Look Who’s Living in the Trees

Imagine taking a walk through the forest on a warm spring day. Instead of paying attention to the ground, look up at the tree canopy. Hundreds of critters make their homes above ground. Tree trunks become bedrooms, leaves are perfect for camouflage, and branches for scurrying across.

The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center has a new exhibit that teaches children about animals living in the treetops, and how humans rely on trees for many of our daily needs. “Look Who’s Living in the Trees” is a creative, hands-on exhibit for children ages 2-10.

Children will be greeted first by volunteers who teach about the animal furs and skulls sitting on a display table outside the exhibit room. It’s all hands-on and each child gets to do an arts and crafts project.

Once inside the exhibit, kids receive a piece of laminated paper with different tree-dwelling animals on it, and they’re off on a scavenger hunt! My slightly competitive daughter, Hannah, age 8, loved it, and loved being able to write on the laminated list as she explored the creature habitats learning new, interesting facts about them.

A chest of drawers opens up a familiar world for curious children to discover. They learn that when they use cinnamon in baking, rub coconut Shea lotion on their skin, or pour maple syrup on their pancakes, they are essentially using a tree! Hannah was amazed that trees are the source of so many products we use.

The treehouse room was a favorite part of the exhibit for my 4-year-old daughter, Claire. She viewed it as one big playground. She stepped on pictures of each woodland tree creature on the floor, delighting as they lit up and made the sound that animal makes. She also enjoyed building her own treehouse with tinker toys. Kids also can read about innovative people who built their own tree houses to live in.

– Kristin Smith