So the kids are home from school now, with that seemingly boundless energy, and they’re starting to give you that “We’re bored” look. There’s daylight to burn and hours until dinner time. Try these fun activities to help the time pass!
- Trailblazing: Hike through a park or nature preserve. Hiking gets them outside, active, and into the fresh air. Visit a local ecology center or check out an arboretum. These are great places to get kids interested in nature or animal conservation.
- Plant a tree: It doesn’t have to be Arbor Dayor Earth Day to encourage your kids to plant a new tree. The kids can go back and visit the tree every year and check on its growth. Aside from the benefits of the tree itself, it will connect them to nature in a unique way. You can teach your kids about sustainability and why it’s so important to continue the green earth cycle.
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- Get Your Hands Dirty: Gardening can be fun and kids can watch their seedling grow into a plant of their choice. The kids can start small seedlings and nurture them through the winter to plant in the spring. Vegetables like carrots and broccoli grow well during fall weather. For that extra added bit of environmentally friendly awareness, use organic fertilizers instead of chemical based products.
- Play Ball: Organize games of tag, soccer or kickball with the local kids in the neighborhood. Organized team play will get them to spend less time in front of a television and more time outside and teach them great social skills.
- Bike riding: Local parks are a great place for bike riding and is one of those ideal activities to get your kids outside and into the fresh air.You can even grab a bike yourself and make it a family outing but make sure that your kids have proper helmets and reflectors on their bikes before trekking out on the road.
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- Arts and Crafts: Not all fun has to be outdoors. Encourage creativity with crafts using eco-friendly art supplies. Recyclable construction paper and eco-friendly crayons are only two of the many kinds of supplies which are available for after school craft time. You can even encourage outdoor creativity with biodegradable street paint for drawing on the sidewalks or driveway.
- Walk the dog: Not only do the kids get some moderate exercise by walking or playing with Fido, it’s also a good way to instill a sense of responsibility. Make sure to chaperone your child when walking Fido and bring plenty of baggies for your little pup’s mess.
Image courtesy of Tina Phillips
- Join a local Boy or Girl Scout troop: Your local Boy Scout or Girl Scout Divisions are constantly performing work with environmental or health based initiatives. The Scouts are an excellent community organization that teaches kids valuable social skills and the importance of team work. The Scouts have many activities where they can earn badges as rewards for community outreach.
- Recycle: Volunteer to run a local recycling drive.. You and your kids can host a recycling drive from a local VFW and get the whole community to pitch in. The money earned for the items recycled can go towards a local charity or event.
- Go camping in the backyard: There’s no reason why you can’t go camping in the backyard overnight. You can teach your kid about how to live off of the grid for a night, with no computer or TV. Make it a family affair and go camping for a weekend either out in the backyard or a your local camping site if you can’t make it into the wilderness. You can go fishing, learn to safely build a fire, and gaze at star constellations. Be sure to clean up after your camping expedition, removing all garbage and extinguishing your camp fire properly. The importance of caring for nature is made clearer when you are surrounded by it.
