Earth Day is a day the whole family can enjoy together. You can take advantage of this day to teach your children about caring for the earth. Also consider doing some pottery work together. I have come up with a few ideas that would be fun for all ages, and help bring the family together for one of the most important days of each year, for thinking about ways we can help Mother Earth.
#1 Nature Walk/Art Project
Go for a walk and have each family member collect five to ten items from nature. For example, they can pick up a leaf or a petal. Ask them to bring a bag so they can collect their belongings. Take them home and make a collage. You can use the collage to make place mats, wall art, or even a desk mat or mouse pad. What you also create gift cards using leaves as the design for the front of the card. I have a good friend who dries flowers from her yard and then applies them to the front of cardstock by gluing them. You will need: laminated sheets, card stock, scissors, clear glue or hot glue, and any other materials you have on hand. Be creative and have fun. Many of these items can be purchased at your local dollar store. If not, here are some options from Amazon – White Thick Paper Cardstock and Self Stick Laminating Sheets and Scotch 5″ Soft Touch Blunt Tip Kids Scissors
#2 Tie Dye Party
Tie dyeing is fun! When natural food coloring is used, it becomes an eco-friendly activity. If you want to add some education to the project, talk to your kids about why you chose to use natural dye instead of chemical dye. Discuss how chemicals harm the planet. You can use carrots, beets, berries, turmeric and other natural products to make the dye. My family makes tie-dye for a living! You can check out all that they have to offer at https://jamminon.com/
#3 Stuffed Animals
Make stuffed animals with materials you find everywhere in the house. For example, a black sock can be used to create the body of a penguin. Cut out the white t-shirt material and glue or sew it to make the belly. A few buttons for the eyes. A felt or foam triangle for the beak and legs.
Kids and adults can also create fun monster animals. You can use old corduroy skirts or pants for the bodices. Buttons, ribbons and fiberfill take care of the rest. Each sample can be unique. Since you’re using items you already have in your home, talk to your kids about why repurposing and repurposing items is good for the planet.
#4 Bracelets or cuffs.
Cuffs are in style right now, and old wool sweaters can make beautiful cuffs. Your children can have fun with this craft using buttons, flowers and old decorations. You can too! To make old wool sweaters work for this project, you’ll want to ‘feel’ them. This means that you shrink them until the wool is thick. It won’t come apart. Simply cut the yarn to size. Try it on your wrist. Secure it with Velcro, buttons, or even sew it closed. Add embellishments and you will have a beautiful fist. If you are a Taylor Swift fan? You can create friendship bracelets to wear in pride!
#5 Can you garden?
If you are a family of gardeners, start collecting cans. This is a recycling project and a garden project in one. Decide how you want to decorate the outside of the can. You can create your own labels using a computer, but you can also draw or paint them. Painting works well because you don’t have to worry about water ruining the paper decorations. Yeah, If you are going to paint the cans, consider using a primer beforehand so that the paint adheres well to the can. You can also decorate it with stickers.
Poke a few holes in the bottom of the clean can before decorating the outside. These holes are for drainage. Place some stones in the bottom of the can. Fill the can with potting soil and plant seeds or plants. Place in a sunny location. Your children will be able to see their plants grow. Note: If you each plant a different herb, you can create a herb garden on your windowsill. I would recommend herbs you know that you would use in your cooking overall. Basil, Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley are the most common use daily. Once the herbs have grown, you can demonstrate how they are used to preparing dinner. This way, your children will also learn about the life cycle.
Consider your children’s age and attention span before choosing a craft. Earth Day is a day that can be both fun and educational. Help your children learn about caring for the earth in a fun way.
Header Photo by Artem Podrez
