Stacy Shares: 5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!

These “Earth Week” ideas are brought to you by Melissa & Doug, written by our Blog Ambassador Stacy Teet. Show your appreciation for the planet all week!

Done right, Earth Day should help you refocus on the planet in a way that lasts much longer than a single day. (Especially if your Sunday was a rain-out, like ours!) In that spirit, here are a list of play ideas to extend your Earth Day fun all week long . . . and beyond.

1. First and foremost, get your kids OUTSIDE! What better way to celebrate the Earth than enjoying all that she has to offer. Head outside and start exploring–go somewhere new, go somewhere that brings back memories, or just go out in your own backyard–do whatever you have to do to enjoy some fresh air! Take comfort in the shade of a large tree or experience the best part of childhood by getting downright dirty . . . then find the closest water source you can have some fun!

2. While you’re outdoors, why not have a PICNIC for the planet? Inspired in part by the Nature Conservatory, Earth Day picnics are a wonderful way to pay homage to the planet on Earth Day. Make your picnic even more impactful by choosing containers and silverware that can be used again and again (or at least recycled). Choose fresh fruits and veggies and items in as little packaging as possible to keep your picnic Earth-friendly. The Bella Butterfly Picnic Set has everything you need to host your Earth-friendly picnic in style! Fruit salads, homemade granola bars and crudites are a great choice and kid friendly too! Teach the kids how powerful nature can be by making a batch of sun tea for your picnic. Our Blog Ambassador Val has a great recipe for sun tea.

3. DO SOME GOOD where you live by hosting a neighborhood cleanup effort or planting a tree. (Would you believe she found that airplane while we were out cleaning our park?) The Bella Butterfly Cart and the Happy Giddy Cart are the perfect tools for cleanup efforts around the neighborhood or in your yard!

4. MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF JUNK. Recycling is always the way to go, but when it comes to kids, recyclables are also a wonderful source for building and craft materials. Dig through your plastics and cardboard and get creative! Val’s giant sunflower has always been a favorite recycled craft project of mine. What interesting things have you made using junk?

5. Teach them to CONSERVE. Activities we consider part of everyday life are putting a great strain on our planet, so talk to your kids about pollution, energy usage and the importance of conserving water. Small adjustments in your lives (like replacing your light bulbs with CFLs, turning off the lights and TV when you leave a room or turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth) can really add up to big savings for our planet. Go a few steps further by choosing to walk or bike instead of driving on Earth Day, installing a rain barrel to use in your garden or even adding a 1/2 gallon bottle full of water and some pebbles to your toilet’s tank to cut back on the amount of water used each time you flush. (This simple step could reduce a family of 5′s water usage by about 350 gallons per month!)**

** A quick tutorial for How to Convert any Toilet to a Low Flush Toilet can be found here.

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Stacy Teet is the author of KidsStuffWorld! A military mom turned supermom, this nature-loving, wannabe crafter has a positive outlook and fresh perspective on everyday life. She’s on a mission to raise three happy, healthy, well-balanced kids and best of all, she wants to share her secrets! Her writing is chock-full of tips for enjoying parenthood, saving money, entertaining your kids and making your family’s life a bit simpler. She’s sure to inspire you with new ideas, helpful insights and easy steps to connect with your community and care for the planet. Check out the whole story on her Web site, KidsStuffWorld.com, or take a peek behind the scenes by following her on Pinterest, Twitter or the KSW Facebook page.