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What’s more important than family and not just the one under our roof but generations back as well? Children need to know their heritage and one of the best ways for them to learn about the entire family is for them to create a family tree.

What You’ll Need

* List of all family members as far back as you can remember or other family members can remember
* Green construction paper
* Scissors
* Different color markers
* Pictures of family members as far back as you can get
* Glue
* Hole punch
* Yarn or string

Instructions

Start out by helping your children list family members they know. Begin with the immediate family and work backwards. If you are having trouble remembering names ask other family members to help like Grandma and Grandpa. Remember to branch off one side for dad’s family and one side for mom’s family.

Another way of finding out family heritage is on the Internet. There are numerous places you can go to find information about a family’s lineage.

When you have the list completed to the best of your ability, it’s time to let the children build their tree.

Use green construction paper and cut out trees. Make the tree as big as need be to hold all the family members names. For instance, the first tree should be for your child’s immediate family so if you have 6 members in the family the tree should be big enough to hold six pictures with names and possibly birthdays listed underneath.

They will need a tree for each line of family on both sides of the family. If it makes it easier for your children place a D at the top of dad’s side and an M at the top of mom’s side. This way they won’t get family members on the wrong tree.

Next they will want to start at the top with the father of the family on one side and the mother on the other. Then each child will go underneath. They can glue a picture of each member on the tree and place at least the name of the person under the picture. If no picture is available just place the name. Some children get a real kick out of knowing when grandparents and great grandparents were born. If this is the case let your children mark the date of birth under each name.

Once they have finished all the trees place a hole at the top of each tree and connect them together with yarn or string. Your children will have a family tree that will show them who they are and where they came from.

Submitted by Christmas Fun

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