Earth Day Approaches

Earth day is rapidly approaching, and it represents a great opportunity to introduce young children or re-introduce our bigger children to the wonders of our world. Often times during the hectic lives we lead we forget to appreciate the planet we live on. Although we should celebrate our planet every day, April 22^nd is a great day to get together as a family or community and pay tribute to our home. Below are some fun activities to do with your children or the kids from your neighborhood on earth day.

Go to the Museum

Load up the car, van, or truck and take a trip down to the science museum; it's a great way to spend an afternoon learning about some of earth's wonders. It's affordable, and playing with the electricity exhibits is always great fun. The museum will get everyone out of the house and can be used as an exceptional learning tool. Also, keep an eye out for discounts and special events, a lot of museums like to do something special for earth day like free admission for children, or special exhibits etc.

Visit a Park or Preserve

We can't all make it to Yellowstone but you would be surprised at the number of National and State parks that are out there many of which don't charge any admission at all. Some have historic landmarks, underground springs, nature trails, petting zoos, all sorts of fun outdoor earth themed activities that promote hands on interaction. Let the kids get out and get dirty, dig for earth worms, or trap fire-flies. I guarantee the little things will go a long way and you never know what will grab a child's interest and encourage them to great feats and accomplishments. The idea to be the next great explorer, or artist, or naturalist can come from a simple walk in the woods. A lot of us go through our entire lives without ever stepping foot in a forest, don't miss the opportunity to expose our future generations to something new.

Plant a tree / Start a Garden

Find a nice spot in the yard or neighborhood and plant a tree. Take a trip to the plant "Nursery" and let the kids pick a suitable tree. Keep them involved by letting them dig the hole and all of the other manual labor required, take the time to explain the importance of keeping the neighborhood green and the benefits of trees and why we need them. Starting a garden is another alternative, one that requires a little more work and upkeep but it stresses the fact that taking care of our environment takes effort on all our parts. What's great about a garden is that after time the children will be able to see the reward in their work, whether it's a patch of daisies or a bunch of tomatoes it helps them to appreciate what they have created and hopefully that appreciation is a lasting one.

Recycle

If you aren't already, recycling is a good way to help the earth on any day. Start with your kids today, sorting your recyclable materials and keep track of your progress. When earth day rolls around take a second to observe how much waste you were able to eliminate and all of the recyclable goods that were previously just being thrown out. It should grab their attention. If so, encourage them to expand their efforts, get their friends and their friends families involved and see what you guys can do as a community. Not only will you have made a huge positive impact on the environment but it will have brought you all closer together and strengthened community ties, and just think, it all started with a pile of garbage.

Start a Compost Pile

Starting a compost pile is beneficial in many ways, especially if you plan to implement steps 3 and 4 above. If you have a spot in the yard out of the way a compost pile is a great project to get the kids involved with. It would definitely help with the yard work because all of the leaves and litter would have to be gathered up, much of the organic waste from your kitchen is good composting material, egg shells, fruits and veggies etc. So you can show your children just how beneficial taking care of the planet can be. Using your sorted food waste from your kitchen to add to your compost pile can then be made into excellent fertilizer for your tree or garden. All while promoting a healthy planet.

It starts with your environment at home; I have always felt that a hands on approach is the best way to get people to appreciate the world around them. Even though it's April 22^nd on the calendar, Earth day should be everyday, we must be proactive in our thinking if we are to ensure a healthy living environment for those who will follow in our footsteps. I hope this article has encouraged you to get out this year and take part in Earth Day to show our younger generation that being green is great