Tree House Tales Debuts June 15, 2012 at The Morton Arboretum

Exhibition Encourages Imaginative Exploration And Summertime Family Fun

LISLE, IL (April 23, 2012) - At The Morton Arboretum, your kids don’t have to climb a tree to play in a tree house; they can stay safely grounded as they investigate, explore, and enjoy the enchanting structures created for Tree House Tales. This imaginative and entertaining exhibition aimed at children age two through 10 comprises six kid-friendly, fun-filled and educational tree houses. Each house celebrates the story and significance of a species of tree.

“Tree houses are all about imagination and interaction with nature,” says Susan Wagner, Ed.M.
Vice President of Education and Information. “Kids will love playing in these magical tree houses, learning about the trees and their stories that inspired each structure, and understanding the critical role that trees play in our environment.”

Play-to-learn is the underlying design concept that runs through the exhibition, and it’s why every tree house is a house full of activity, adventure, and excitement.

The Bur Oak Clubhouse Hideaway has a hand scrawled sign that’s likely to remind the “big kids” of the Little Rascals and Dennis the Menace. It has an enclosed faux-tin roof shed, a porch, and a secret entrance.

The Flowering Dogwood Doghouse (Cornus florida), a whimsical, barn-red structure, invites kids to nose around and experience the life of a pampered pooch. And of course, they’ll want to put their bloodhound skills to work to locate the bud-shaped ornaments and the dogwood bloom stencil.

Knights and little ladies can storm the Empress Tree Castle via the drawbridge entrance (watch out for the moat!) or sneak around the back and climb the ladder to rescue a fair maiden, a kinsman, or a king. A slide makes for a quick and easy getaway.

With its slat wood siding, wood plank porch, and rustic shingle roof, the White Oak Settler’s Cabin gives kids an authentic taste of home life on the frontier. In this setting, surrounded by nature, kids can let their imaginations run wild pretending to be pioneers, keeping a watchful eye for marauders out the cabin window, and scouting inside and out for the cabin’s signature acorn-shaped stencil.

“Inside the life of a tree,” presented by the Silver Maple Tree House, helps children understand the interior world of a tree. Shaped like a tree trunk and topped with leaves, the Silver Maple Tree House allows kids to learn about how trees use sunlight to make sugar and other nutrients. An interactive pulley system teaches kids about the trees’ circulatory system, lets them observe how water moves up the tree roots, and shows them how nutrients travel through the tree to the leaves.

The centrepiece of the White Pine Ship is its namesake tree standing in as the ship’s figurative mast. Kids pretend to turn the steering wheel, track marauding pirates through the spotting scope mounted on the deck and, if their parental captain commands, even walk the plank.

Along with their botanical importance, each of the six species honored in this year’s exhibition boasts a surprising or playful feature. The bur oak, for example, is something of an underground real estate king; its extensive root system keeps other trees at bay. The hardy white oak’s thick fire-resistant bark helped it survive prairie fires, making it a favorite among early settlers. And the humble white pine, it turns out, played a part in American history. During the Revolutionary War, the British, having exhausted the tree stock they needed to rebuild their armada, confiscated White Pine trunks for ship masts. When American tree farmers refused, a rebellion broke out.

With so many stories to tell and activities to experience, the Arboretum has organized family and kid-friendly Tree House Tales-themed programs to complement the exhibition. These include Family Twilight Adventures, Summer Science Camps for kids in grades one to four, Tree Tram Tours, and other special events.

Throughout the summer, Tree House Tales docents will be on hand to provide expert insight, answer questions, and regale visitors with oral biographies about the trees.

Come join the fun at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rt. 53, Lisle, Illinois. Open 365 days a year, 7 am – Sunset, Admission to Tree House Tales is free with general admission. For more information go to our website mortonarb.org or call 630-968-0074.

Tree House Tales Press Kit

The 2012 admission rates:
$12/adult, ($8 on Wednesday), ages 18-64
$11/senior, ($7 on Wednesday), ages 65 and over
$9/child ($6 on Wednesday), ages 2-17
Under age 2 is free. Parking is free

About The Morton Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized outdoor tree museum on 1,700 acres. Plant collections, scientific research, and education programs support the mission to plant and conserve trees and other plants for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. Throughout natural landscapes are specialty gardens, 16 miles of trails, and nine miles of roads. Other offerings include tree-focused events, activities, and services for adults, children, professionals, and communities. The Arboretum welcomes 800,000 visitors annually and serves 34,000 member households. Located 25 miles west of Chicago in Lisle, Illinois, the Arboretum is open daily 7 a.m. until sunset. More information is available at mortonarb.org or 630-968-0074.

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Media contact: Mary Beth Sammons | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 630-725-2103