A bit of imagination and a twig at hand ... plants have been such an integral part of our lives that it makes sense that they would also be integral in the play of children.

In dry caves of the SW US, wonderful toy animals made by the Anazasi up to It 1500 years ago have been found. They used the roots of Willow and Alder ... you can use wrapped wire (2'min.) or a couple of pipe cleaners tied together.

Oak trees grow across this country and their acorns have long been favored play things ... in ANY number of ways. This one is a fun as well as challenging(!) game. You can play this game too. Find 4 or more acorn caps ... the bigger the caps the easier the game. Use a letter opener or dull scissors to gently start a hole from the inside center of each cap. Some will break, and helps to leave the twig end on until you have a good start on the hole. Experiment!