The Tree Key

STORY

The Tree Key

Martin & Sylvia: Saturdays!

Momma needs to find a green ash tree for some of her research and invites brother and sister to join her. At first Sylvia is confused because most of the trees have dropped their leaves — "How can you find a tree without its leaves?" "With this." Momma responds — and then she shows them a little book that makes finding trees magical and fun!

16 min
3+
Topics: NatureHomeschoolingCraftsAutumn

Projects, Crafts, and Recipes for this Story

Sparkle Crafts

Martin & Sylvia's: Saturdays! Printable Project Page: The Tree Key

Use this printable project page to identify different trees without using their leaves.

Characters in this Story

Martin

Sylvia

Martin & Sylvia: Saturdays!

Nippy Knitting Day

Nippy Knitting Day

Cold weather inspires Martin & Sylvia to do a knitting project.
16 min
3+

Sudden Story

Sudden Story

Inspired by a "flash performance" Martin & Sylvia decide to tell a surprise story at Mrs. Brown's birthday party.
20 min
3+

Lunch Box

Lunch Box

Martin & Sylvia set out to create their own personalized lunch boxes...
16 min
3+

Mother's Helper

Mother's Helper

Martin & Sylvia are reluctant "mother's helpers" but find it out it's really quite fun!
20 min
3+

Let's Do Everything

Let's Do Everything

Can Martin & Sylvia get through all of the fun ideas on their play date list?
18 min
3+

Sports from Scratch

Sports from Scratch

Martin & Daddy try out a creative way to start a team.
19 min
3+

Can't Wait to Wait

Can't Wait to Wait

Mr. Weber helps Sylvia learn fun ways to pass the time waiting for their food at the restaurant.
20 min
3+

Three Little Fairy Houses

Three Little Fairy Houses

Inspired by the "Three Little Pigs" story, Martin and Sylvia try to make different kinds of fairy houses to weather a storm.
19 min
3+

Spring Seeing

Spring Seeing

Sylvia hunts for a fairy as she and Martin take a walk looking for signs of spring.
17 min
3+

Apple Faces

Apple Faces

Martin spends the day trying to find two identical apples.
18 min
3+

Waiting for the Sparkle

Waiting for the Sparkle

Martin is impatient for an idea about which to write a book... Daddy encourages him to wait for "the sparkle."
17 min
3+

The Let Go Approach

The Let Go Approach

Daddy tries to help Martin learn to make decisions using the "let go approach" instead of overthinking things.
20 min
3+

True Colors

True Colors

Sylvia is inspired to tell the truth about something she's been hiding while learning about the changing leaves.
20 min
3+

Silly Speak Songs

Silly Speak Songs

Martin & Sylvia learn a silly way to write songs by attending a song writing workshop.
22 min
3+

The Great Scarecrow Mystery

The Great Scarecrow Mystery

Martin & Sylvia excitedly try to win a prize by hunting around town for the "scarecrow of the day".
17 min
3+

The Tiny House

The Tiny House

Martin & Sylvia work hard to turn a tent into a tiny house!
18 min
3+

What Sandcastles Like

What Sandcastles Like

Martin & Sylvia learn that nature has it's own preferences...
20 min
3+

How to Be a Fire Fighter

How to Be a Fire Fighter

Sylvia's desire to become a fire fighter becomes even stronger during a visit to the fire station, and she wants to get started right away!
21 min
3+

Important to Us All

Important to Us All

The family works together on a mural for their house after deciding on a theme that is important to all of them.
19 min
3+

Snow That Sticks

Snow That Sticks

Martin & Sylvia try to encourage winter to come by focusing their creativity on snow related projects...
18 min
3+

Lemons and Mud

Lemons and Mud

Without lemons, Martin & Sylvia can't follow through on their idea for a lemonade stand, but they have plenty of mud for a mud pie stand instead!
16 min
3+

Spring Thaw Paddle Tour

Spring Thaw Paddle Tour

Sylvia decides to skip the paddle tour on the lake to stay home and cheer up her sick brother, Martin.
21 min
3+

A Hunting Morning

A Hunting Morning

Mrs. Brown creates a popover treasure hunt where the kids must use their noses to find the yummy "treasure."
19 min
3+

Trail Art

Trail Art

Martin, Sylvia, and friends spend time on their Mount Mooseberry hike making "trail art" markers of their own.
16 min
3+

The Spring Fairy Boat Show

The Spring Fairy Boat Show

The stream is flowing, and the whole family makes leaf boats on which the fairies can travel.
19 min
4+

The Meeting Spot

The Meeting Spot

Momma encourages Sylvia and her new friend to work together to find an activity they'll both enjoy.
17 min
3+

Messages

Messages

Martin makes a paper airplane in the hopes of sending a message to Nanni and Poppi about the snow storm surrounding their house.
15 min
3+

Pet Portraits

Pet Portraits

Martin & Sylvia work to create portraits of their pets, Billbill and Pickles, to add to the family's picture wall.
19 min
3+

Around the World

Around the World

Martin is upset to get second pick on a project about different counties but ends up being very happy with his choice.
16 min
3+

The Tree Key

The Tree Key

Momma teaches Martin & Sylvia how to identify different types of trees using a special book...
16 min
3+

Like Cats and Dogs

Like Cats and Dogs

Martin & Sylvia consider how they are similar to all sorts of different animals...
17 min
3+

Super Silks

Super Silks

Daddy suggests a costume contest to prove that silks can be used to make just about any costume...
18 min
3+

Medals

Medals

Martin is eager to win a gold medal so he and Sylvia create an event that give everyone the chance to win a medal of their own.
16 min
3+

Protectors

Protectors

A nice police officer help Martin & Sylvia learn what police really do.
18 min
3+

A Better Way

A Better Way

Martin & Sylvia have fun organizing their school supplies to prepare for the year ahead.
16 min
3+

Sock Puppets

Sock Puppets

Martin & Sylvia learn to make use of something that seems useless.
20 min
3+

The Picky Day

The Picky Day

Momma helps Martin & Sylvia turn their picky moods into productive fun.
14 min
3+

Explorer Pig

Explorer Pig

Sylvia has fun imagining where the Brown's new piglet, Explorer Pig, goes on adventures when he escapes his pen.
16 min
3+

Rainbows

Rainbows

Can Martin & Sylvia chase away the rain by making a rainbow?
18 min
3+

Animal Hospital

Animal Hospital

Martin & Sylvia eagerly collect herbs and teas to help their dob Billbill and other sick animals... but can they find any patients?
15 min
3+

Silly Sun Hats

Silly Sun Hats

Martin & Sylvia have a great time decorating special sunhats for their sailing trip with the Webers.
19 min
3+

Peg Doll Party

Peg Doll Party

While cleaning out the attic, Martin & Sylvia find a box of wooden pegs that have a delightful history.
16 min
3+

Calling It Done

Calling It Done

Martin worries if he's tried hard enough to create a new invention for carrying chicken eggs...
15 min
3+

When You Need Your Numbers

When You Need Your Numbers

Martin learns to appreciate math by counting all the ways he uses it throughout the day...
16 min
3+

When Pigs Fly

When Pigs Fly

Sylvia has trouble hearing stories that she thinks she should tell instead —until Mrs. Brown explains that stories like to hear how others tell them.
18 min
3+

Ramps and Rapunzel

Ramps and Rapunzel

Momma uses a fairy tale to teach Martin & Sylvia about conserving resources in nature.
19 min
3+

The Gift of Sweetness

The Gift of Sweetness

Sylvia and Mrs. Brown discover how much the Browns' special maple tree, "Sweetness", has to offer.
18 min
3+

Mouse Houses

Mouse Houses

Sylvia and Momma attempt to make some tiny houses around the forest, perfect for the mice who live there.
14 min
3+

Four in One Snow Forts

Four in One Snow Forts

Martin & Sylvia and friends work together to incorporate all their different ideas into one amazing snow fort.
16 min
3+

The Organizing Bug

The Organizing Bug

Martin & Sylvia join Momma in organizing the house — working together to get the job done, but each using their own unique method...
15 min
3+

Picture Thank You Cards

Picture Thank You Cards

Sylvia finds a way to create "written" thank you cards, even though she doesn't know how to write yet...
16 min
3+

Free Sledding

Free Sledding

Sylvia's ideas help the other kids learn that there's fun to be had no matter how you choose to sled.
17 min
3+

Our Own Town

Our Own Town

Martin & Sylvia come up with their own ideas for remodeling the town hall and library using a clay model.
17 min
3+

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