Celebrate Arbor Day With Kids in the Twin Cities

Trees provide shade, fruit and oxygen, but they also serve as natural playground equipment or a pop-up fort. Arbor Day is officially the last Friday in April — April 26th in 2024. We celebrate Arbor Day well into May around here because tree planting requires the soil to be fully thawed, and we can’t always anticipate April ground conditions.

Mark your calendars. All of these fun Arbor Day events spanning from April 26th through May 11, 2026 are listed on our Buncha Family Fun Calendar and can be copied directly to your own calendar.

Family-Friendly Arbor Day Events in the Twin Cities

Most of these events will offer a brief history of Arbor Day and the National Arbor Day Foundation, an opportunity to participate in community tree planting and other family-friendly activities for the local community.

Friday, April 19, 2024: Hastings Arbor Day Tree Planting

The Minneapolis Arbor Featherstone Ponding Basin, 1300 Featherstone Road, Hastings, MN 55033
Plant trees to celebrate Arbor Day. Pre-Register by calling 651-480-6182. FREE. Friday, April 19, 2024; 1:30-2:30 pm.

Friday, April 26, 2024: Minneapolis Arbor Day Celebration

McRae Park, 906 E 47th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
The Minneapolis Arbor Day celebration moves parks annually. Families can participate in tree-themed activities, enjoy live music and buy food from food trucks. FREE. Friday, April 26, 2024; 4-8 pm.

Friday, April 26, 2024: Arbor Day at the Arb

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318
Celebrate trees with a special story time at 10:30am, Arbor Day Activity Packs, and a tree giveaway from 10am-6pm. Included with Arb Admission: $20/adults; Free for ages 15 and under. Friday, April 26, 2024; 9am-6pm.

Children looking at plants at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum — Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has trees indoors and out

Friday, April 26, 2024: Edina Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration

Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Avenue South, Edina, MN 55424
A family-friendly tree-planting event for Arbor Day. Bring gloves, wear sturdy shoes and dress for dirt. Friday, April 26, 2024; Noon to 4pm..

Saturday, April 27, 2024: Robbinsdale Arbor Day Celebration

Sunset Park, 3925 Crystal Lake Boulevard, Robbinsdale, MN 55422
Celebrate Arbor Day with fun activities, including making tree posters, planting a tree, receive a free tree seedling and cleaning up the park. April 27, 2024; 9:30am.

Saturday, April 27, 2024: Savage Arbor Day Celebration

McColl Pond Environmental Learning & Event Center, 13550 Dakota Ave., Savage, Minnesota 55378
Families can go on a tree ID scavenger hunt and get a free tree seed. FREE & drop in. April 27, 2024; 10am-11:30am.

Saturday, April 27, 2024: Eden Prairie Arbor Day Walk and Green Fair

Round Lake Park, 16691 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55346
Join a walk and then peruse the Green Fair. Kids activities include, tree climbing, art projects, and free seedlings. April 27, 2024; 10am-1pm.

Saturday, April 27, 2024: Maple Grove Arbor Day Celebration

Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd, Maple Grove, MN 55369
Activities include a raptor show, reptile & amphibian zoo and activities for kids. Saturday, April 27, 2024; Noon-3pm.

Saturday, April 27, 2024: Planting Party – Carpenter Wisconsin Campus

Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI 54016
Celebrate Arbor day by planting a tree with Carpenter Nature Center! They will be planting 250 native trees and shrubs as a part of an ongoing habitat restoration projects. shovels and gloves available, or bring your own. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear and a water bottle. All Ages. Drop in between 10am-2pm.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Celebrate Arbor Day in Crystal

Skyway Park, 6112 Florida Ave N, Crystal, MN 55428
Participate in a park cleanup and tree giveaway. Families can also print an Arbor Day scavenger hunt and coloring pages from the link above. Wednesday, May 1, 2024, from 6-7:30 p.m.

2024 TBA: Chanhassen Arbor Day Tree Planting Event

2024 Location TBA
Help the City of Chanhassen look to the future by planting trees. Park in the North Parking Lot. Last year was the first Saturday of May.

Saturday, May 11, 2024: SLP Arbor Day and Community Tree Planting Celebration

Birchwood Park, 2701 Zarthan Ave. S., St. Louis Park, MN 55416
Family-friendly tree-focused activities. FREE. Friday, May 11, 2024; 9am-Noon.

Kid-Friendly Arbor Day Activities

Although it can be fun to volunteer together, you don’t need to go to an event. Try these activities on your own time.

1. Focus on Trees During a Nature Walk or Tree Trek

Take a nature hike in your own neighborhood or at a park to look for different types of leaves, acorns and other seeds, measure tree trunk diameters with your arms or a measuring tape, and look out for wildlife that call the trees home. Several local parks offer self-guided Tree Treks:

Indian Mounds Regional Park Tree Trek, St. Paul
Central Park Tree Trek, Brooklyn Park
Maplewood Nature Center, Maplewood – Printable Tree Quest
Maple Grove Arboretum – has markers under each tree so you can learn about the trees species as you explore.

Maple Grove Arboretum

Indian Mounds tree trek

Brooklyn Park Tree Trek

2. Make Arbor Day Crafts

The Minnesota Children’s Museum suggested Tree Art as a winter project, but kids can go on a nature walk and do this collage craft any time of the year and make some beautiful trees. Find more information: Cold Weather Crafts.

If the weather doesn’t cooperate and you still want to make some fun tree art, try our Crafty Wednesday: Treasure Art. We made trees with buttons.

Or make a day of it and book a session to build a Fairy Tree House at Heartfelt in Linden Hills. This keepsake will make a fun toy or display for your fairy garden.

Nature Walk Tree Craft

Button Tree

Fairy Tree from Heartfelt

3. Learn More About Trees Together

Print a Guide to Arbor Month from the Minnesota DNR. This guide was created for K-8 classroom teachers, but would work for families. It offers lessons and resources for learning about trees.

4. Climb a Tree

Kids who love trees will likely grown into adults who cherish and protect trees. Find your family a good climber and have fun.

Rod Carew Ballfield

Lakeview Knolls Park

Washburn Fair Oaks Park

5. Arbor Day Story Time

Read some great picture books like, The Lorax or Johnny Appleseed. Maybe you can eat some apples and plant the seeds. Do you think you’ll grow an apple tree?

6. Attract Wildlife to Your Own Trees

Build a bird feeder or birdhouses, a bee hotel or a squirrel Olympics course to encourage wildlife in your own backyard.

7. Visit the Oldest Living Tree in Minneapolis

Explore Theodore Wirth Regional Park in Minneapolis to see if you can find the Rockwood Oak. It is estimated to be over 300 years old and likely the oldest living thing in Minneapolis. Learn more here.

8. Plant a Tree or Care for a Tree

Not everyone has the space for a new tree. If you do have the space, you could plant a tree in your own yard for your kids to nurture. Otherwise, maybe you can learn about a tree already growing in your own yard or nearby and find ways to nurture it. Some trees need regular pruning. Others need watering during dry times. What does your tree need to be its best?