Sustainability And Conservation – Make Everyday Earth Day

The best way to explain the need to recycle or global warming to children is through activities and resources that help them better understand the concept. While today children are quite dependent on online learning, when learning happens through a fun pen and paper based activity, they learn, retain, and perform better.

As parents it’s important for us to make sure we teach our children their responsibility to care for our planet and World Earth Day(April 22nd) is the perfect time to teach them the three Rs: reuse, recycle, and reduce.

Educating our little ones about climate change, reducing carbon footprint, and ways we can protect our planet is as important as any other type of education. Incidentally, the best time to start teaching children responsibility towards our environment is when they are young. These early years in a child’s life is when most of the learning happens.

Now, a good way to explain these concepts to children is through physical activities and resources that can help them grasp the concept better. While there are plenty of online activities for children to enjoy and learn from, it’s the pen and paper-based learning that builds the strongest learning foundation. 

Today children are quite dependent on online learning, when learning happens through a fun pen and paper based activity, they learn, retain, and perform better. Children also learn faster through fun activities, and the best way to inspire and teach them to take care of our environment is through activities related to World Earth Day.

We’ve put together a list of 10 fun indoor and outdoor activities that you can try with your child on World Earth Day, which is celebrated each year on 22nd April.

When it comes to activities based on events like Earth Day, the first thing that comes to mind are outdoor activities. But what if we told you that there are some fun indoor Earth Day activities that children are sure to enjoy.

10 Unique Indoor Activities You Must Try With Your Kids This World Earth Day

1. Read Books Together

If it’s too hot to go outdoors, spend some time indoors reading nature-centric books with your child. Make it interactive by asking them questions about the book, and even discussing the characters. 

If your child is in the 8-12 age group, you can also ask them their views about the book and how they would have written it differently, their favourite characters, and their understanding of the stories. It’s a fun way to encourage reading while they also learn about our planet and the wondrous gifts it has to offer.

2. Watch Movies That Teach About Carbon Footprint 

Like story books, children’s movies are an excellent way to educate them visually. Choose children’s movies that have pro-environment messages to watch with your child on World Earth Day. 

There are some fun movies like Police Patrol, Happy Feet, and Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest that talk about the effects of carbon footprint.

3. Work On Weekly HP PLC Worksheets

Another fun yet educational activity you must try with kids are worksheets. Specifically, the HP Print Learn Center worksheets that are a great way to teach kids about sustainability but also a fun way to bond and spend time together as a family.

These worksheets are well-researched and beautifully illustrated. They  also encourage children to go beyond theoretical learning.

Worksheets are a great way to teach kids about sustainability 

In addition, they follow a scientifically designed curriculum, along with guided video tutorials for parents by globally renowned experts. These videos are a great way for parents to help their children build a strong learning foundation.

These age-appropriate and structured learning worksheets come in weekly sets of 20 sheets. There are over 12,000 interactive worksheets to choose from to engage the young learners.

Children not only improve their creative expressions but also get clarity on fundamental concepts, while learning age-appropriate skills, through these worksheets. Basically, the HP Print Learn Center worksheets enable kids to think beyond classrooms and out of the box!

This World Earth Day, HP Print Learn Center has launched a new set of worksheets that teach kids on how to live responsibly and take care of their

The worksheets are designed in a fun way to make children aware about this special day and all the changes we can make in our lives and surroundings to protect our planet.

1. Sustainable Swaps Worksheets

The Sustainable Swaps worksheets come in a pack of 14 worksheets, and are aimed at teaching kids about the right choices one can make to save the planet. From switching from plastic toothbrushes to organic bamboo toothbrushes, to reusing water bottles, these fun worksheets make children think and decide what’s good for our planet.

2. Save Water Worksheets

The Save Water worksheets include 15 pages of fun colouring sheets that are based on sea creatures and activity based information about sea creatures like whales, orcas, and sea lions that are on the verge of extinction, and the steps we can take to save them from becoming extinct. 

The HP PLC Earth Day Worksheets include fun colouring activities to keep kids engaged

3. Recycle, Reuse, Reduce Worksheets

The Recycle, Reuse, Reduce worksheets are all about the greenhouse effect and climate change. Solutions like planting more trees, reusing and recycling are given importance in these worksheets that contain 18 pages of interactive fun. It also includes a guide to composting.

4. Save Nature Worksheets

The Save Nature worksheets introduce kids to sustainability, renewable energy, plant-based diets, zero regression, and zero waste lifestyle. The worksheets include information on nature as well as the different types of insects, bugs, and plants.

5. Save Electricity Worksheets

The Save Electricity worksheets are a wonderful way to introduce the future generation to eco homes. It talks about the things we can do around the house and in the neighbourhood to save electricity.

All these worksheets include interesting DIYs with step-by-step instructions, quiz sheets, craft ideas, and experiments that kids can easily do at home. 

Children around this age are curious to know more about their surroundings, places and people; and these worksheets are designed to feed their curiosity. You may think all this comes with a price, but you will be surprised to know that these worksheets don’t burn a hole in your pocket as their subscription plans are extremely pocket-friendly. 

There are three plans that parents can choose from, from the HP Print Learn Center that was launched in November 2020. Besides that they have exclusive discounts on the subscription plans, complimentary sessions by experts and even free trial subscription.

4. Start A Seed Jar

A seed jar is a great way to teach kids about how things grow. This activity will teach them not only about how plants grow, but also the ways to take care of plants and nurture them. 

You can re-use old jars and bottles to grow these seeds. Plants like wheat grass and cilantro grow faster and it’s a good idea to start with these seeds so that it gets your little one excited to plant more.

5. Upcycle Metal and Plastic

There are endless possibilities for reusing metal and plastic lying around at home. From empty shampoo bottles to old and unused grocery and cutlery, you can use them to make anything from art pieces to colour pencil stands, photo frames, and jewellery boxes with your little ones.

Recycle and reuse old unused things in the house to create something new/ Image source: pixabay

Handprint Keepsake With Food Colouring And Salt Dough 

This is one craft activity you will want to preserve all your life, while your child will enjoy making it too! Teach your child to make homemade, non-toxic and environment-friendly play dough with food colouring, table salt, flour, and water.

Let your child mix all the ingredients together, and allow them to feel, smell and enjoy the process. It’s a great activity for sensory play as well. Flatten the dough into a shape you like and ask your child to press his/her hand on it: you have a keepsake!

Outdoor Earth Day Activities For Children

6. Go For A Nature Walk

Children love the outdoors, so make the most of it by taking a walk around the park, a walk at the beach, or your neighbourhood with your child on Earth Day. Make a list of things for them to do as they take nature walks. 

From spotting animals like dogs, cats, cows, to collecting things from nature like flowers and leaves, and stones, to naming birds talk about the things you see in nature with your child, there is lot to explore

7. Make Leaf Jewellery

The fun part about making leaf jewellery is going out and gathering different types of leaves with your kids, while they explore nature around them. Take some natural twine and sew the leaves together to make a necklace or a hair accessory for your child. 

8. Make A Miniature Fairy Or Animal Garden

Toddlers and preschoolers thrive on imaginative play. So what if you don’t have a garden in your house, you can create a miniature garden with your little one. It’s an activity that both you and your child will enjoy. 

Collect bits and pieces of nature, use an old tray to create a magical garden. All you need is some soil, twigs to create trees, leaves, grass and some of your child’s toys and a whole lot of imagination to create the garden.

Use an old tray to create a magical garden with bits and pieces collected from naturen / Image source: pixabay

9.Print A T-Shirt With Organic Items 

One of the best go-to sources for creative projects is nature. And what’s more interesting and exciting for your child when it’s something he/she can wear? Take a plain t-shirt that fits your child, collect leaves, stones or any tiny bits of nature and ask your child to paint with them on the t-shirt. It’s an easy activity that brings art and nature together in a fun way.

Children love activities and when you choose the right ones for your kids, you are sure to raise happy learners. Though e-learning has become a big part of children’s lives in the last two years, pen and paper activities are still fundamental to learning. 

In fact, neuroscientist Professor Audrye van der Meer of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) also noted that children need to be taught handwriting at school as the senses are activated when kids use pen on paper. 

Activities like seeing the letters as they write, using pen on paper and hearing the sounds that are made during the writing process, open the brain up for learning.  pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write and hearing the sounds as they write.

World Earth Day activities teach children to appreciate the world around them. They also learn to take care of and protect our environment, plus, these activities are also a great way to bond with your child.