We created a tree for our library about 4 years ago. I got the library ninjas involved, and they loved it. We still incorporate it into most of our displays and have lights hanging from it constantly.

How we did it:

My hubby made a timber base, using casters for movement. We then cut holes in the ‘trunk’ to wedge dowels in for the branches. We then covered the whole thing in chicken wire to create structure.

It was at this point that it went to school.

The students then covered the whole tree in brown paper, using tape to hold it all together. We sealed it with glue and spray painted it dark brown. We found leaves at a local ‘base/home’ type store and stuck them into the branches.