Fun Eco-friendly and Green Ideas for the Summer

Now that the school year is winding down and summer is about to start, a number of parents are wondering what they should be doing with their children this summer. The following are six great eco-friendly green activities to do with your kids this summer.

Start a toy exchange program with other children
Arrange a playdate with your kids' friends and before you leave their house (or before they leave your house), exchange toys til the next time you have a playdate. Often kids enjoy playing with toys just because it belongs to their friends so save money and explore this eco-friendly summer activity.

Organize a picnic with your children
Meet with friends in your local park and organize a picnic. Agree to bring/pack silverware and dishes. Instead of bringing ipods, CD players or other electrical musical devices for entertainment, bring a guitar or have each child bring a homemade instrument to share with their friends.

Participate or start a library program
Most local libraries offer summer reading programs for school age children. If your local library does not offer one, do not panic. Contact the library director and mention that you would like to organize a weekly summer reading club for children. A number of websites offer suggested reading lists.

Organize nature and zoo walks
Get together with a group of friends and your family to visit your local nature trails and zoos. A number of zoos offer free admissions during the summer months. Take advantage of these opportunities. To encourage your children to explore and learn during these nature and zoo trips, have each child bring a notebook (reuse an unfinished school notebook for these purposes) to write down interesting facts. Younger children enjoy drawing pictures of what they discover.

Visit a local farm
Most farms welcome visitors (and do not charge any admissions fees). Call the farm in advance to find out the best time/dates to visit and take the opportunity to buy local fresh grown fruits and vegetables.

Encourage volunteerism
School age children will enjoy volunteering at local libraries and zoos. Additional volunteer opportunities are usually available at local museums and bookstores as well. Most not for profit organizations have a number of volunteer opportunities. Although children are not paid for such work, the not for profit organizations usually reward students with valuable experience and nice end of the summer celebrations. These organizations also serve as great references for high school or college applications and future job opportunities.