Honor Earth Day All Year With PBS KIDS Learning Activities

Happy Earth Day to our planet! We celebrate Earth Day to keep in mind how much our earth provides us, from the space to live and the earth that grows our food, to the air that keeps us alive. Here are some ways we can learn about the earth while having fun!

How does your garden grow?

Whether your garden is in a window box or a backyard plot, it is a home, a food factory, a recycling center and an energy producer. For three to four seasons a year, a working garden bustles with activity. Even when it’s quiet, or dormant, it is still a living ecosystem lying in wait for warmer weather to return, while providing a safe habitat for hibernating insects or their eggs, reptiles, amphibians, and many other living things. Plant some seeds to learn about the life cycle of plants and then enjoy their beauty or the food that grows from them.

Waste Not, Want Not

In the United States, as much as 40 percent of all food produced is discarded. Young children are learning about matching portion sizes with what their stomachs can handle. They are also ready to learn how food gets onto their plates, and where their unfinished food goes when they put it in the trash, helping to motivate less wasteful eating habits. Composting is an excellent way to reduce food waste. It turns food scraps and yard waste into a natural recycling system in our backyard. It cuts down on trash, fights climate change, and enriches soil for healthier plants and a cleaner earth. If everyone in the United States composted, it would be equivalent to removing 7.8 million cars from the road. Learn how easy it is to compost and make your own rich soil.

Transform Trash into Treasure!

Upcycling is taking something we normally recycle and transforming it into something different to continue its use in a new way. Begin by introducing your children to upcycling through simple and fun projects. For example, you can transform old t-shirts into reusable tote bags or create unique artwork using recycled materials.

For more ideas of ways to keep celebrating Earth Day every day:

• consider trying these 15 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day With Kids throughout the year!
• Share an inspiring "Nature Cat" Earth Day song with kids.
• When you're stuck inside, try these PBS KIDS nature games to keep the learning going.