Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22nd since 1970. Today, it’s a global event recognized by more than 190 countries. It’s a day devoted to connecting with nature, and teaching people how to care about the future of our planet and our environment, and it’s the perfect thing to get your kids involved in.
Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you throw a party complete with cupcakes and blue and green decorations (but hey, that could be fun!). Nope, instead I think there’s a lot of other fun ways you can acknowledge Earth Day as a family.
4 Family-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
- Spring is the season for antique and flea markets. Is there anything eco-friendlier than purchasing someone else’s junk that could very well be your next treasure? So, why not visit a market with your family and buy something vintage/new for your home. If you worry your kids won’t be into the idea, here’s how I’ve kept my boys coming to the market with me well into their teens: pitch them as the place to search for long lost valuables and cater the hunt to whatever it is they’re interested in. For example, my sports-loving son always looks for collectible hockey and baseball cards, and my budding filmmaker began a cherished collection of vintage cameras.
- Get your indoor kids outside for the day. Plan a park hop (think of it as the toddler version of a pub crawl) and criss-cross the city hitting up the best parks in town. For extra fun, ask family members to rate the parks (cleanest, best swings, most unique, etc.) and decide which park earns the title of the Best Playground in your town.
- Throw an impromptu street party. See which neighbours are going to be home and plan for an afternoon of outside fun with friends. Organize a friendly game of street hockey, set up a little face painting or craft table, let the kids fill water balloons and blow bubbles and bring the barbecues into the driveway for a neighbourhood feast. Bonus points for those who also get everyone involved in planting something; it could be a new tree, a few flowers for the front porch, and even some herbs for use in the kitchen.
- Let your preschooler decorate a reusable canvas tote that can be their market bag for the season. Have them carry it around when you make a trip to the farmer’s market and let them choose a fruit or vegetable to each week to place inside (this also doubles as a great way to introduce new items to their diet).
Tell us, what do you have planned for Earth Day? How are you celebrating the day with your kids?
Tagged under: Spring,Earth day,parks,outdoors,Earth Day with kids
Category: green-living
