Leaf Identification Cards {free printable!}

By wildflowerramblings

{This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.} 

My favorite activity, of all time, is taking walks on the trails with my family. I love being out in nature, getting some exercise, and sometimes just being silent. Lately, my son has taken to running the trails with me. We run ahead while Marshall has May in the Ergo. These are my favorite memories.

“Just you and me, Mom,” he says.

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This is our road, not the trails, but the colors of fall are just as beautiful!  

There are some beautiful wooded trails near our house that we like to frequent at least every other weekend. There are many to choose from and we usually just do a two mile loop. The other day, on the way back, my son was done “running,” and we decided to begin leaf collecting.

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It was nostalgic, talking about each leaf, pointing out the colors, their differences, and the sounds they made under our feet.  I remember spending hours finding the perfect leaves when I was a child.

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We started with oak leaves. Then I noticed that there are rounded lobed oak leaves (white) and pointed lobed oak leaves (red). I really didn’t know what their specific names were until I looked it up when we got home. We also noticed the differences in the big and small maple leaves. I wanted to be teaching him the correct names! We kept collecting, as I sounded off names like “beech, birch, and elm,” without being sure of their exact specifications.

I knew I had to make some printables to sort out our leaves at home. I didn’t realize how many cards I would need to make — I made 30 cards, and many of them weren’t needed.  But they may be someday!  And I can always make more too. :)

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We got him ready on the floor and sorted our leaf collection according to each card. John loved it.

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Sorting his leaves!  He was really understanding the concept of sorting!  I had to explain that we aren’t necessarily following the colors, but instead sorting by shape of the leaves.

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I laminated mine, but you certainly don’t have to.  You could also print these off on a smaller scale (at four per page) and punch a hole in the corner and put a ring binder on these to take with you for leaf hunting with your own little botanist.

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Disclaimer: I am not a botanist — I hope that these leaf identification cards are correct, but I am human. Please let me know if you see an error and I will try to correct it! :)  Also, if you have a special leaf request, please let me know and I can try to make a card for you :)

By downloading this free printable, you are agreeing to my Terms of Use.  Thank you.

You can download the free Set of 30 Leaf Identification Cards here!

 

Happy fall,

wildflowerramblingstake1

 

 

 

 

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31 Comments on Leaf Identification Cards {free printable!}

    • wildflowerramblings
      October 17, 2013 at 1:38 pm (2 months ago)

      Thanks, Jennifer :) Yes, it is hard to decipher — it seems to me that the Hard and Sugar Maple is the same tree. But I will add it on my addendum as a Sugar! (The big maple could also be a bigleaf or norway maple too!) Also, yes, about the Tulip — I am just trying to keep it simple :) Thanks for commenting, hope you like them!

      Reply
      • Jennifer
        October 17, 2013 at 3:46 pm (2 months ago)

        I most definitely love them, and am very grateful you put the work, they are beautiful, I can’t wait to use them!! :)

        Reply
  3. Jennifer
    October 17, 2013 at 8:55 am (2 months ago)

    I forgot to say how much I love these, though!

    Reply
  4. Kristen
    October 17, 2013 at 9:14 am (2 months ago)

    These are amazing! Thank you sooo much! Is there a chance you could make a ginkgo leaf card? I will be using these each year. Thank you sooooo much!!!

    Reply
    • wildflowerramblings
      October 17, 2013 at 1:08 pm (2 months ago)

      Kristen, yes, I will add it as an addendum on the site in the next few days :)

      Reply
  6. Kristen
    October 18, 2013 at 1:01 am (2 months ago)

    Thank you sooooo much!!!!!!!

    Reply
  7. Sarah
    October 18, 2013 at 7:43 am (2 months ago)

    These are beautiful! I have been looking for something like this for years–thank you so much for sharing!
    Sarah recently posted…Playing Outside and Awe & WonderMy Profile

    Reply
    • wildflowerramblings
      October 18, 2013 at 11:52 am (2 months ago)

      You’re so welcome, Sarah, I am so happy to be a resource to your Montessori teaching :)

      Reply
  10. Anna@The Measured Mom
    October 18, 2013 at 2:23 pm (2 months ago)

    My kids are always asking me to identify leaves, and I have no idea! That’s why I’m printing these up right now and will feature them at the After School linky on Monday. Thanks so much for sharing!
    Anna@The Measured Mom recently posted…A Giant List of Books about FriendshipMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Rachelle | Tinkerlab
    October 21, 2013 at 1:13 am (2 months ago)

    I just found your blog through Debs at Learn with Play at Home, and I’m printing this as I type! My kids and I are so curious about all of the trees in our neighborhood and we can only name a handful of them — this is sure to be a big hit. xo

    Reply
  12. Carla
    October 22, 2013 at 3:35 pm (2 months ago)

    Wow! What a great resource! I’m pinning this in my (CarlaINHouston) Free Printables!! board…thanks so much for sharing!!
    Carla recently posted…Bubble Spider Webs!!My Profile

    Reply
  13. Lisa
    October 22, 2013 at 9:06 pm (2 months ago)

    Thank you so much for these! We actually collected a TON of leaves today in the park so we could bring them home to find a book to identify them. Then when checking my e-mails I found your wonderful printables! Praise God and thank you!!

    Reply
  14. Lisa
    October 23, 2013 at 5:02 pm (2 months ago)

    These are wonderful! Thanks so much for linking up with Hearts for Home Blog Hop. I am featuring you as one of my favorites this week. Be sure to stop by and grab an “I’ve been featured” button. :-)
    Lisa recently posted…Three Arches Historic HomeMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Caroline
    October 23, 2013 at 5:16 pm (2 months ago)

    Thank you so much! I will be printing off two copies of four to a sheet to use them as a matching game, Go Fish, etc. This is great!

    Reply
  16. Momma Jo
    October 23, 2013 at 6:12 pm (2 months ago)

    Thank you for linking up with the Hearts for Home link up last week. Your post has been selected to feature on this week’s instalment of Hearts for Home blog hop on Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy. Please remember to snag the “I was featured” button tomorrow morning. The blog post will be going live tomorrow morning. http://www.monstersed.co.za/2013/10/24/hearts-home-20-free-downloads

    Reply
  17. Jill
    October 24, 2013 at 12:06 pm (2 months ago)

    I have not seen something this in depth about tree leaves before. I have always wondered what types of trees we have based on their leaves and now my children and I can tell with the use of these identification cards. Thank you for sharing and for linking up this week to the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop.
    Jill recently posted…Preparing to Homeschool: Teaching While LearningMy Profile

    Reply
  19. Katie
    October 24, 2013 at 10:40 pm (2 months ago)

    These are such a great resource! I can’t wait to print mine out and add them to our science area!
    Katie recently posted…Setting Up Science for FallMy Profile

    Reply
  20. Frances
    October 25, 2013 at 11:38 am (2 months ago)

    These are Fantabulous!!!! Thank you so much for all the time you put into these.

    Reply
  21. Donya Guerrero
    October 28, 2013 at 3:45 pm (1 month ago)

    These are wonderful, thanks ever so much for sharing! My kids are always picking up leaves and asking me the names of the trees that they come from. ~ Donya

    Reply
  22. Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum
    October 28, 2013 at 4:51 pm (1 month ago)

    As a Mum that is asked daily as we walk to school what is this leaf, flower, tree, bug… (you name it) I love this. Thank you so much for the resource and also for linking up to Tuesday Tots popping by to let you know that I will be featuring this over on Rainy Day Mum this week.
    Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum recently posted…I Spy Game and Telescope Craft for Toddlers and PreschoolersMy Profile

    Reply
  23. Linda McGurk
    October 29, 2013 at 1:39 pm (1 month ago)

    Just printed the leaf identification cards – thank you so much! Just what I needed for my walks in the woods with the kids.

    Reply
  24. Trish
    October 29, 2013 at 11:04 pm (1 month ago)

    Amy, thank you for linking up to the Hip Homeschool Moms’ Hop this past week. Our team members choose their favorite post from the links and your post was one of them chosen! Be sure to grab our “I was featured on Hip Homeschool Moms” button on our site! Here is the link where you were featured. http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2013/10/hhm-favorite-posts-weeks-hop-10292013/

    We hope to see more of your posts linked up! Thank you for being a part of our community!

    Reply
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