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Life Cycle Of A Chestnut Tree Nature Journal

Published: May 26, 2017 · Modified: Jan 21, 2021 by Alice · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.
We don't usually think about horse chestnuts - conkers to us Brits - until autumn when children extract those beautiful shiney nuts from their prickly shells.

But horse chestnut trees are actually amazing for kids to observe all year round.

They're the big show offs of the tree world. And have always got a clever trick up their sleeve. Or should that be branch 😉

Which makes them a brilliant tree for a nature journal through the four seasons.

Observing their dramatic changes from winter through spring, summer and autumn is a fun outdoor learning activity informally worked into park trips or as part of a plant science lesson plan for your class or homeschool.

Journaling the tree's changes in notes and drawings or simply on a nature table with preschoolers, helps children see very visually the full plant lifecycle from bud and flower through pollination to the new seed.

In this post I'll show you what to look out for at each stage of the horse chestnut's tree lifecycle.

If you enjoy the post please feel free to share it and do have a look at my other simple nature science posts.

1. Horse Chestnut Tree Buds

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

The horse chestnut trees are one of the first trees in bud in late autumn and early winter. And boy, their buds are big!

PLUS they're sticky.

Give them a feel and you'll get gluey resin on your hands. They need to be sticky because they are so big.

Look up closer and you'll see the gluey stuff seems to be holding separate plates together. The plates and glue let the bud grow much bigger without popping open.

2. Opening Chestnut Buds

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

As the sun shines and air warms in early spring, the gluey stuff melts and the plates fall back.

And when the buds start opening, you realise why they needed to be so big.

Inside the bud are both the already large leaves and the structure of the distinctive flower.

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

That clever sticky stuff on the bud not only gave these space to grow but also provided a water proof coating against the rain.

How clever is that?

3. Horse Chestnut Blossom

But you know what?

The horse chestnut tree gets cleverer still.

When the blossom emerges - in April in our lovely local London park - from the individual buds on the flower structure, it's white but yellow in the middle.

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

Now as you know, horse chestnut trees are big fellas. So there's an awful lot of blossom the tree wants pollinated by the friendly bees.

To help that happen, the horse chestnut blossom centre turns from yellow to pink once pollinated, so the bees and all their friends don't waste time on already pollinated flowers!

Pretty smart huh?

4. Chestnut Pollination

Now, May is the traditional time for horse chestnut festivals in the UK. This is when the blossom is at it's most magnificent.

With big flowering candles all over the tree.

But if you look closely, you'll see the bees have already done their work. And there are oh so delicate, little conkers growing in the blossom.

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

These tiny beauties are lovely on a nature table. And make a beautiful prompt for nature journal sketches and paintings including simple petal paintings and collages.

5. Horse Chestnut Prickles

As soon as those tiny nuts start growing the horse chestnut tree puts up its defences.

And does everything it can to protect them from the weather and predators.

The horse chestnut at this stage - over the summer - is white and creamy and soft inside.

And very yummy for squirrels!

But nothing will grow from it.

So the horse chestnut tree keeps the nut safe until it is ready behind those seriously spikey spikes and a tough as tough skin that even the most persistent squirrel can't get through.

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

And that shell I promise you, really is tough. I've broken many a nail trying unsuccessfully to open them for an impatient small child.

A fun journal activity at this point in the tree's lifecycle is to compare the horse chestnut's defence strategy with that of the oak tree.

The oak is quite happy for the squirrels and jays it provides habitat for to steal as many acorns as they like.

6. Ripe Horse Chestnuts

But the chestnut tree's super smart defences let the new conker develop safely on the tree for over three months.

The tree's enormous green leaves converting the sun's energy into fuel for that growth. If you want to include leaf drawings or rubbings in your journal, it's best to do them early summer as the leaves deteriorate quickly as the conkers grow.

YouTube video

By autumn, the horse chestnuts are fully grown.

And are finally, their distinctive chestnut brown.

Then and only then, do the horse chestnut prickles soften.

And the horse chestnut shell open, so the horse chestnut can fall to the ground.

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

At which point, squirrel actually helps out.

He'll eat some. But scurry off and bury most around the place.

Those he buries and forgets will emerge as new horse chestnut saplings.

And with a bit of luck grow into magnificent new horse chestnut trees.

If, like us, you collect hoards of conkers, do, before squirrel gets his mits on 'em, pop some in a pot.

Horse chestnut trees are loved by children for their conker brown nuts but are actually up to all sorts of clever stuff throughout the year and provide a wonderful opportunity for children to observe close up the lifecycle of trees.

Over the winter, your kids can watch as the horse chestnut germinates and the tree starts to grow.

Although, if your garden is small like ours probably best not to let it grow for too long!!

Do have fun observing all the clever stuff the horse chestnut tree gets up to across the year.

And for more lovely ideas for exploring nature with children check out these:

  • Dissecting Daffodils
  • The Lifecycle Of Ladybugs
  • Observing Baby Goslings
  • How To Make Rainbows
  • Writing On Tree Bark

They are all simple outdoor activities that encourage children to observe the world around them and are ideal for nature journals.

Plant science activities to include in a nature journal - easy simple ideas for young children from kindergarten through 2nd grade and up to observe a tree from winter through fall, spring and summer and learn about the biology of pollination #blossom #plants #botany #biology #scienceforkids #kidsscience #flowers #pollination #lifecycle #naturejournal #naturecrafts #kindergarten #2ndgrade #eyfs

Nature journal for kids - lovely ideas, prompts and inspiration for children to study the botany of a tree through all four seasons from winter to fall and make a DIY plant diary. Suitable from preschool and up in the classroom and homeschool #naturejournal #botany #trees #winter #fall #spring #summer #biology #plants #lifecycles #charlottemason #homeschool #preschool #sciencefun #pollination

Seasons activities - lovely activities for kids to explore the four seasons through the lifecycle of a tree. Nature journal prompts follow the plant from bud in winter through flower and pollination in spring and summer and new seed in fall. Suitable from toddlers and preschoolers and kindergarten through first grade, ks1 and middle school, ks2. #seasons #spring #summer #winter #fall #trees #naturejournal #biology #botany #pollination #toddlers #kindergarten #preschoolers #firstgrade #ks1 #ks2 #middleschool #scienceforkids #charlottemason
Seed activities for kids - a fun plant life cycles project to support children learning the biology and plant science of pollination through spring and fall. Suitable for homeschool and classroom lesson plans for preschool and kindergarten children and middle school students #seeds #biology #lifecycles #botany #homeschool #kindergarten #preschoolers #scienceforkids #lessonplan #eyfs
Tree Life Cycle Nature Journal
Tree Lifecycle Nature Journal for Kids
Tree Life Cycle Nature Journal
Tree Life Cycle Nature Journal

More Plant Life Cycle Activities For Kids

  • Growing mushrooms with kids - a lovely simple gardening activity that lets kids explore the science of fungi #gardening #gardenwithkids #mushrooms #plants #fungi #science #STEM
    How To Grow Your Own Mushrooms
  • Fun Backyard Activities For Kids - Flower Crafts
    Flower Crafts For Kids
  • Growing Vegetables From Scraps
  • Growing veg with kids is great fun and a wonderful way to learn hands on about plant science and seeds #kidsgardening #vegetables #gardeningwithkids #plantscience #seeds #fertilisation
    Growing Vegetables With Kids

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