10 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with Your Kids

Teaching kids about Earth Day (April 22) can be as simple as taking a walk to your local park or turning off the television for a night. As parents, we need to embrace small changes to help guide our families to eco-friendly lifestyles. As a part of my blog, Momtrends, I've been focusing on green products and green practices. To help you mark the 40th Earth Day, I've rounded up a list of ideas to teach kids about the environment while having a little fun.

Here are 10 ways to celebrate Earth Day with your kids.

1. Plant a tree. "One acre of forest absorbs 6 tons of carbon dioxide and puts out 4 tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people." So says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Do your part by heading to your local garden shop and planting a new tree. To pick out a good tree for your area, go to ArborDay.org.

2. Park cleanup. Grab some garbage bags and head to your local park or beach. Police the area for trash; watch out for glass with the little ones. More than 75 percent of Americans admit to littering. Time to stop the cycle.

3. Start a recycling drive. Most communities have basic recycling centers, but when it comes to bulky items, many of us give up. Finding the right way to dispose of batteries and electronics takes a bit of effort. Organize a day of recycling at your child's school. Use DigitalTips.com to find a drop-off location.

4. Take the plastic pledge. Every year, Americans throw away some 100 billion plastic bags. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has a site devoted to breaking the habit of relying on plastic.

5. Head to the local botanical garden or zoo. Many will be holding Earth Day celebrations. Seeing plants and learning about animals is a perfect way to get your kids invested in the future of our planet.

6. Park the car for the day. Vow to walk to school and for all of your errands. It's good for family bonding, fitness and the environment.

7. Eat local foods. Teach your kids about dining locally. Pick foods from a local farmer's market and eat what is in season. Teach your kids about variety and your community. To get inspired, check out SlowFoodUSA.org.

8. Look into composting. Who doesn't love learning about worms? The Worm Factory is a complete composting kit. Toss in last night's dinner scraps, the junk mail, and let the worms do their work.

9. Start a bin for recycled craft materials. Shoe boxes, toilet paper rolls, paper. This "junk" can turn a rainy day into a happy day. For example, baby food jars can be turned into snow globes. For a full list of ideas, check out www.make-stuff.com.

10. Dine outdoors. Picnic in the grass and bring all the containers home with you. Shoot for a zero-trash meal with plastic utensils, plates and cloth napkins. We love the assortment from Preserve - they craft new dinnerware from old yogurt containers.