Friday, April 22 is Earth Day. This year’s theme is, “Trees for the Earth.” Most schools teach students about this holiday by sharing information about conservation and sustainability. If you have children, consider bringing them to visit a grandparent to share all their new Earth-friendly knowledge and plant some seeds with these following activities:
Recycle together
Young kids love to talk about what they’ve learned in school and tend to be excellent at recounting whatever lessons they learned in class recently. Your little ones might love to tell their grandma or grandpa all they know about Earth Day! Recycling is one major topic they have likely discussed with their teachers and classmates. They may have even taken part in sorting recyclable materials in school. Have your kids talk with you about what they’ve learned and then show how to sort recyclable items. Many senior living centers offer separate containers for residents to dispose of trash, compostable items, glass and plastic. You can talk to the center’s Administrator ahead of time to learn what programs they offer. You may even be able to make a multi generation project out of it by having your mom or dad and your kids help out with recycling at the senior living community for a day!
Talk about Earth facts
There are so many amazing things to know about our planet. Kiddos love sharing this information and can learn a lot about Earth Day by doing a little research. Have your kids create a little presentation of their favorite Earth-related facts to show their grandma or grandpa. Here are a few facts to get them started:
- The Earth’s lithosphere is made up of tectonic plates. When they move and shift, the landscape changes as mountains and volcanoes rise up and cracks and crevices leave indentations.
- The planet is around 5 billion years old. Only 5 to 10 percent of that time has included life, from the very first single-cell organisms to today’s complex human beings!
- About 71 percent of the Earth is covered with water. This is important because it contributes to global cooling and warming as well as weather patterns. Plus, we use it to stay hydrated since our bodies are around 60 percent water!
Remember, researching doesn’t just include simply entering some terms into an online search bar. Instead, kids can ask their parents or grandparents questions, follow up with their teachers and use their school library to reference books. Kids can even experiment outdoors with their parents’ supervision.
Plant a tree together
In some schools, it is common for each student to have his or her family come to class for a little while to talk about Earth Day and take home a free tree to plant. This year’s motto, “Trees for the Earth,” will likely lead to more schools following the planting tradition. Bring along your older loved one for a field trip to your kids’ school. There you’ll pick up the tree and see what your children are working on. It’s a great way to get the older generation involved in what the younger ones are doing in class and to help our environment. Then, find a spot to plant your tree together. One day it may grow up to provide shade, filter carbon dioxide out of the air and even host its own ecosystem of forest creatures!
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CHC