Despite the stress, uncertainty and inconvenience that’s come from COVID-19 quarantine measures, an undeniable benefit has been the impact on planet earth. All over the world, people are reporting clearer skies and cleaner water due to global lockdowns. This drastic shift is sparking a larger conversation around how to handle pollution and climate change in the future, and what better time to start talking to your kids about it than Earth Day?
Here are 5 ways you can get your kids excited about Earth Day (which is this Wednesday, April 22, 2020):
1) Play educational Earth Day games online
Legends of Learning has six free online Earth Day games to help you educate your children about the environment on Earth Day. These six games are part of our larger library of over one hundred Earth and Space, Life, and Physical science games for elementary and middle school grades 3-8. They’ll keep your kids engaged for hours, and they’re completely free!
2) Plant a garden
What better way to get your kids excited about saving the planet than having them grow their own garden? Many studies have said gardening is a great way to alleviate the anxiety that’s building up from being quarantined at home. It’s also a great way to get your family outdoors for a few hours. Give your kids a dedicated area to plant their seeds, and assign them watering and weeding duty over the coming weeks.
3) Watch Planet Earth
We could watch this series a hundred times over, and it’s sure to entertain the entire family, regardless of age. Planet Earth is a great way to expose your kids to the different ecosystems and animals impacted by climate change around the world. It’s no longer on Netflix, but you can find the series on Discovery Channel’s streaming service.
4) Virtually visit Yosemite National Park
Google Earth launched virtual tours of 31 of the world’s most incredible national parks. From Yosemite to Yellowstone, you and your kids can take a much needed escape from the comfort of your home. The tours even include can’t miss sights, like the famous erupting Old Faithful geysers.
5) Teach them how to recycle
What better time to teach your kids about recycling? Set up a recycling system within your home and label each bin with the items that go in it. Challenge your kids to be mindful about recycling throughout the week. You can even challenge your kids to pick up litter (with gloves, of course!) in your neighborhood or parks as you go for your daily family walks.