Oak apple

Okay kiddo, so an oak apple is like a little home that some bugs make on oak trees. They don't make it out of sticks or leaves, like birds do. Instead, they make it out of the tree itself!

The bugs lay eggs inside the oak apple and when the babies hatch, they have a nice, safe place to grow up in. The oak apple also helps protect them from bad weather and other animals that might want to eat them.

The oak apple looks kinda weird though! It's round and kinda bumpy, like a little ball. It can be green or brown and it can be pretty small or pretty big. If you break it open, you might see some little bugs inside, so be careful!

Some people even use oak apples to make ink! But mostly, they're just a really cool thing that you might find on a walk in the woods.