Celebrate Earth Day at Home: 10 Things To Do For the Planet
Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 by over 100 countries, and this year marks Earth Day’s 54th year! It is a joyous day when we can all come together to appreciate our planet and learn what we can do to keep it special.
Earth Day is all about celebration, but it also signifies crucial moments in the history of environmental legislation. On the very first Earth Day in 1970, the United States Environmental Protection Agency was created, along with the passage of other first-of-their-kind environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act. Two years later, congress passed the Clean Water Act.
Here are some ideas that are good for children of all ages, including the young at heart:
1. Plant a tree, plant a garden, plant anything! Planting seeds is exciting for children and makes us all feel connected to the earth. Sewing seeds for plants, vegetables, flowers, or trees teaches children environmental awareness, how to nurture plants, and how to grow something, all while observing the cycle of life.
2. Go for a walk. Natural beauty is everywhere and is very close. Even in the busiest of cities, there is always a beautiful park or hidden garden. Take your child on a nature hike and enjoy your surroundings. Look for birds, plants, and streams, and point out all the surrounding beauty. While you are there, lie down outside or take your shoes off for a few minutes and connect with the earth. Listen to the sounds of birds or ocean waves around you. Feel your feet and your whole body supported by Mother Earth.
3. Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Look for items like leaves, flowers, rocks, insects, etc., and mark them off the list as you locate them.
4. Play a recycling game. Make it a fun activity for the group. This is especially fun if you have a few kids together. Split the kids into teams or have the children play on their own. Give them a pile of mixed recycled goods: plastics, paper, aluminum cans, or anything else that is safe for a child to toss. Near each team, set up three bins labeled for paper, plastic, and aluminum. On the count of three, see which team can sort the pile into the appropriate bins first. Whoever wins gets an Earth Day surprise like a special fruit, cookie, or reusable bag.
5. Upcycle and reuse items. Go through toys, books, and clothes and donate unwanted items to schools, charities, or a library. Make something new out of old items like clothes. This teaches children new uses for old items and to use their imaginations.
7. Start a compost pile. If you want to teach kids about science, start a worm bin. They will love feeding and keeping the worms happy and watching how food scraps become pure nutrients for the garden. Here is our video showing an easy and cheap way to build a compost bin from two storage bins.
8. Help the pollinators. Our pollinator friends like the bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and more need our help so we can make pollinator-safe water stations for them on warm days, and we can plant plants that the pollinators like
9. Pick up unsightly trash from your city park. Don’t forget to bring bags and wear gloves!
10. Attend an Earth Day event! Earth Day events are held across the nation and are full of fun activities for both kids and adults. Visit www.earthday.net to see what’s happening and pick an event near you.
Earth Day celebrates our unique, beautiful planet Earth and the plants and animals that live here with us—all the lovely things we enjoy come from nature.
Take some time for the earth and teach your child more about nature and our planet, the animals and plants we love, as well as sustainability and what it means to be green. For more information or ideas for the celebration, check out the links below:
