Earth Day. It’s the Little Things.

• Read “Earth Day” by Margaret McNamara … I love these Ready-to-Read, Level 1 books for younger kids.
  1. This book is a cute story with a great message. Emma cannot think of a big idea to save the Earth, so her Dad helps her think of many small things they can do. I love all of the simple, practical ideas that I can do with my kids!

 

• Recycle Activity & Game!
  1. Gather five empty boxes.
  2. Print the labels (above) and trace them!
  3. Print out the recyclables page (above) and cut apart.
  4. Help your preschooler decide which label each picture matches & glue it on!
  5. Attach these labels to each box.
  6. GAME: If weather permits, “litter” the backyard with lots of (clean) recyclable items. Let the kids practice picking up the litter and recycling it!
  7. Continue recycling from now on!

• Read “Fancy Nancy: Every Day Is Earth Day” by Jane O’Connor … I have to be honest and say, I have two boys first, so this is the first Fancy Nancy book I’ve ever read. I’m hooked. They are so cute.
  1. I loved the little sayings in this book, “Less than a mile, bike in style” and “Please take note. Always bring a tote.”
  2. After reading, the activities below are inspired by the ideas in the book!

• Decorate reusable tote bags!
  1. Use fabric markers, like these, and let your kids decorate a blank canvas tote bag to their little heart’s content (canvas totes are available in most craft stores or from Amazon above.)
  2. You may want to put a piece of cardboard inside the bag to prevent bleeding.
  3. If you don’t want to mess with fabric markers, you could always have the kids draw a picture, then copy it onto transfer paper and iron it on your tote!
  4. Take these to the library or the grocery store the next time you go!

• Turn it off! … a fun little reminder to save water and energy around the house.
  1. Print the reminder page above, cut apart and laminate.
  2. Talk about how we can save energy by:
     • turning off the light when we leave a room
     • turning off the TV
     • turning off the computer
     • turning off the water while we brush our teeth
     • turning off the water after we get a drink
  3. Go on a hunt around the house and place a “Don’t forget to turn me off!” reminder near each light switch, sink, TV and computer.
  4. Make an extra effort to turn things off and save energy!
• Have a fancy energy-saving dinner (or lunch or snack) … just like Fancy Nancy in the book!
  1. Turn off the lights and have a candlelit dinner.
  2. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
  3. Serve foods you purchased at a local farmer’s market.