Earth Day is approaching and it's the ideal time to get kids learning about Planet Earth and the ways we can all be more mindful of the environment.
Presenting 11 fun and easy Earth Day activities that the whole family can enjoy!
1. Host a Nature Scavenger Hunt in your backyard or at the local park. Print our playing sheet or create your own! Fun for groups, or solo exploration.
Click here for printable version.
2. Build a terrarium. Create a low-maintenance, mini oasis using materials you likely have in the house and yard. Reuse a clean glass container, such as a fishbowl, pitcher, wineglass or jam jar. Layer sand, then small gravel, then potting soil. Plant small low-light plants or succulents and surround with fun little tchotchkes or figurines. Open terrariums usually need to be watered every 2-3 weeks, while enclosed terrariums can go longer.
3. Regrow lettuce. Curious kids can watch leaves sprout from a lettuce heart with this simple kitchen activity. Just place a lettuce heart in a shallow container of water, so the bottom is in water. Place the lettuce where it will get ample sunlight and change the water daily. New growth should appear within days.
4. Make a wildflower seed bomb. In a blender or food processor, mix together used scraps of construction paper or newspaper, wildflower seeds, and water. Strain and squeeze out the water so you have consistency that sticks together like dough. Shape the substance into little pods, or into silicone molds, then place in sunlight to dry for a couple days. Toss the seed bombs on the ground and as they receive sun and rain, the paper will dissolve and compost and the seeds will germinate. Though scattering works, for best results place the seed bombs just below the surface of the soil.
5. Collect litter in your neighborhood or organize a neighborhood clean-up day with prizes.
6. Press flowers. You can construct your own press using plywood, cardboard and clamps...or try ours.
7. Plant seeds and watch them grow. Kids can plaster-cast and paint their own pots then plant an herb garden with our DIY Herb Garden Kit.
8. Tie-dye an old shirt with our easy-to-use tie-dye kit. For a step by step, check out our blog post.
9. Create your own wind chimes using recycled aluminum cans.
10. Build a Recycled Soda Can Can Robot.
11. Build bird feeders from recycled plastic soda bottles.
Have a favorite activity you want to share? Leave it in the comments.
Happy Spring!