Get Ready for Earth Day!

Published April 1, 2021

Earth Day has a long and colorful history of being celebrated in our country and around the world by kids of all ages. The very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 brought together 20 million people across the country and 10 thousand schools. That’s a lot of kids celebrating this beautiful earth!

This year on April 22nd you too can honor this special day with easy and fun family Earth Day activities.

Sow Some Seeds

It is such a simple pleasure to plant seeds and watch them grow and kids of all ages will enjoy the experience. Buy a few packets of bright flowers to plant outdoors or harvest your own seeds from the kitchen. You can experiment with seeds from fruit, veggies or even popcorn! Many seeds can be started by folding a few in a damp paper towel, then placing it in a ziplock bag in a sunny place. Keep the paper towel moist by misting it or adding a bit of water every few days. In no time you will begin to see signs of tender young shoots.

Enjoy a Vegetarian Meal

Thanks to the farmers and gardeners across the land people enjoy wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables on their tables year round. Take advantage of all that goodness by planning a vegetarian meal that your kids will love. Marinara sauce is sure to be a hit on the table or take a variety of vegetable favorites and simply roast them and serve them over pasta. You can even indulge in a vegetarian pizza night.

Take a Hike

Nature is all around us in urban and rural settings. Taking a nice walk outdoors will open up the conversation about the beauty of the world around us. Look for different colors of spring growth, notice the barks on the trees, listen for the birds. Make it a collector’s hike by snapping pics of favorite finds or collecting a special branch or rock along your way.

Create Art

The link between art and the earth is a strong and inspiring one. Gather up the random throwaways and recyclables in your home and turn them into a unique family sculpture with a little glue and ingenuity. If you’d rather not deal with the glue and mess, take the assorted items and play a game of stacking them into a temporary sculpture. The balancing challenge of it all will bring a few laughs and build coordination skills for the younger ones.

Read (or write) a Nature Book

There are many fabulous books that celebrate and educate people about the earth. Pick a few for bedtime reading whether your child is an independent reader or a listener. Older kids may enjoy nature adventure books that pique their interest in the big outdoors. Writing about nature is another great way for kids to celebrate their favorite things about the earth.

Earth Day might be just one date on the calendar but loving and respecting the world around is an activity that lasts all year long!