Want to teach your kids about the importance of Earth Day? Here are some great ideas and activities for helping them understand that our planet has limited resources that need to be preserved.
Pennies for the Planet
How about showing your kids that donating even one penny can have an impact on the environment? Encourage your kids to get involved in Audubon’s Pennies for the Planet, a program geared towards helping kids learn about threatened wildlife species and habitats. The program allows kids to raise money in support of national conservation projects. Kids can raise money individually, with their class, or even with their school in order to be eligible for fun prizes and awards. Money raised from this year’s Pennies for the Planet will help protect endangered coastlines, including the safeguarding and restoring Louisiana coastal marshes. Pennies for the Planet teaches kids to be concerned about threatened ecosystems and wildlife and helps connect youth and adults in the critical fight for environmental preservation. To download the Pennies for the Planet kit –including a full color poster, educator’s guide, and newsletter for kids – visit www.PenniesforthePlanet.org. See below for link.
Be an Active Participant
Encourage your kid to flex their leadership skills and start their own environmental club at school. Or, they can join one of the many existing internet group where kids share tips with each other about different ways they can help the environment. You can also find environmental events going on locally or nationally, such as the May 21 2010 celebration of Endangered Species Day, in which you and your kids can volunteer in or just attend as a fun educational experience.
Adopt an Animal
Help your kid raise money to “adopt” an animal through NWF’s Animal Adoption program (www.nwf.org/adoptioncenter). To raise funds, you and your kid can organize a garage sale, hold a community-wide raffle, or even put on a local-bands benefit concert. You can also ask your kid’s class to get involved together and “adopt” a class animal.
Voice Your Concern
You and your kids can contact your local, state, and national representatives by letter or phone to voice your concern over the much-needed protection of endangered species and threatened habitats. Visit the Endangered Species Coalition at www.stopextinction.org, for helpful tips on proactive letter writing. See below for link.
Watch a Movie
Watching an informative film or documentary with your kids can actually help both of you understand environmental issues better. The upcoming film Furry Vengeance, coming out on April 30, is a live-action comedy which is appropriate for all ages and packs a powerful message about the environment, which encourages kids to think critically about making choices that could potentially affect wildlife and habitats. Visit http://www.takepart.com/furryvengeance to download a kid’s activity packet which can guide your kids on participating in environmental issues. See below for link.
Understand and Appreciate
Don’t let this Earth Day pass you by, without helping your kids understand how important it is to appreciate the Earth’s environment. And remember, Earth Day isn’t the only day where you should be mindful of the environment – this is something that you and your kids could be doing every day!
