It’s Earth Day! Or, as we said back when I was in elementary school: Arbor Day. We only have one home, and I don’t know about you, but I’m partial to planet Earth. In the spirit of getting our little ones to appreciate the only habitable rock in our solar system, here are some Earth Day activities for toddlers.
Earth Day is a good opportunity to explain to a small child how nature works. What’s the difference between a living and nonliving thing? How do plants grow? For city kids—try to catch a glimpse of the natural world. Earth Day is also about stewardship, so it’s an appropriate time to talk about recycling, litter, trash collection, and planet tidiness.
1. Nature Walk Bingo
I made a bingo card that can be used pretty much anywhere: even in the most urban environment. Here’s how to play: print EarthDayBingo (on recycled paper, of course!). Make one for each family member. Then, get outside! On a walk to the park, be on the lookout for a dog, butterfly, bird, flower, tree, nut or seed, and squirrel. All the cards are the same, so the person who sees a dog first gets to claim the dog (not everyone). Speed and observational skills count! Planet Earth in the center is a free square.
You can reuse the cards by marking the spaces with leaves, mulch, or rocks. You can also use a pen or pencil. The benefits are exercise, nature spotting, and game playing!
2. Plant a Seed
Children don’t know how plants grow until you tell them. Let them see for themselves how a seed becomes a plant by germinating a seed in a plastic bag. No potting soil required! All you need are seeds, a zip lock bag, and a paper towel. You can use dry beans from your pantry or collect seeds from fruit if you don’t want to buy them.
Fold a paper towel so it will fit in a plastic bag. Moisten it (wet, not dripping). Make a pouch, and drop the seeds in. Make sure the pouch is small and the seeds aren’t touching each other. Fold the paper towel so the seeds aren’t exposed. Nearly close the zip lock (leave a little air). Put it near a window inside your house, and watch as most seeds sprout in only a few days. Ain’t nature grand?
3. Visit the Dump
Boys might love it—being made of snips, snails, and puppy dog tails and all. Girls and boys alike will be grossed out by the smell and awed by the size. This is good. We need to remember where our waste goes, how much of it there is, and why reducing and recycling keeps our home nice and neat.
4. Participate in a Clean-Up Project…Or Start Your Own
Check to see if your community is doing a beach, highway, or park clean up. There’s nothing that reminds a person to keep things neat than by cleaning up after others. What a pain! But what pride when you finish.
You also don’t have to wait to tag along with a group. All you need are protective gloves, a trash bag, and your own family. Nobody’s going to stop you from keeping your neighborhood litter-free and looking great.
5. Go on a Hike
We took my three-year-old city slicker on a hike two weeks ago, and he kept asking why it was so quiet and where all the people were. Sigh. My husband and I are both from the country, and it was a wake-up call to get that kid into nature more often.
Children—and people generally—aren’t going to have an appreciation for nature if they never experience it. Make the effort to find a natural place and explore!
6. Read The Lorax
Dr. Seuss’s beloved story about the importance of the environment is one your children will enjoy. There’s also a movie version. Be sure to discuss the themes with your little one.
7. Reuse Something
In addition to letting your kids help you recycle, try reusing. What is something you’d otherwise throw away that can be turned into a toy or art project? (If for only the day—you can still get rid of it later.)
Here’s a hint: boxes are the low-hanging fruit. My son and his babysitter pretended a Diet Coke carton was a train station for like an hour straight the other day. It could be a hanger or a garage. Or a doll house. There’s basically no child that can resist the allure of a good box. They’re houses, stuffed animal dens, ovens, cars, tents—you name it. Actually, let your child name it:)
8. Nature Art
Your toddler loves mulch. And rocks. And leaves. That used to be all W wanted to play with at the park. Make art out of it! Designs can be created and destroyed quickly. Use a stick to draw pictures in the dirt. Build castles with sand. Make statues with stacked stones. Use your imagination!
Earth Day can get your family outdoors and exercising. Toddlers are natural explorers, so they’ll probably enjoy these activities. You can teach them a little about science and the importance of cleaning. It’s a win for everyone…including our Mother.
Q: What did you do to celebrate Earth Day?