Printables (39 Pages) — Alabama Ag in the Classroom
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