Earth day is coming up soon, and We wanted to share some of the Montessori earth day activities that could teach your child to conserve the planet.
We cannot deny that climate change is a global problem, and the only way we can help save our planet is by learning to conserve resources and reduce waste. There are lots of earth day activities that you can do with your child to teach them about these important topics such as recycling, composting, and using nature for fun.
The Montessori day activities we’ve used in this article are easy and fun, but their concept is profound. We hope you and your little child will enjoy these activities as much as we do!
Why Should You Instill Environmental Awareness To your Kids From A Young Age?
Children are naturally curious. They love to learn, and they love to do and use things. Since they are so interested in the world around them, it seems only natural that you introduce environmental awareness to them at a young age. When you teach your children about the environment, you give them something important and meaningful to think about.
If you teach a child about climate change, for example, it will become very meaningful for him because he will come to understand how climate change can affect his life. After all, the effects of climate change are real and visible to everyone who lives in this world today. The Earth is constantly changing in response to the factors that surround it.
Here are the other reasons why you should instill environmental awareness in your kids from a young age:
1. It Will Help your child make Good Choices
Children who learn to appreciate the environment and care for it will also be more aware of their choices and the effects of their actions. When they grow up, they will be less likely to make choices that are harmful to the environment.
One good example is a person who decides to buy eco-friendly products. He understands and appreciates the effect that his purchases have on our planet and himself.
2. It Will Develop your Child’s Interest In Nature
Children who learn about the environment are also more likely to develop an interest in it. This is important because when a child becomes an adult, he will be able to do things that will help protect the environment. He may even be able to volunteer for environmental groups so that he can raise awareness about environmental issues.
3. It Will Help Your Child Maintain A Good Relationship with Nature
It is very important to help develop good relationships with nature because this world is full of natural resources that we can use to survive and even thrive. Since these resources are limited, it is important to use them carefully so that we can make the most out of them for a long time to come. Children who grow up learning to value these natural resources and care for them will be more likely to appreciate them and, in turn, will make better decisions regarding the use of these resources.
Now that you understand the importance of instilling environmental awareness in your child, it is time for you to find out the best Montessori earth day activities you can use with your child. Let’s learn more about these activities now.
Best Montessori Earth Day Activities
Montessori Academy believes that you can teach your child about the environment through fun, hands-on activities. There are a lot of activities that you can do with your child to teach him about the environment, and in this article, we will share some of them.
1. Go on a Litter Hike
This is an easy activity that you can do with your child. This activity is about learning about the environment and some of the environmental issues we are facing today.
What you will need:
-A plastic bag for collecting litter (You can get one from your local grocery store)
-A trash can with a lid (use to collect your litter)
-A few pieces of waste paper or newspaper
How to do this activity:
Create two “hiking trails” on the ground using pieces of newspaper or waste paper. Find a spot where there are no trees or rocks in sight, and play with your child while walking along the trail.
Let your child collect some litter along the trail. Ask them to put all of the litter into the plastic bag provided. Make sure that your child does not remove any litter from the trail.
When done, give your child a reward for helping you clean up our world. You can do this by pointing out how even a little bit of trash can be very harmful to this planet and cause lots of problems in our environment, such as ruining natural resources or polluting water sources. Tell your child that they have contributed something to clean up this world and help protect it from pollution and harm, so they should be proud!
2. Make A Compost Bin
If you have never made a compost bin before, this is the perfect time to try it. It will be a great way to teach your child about the natural processes in nature every day.
What You Will Need:
-Your child’s old toys or clothes (Leather items will work best)
-Fruit and vegetable scraps (Make sure that they have no traces of pesticides or preservatives). Be very careful not to throw seeds in there. Kitchen waste is also okay.
-A plastic bin with a lid
-A spade or shovel
-Dry leaves (You can collect them from your backyard)
How to Do This Activity:
Collect your fruit and vegetable scraps. Place them inside the plastic bin. These items will be used as the “waste” for our compost bin because they will start to break down after a while. You mustn’t pack the bin too full of waste material because it will take much longer to break down into soil.
Lift the lid and add dry leaves to the bin. These will serve as “abundant” materials because they will be used as a source of nutrients for your compost bin.
While you wait for your bin to break down, show your child how dry leaves decay and turn into soil, just like what happens in nature. When this happens, the compost bin will be ready to use. Enjoy!
3. Make A Miniature Watershed
Building a miniature watershed is an excellent activity that shows how water is a renewable but finite resource.
In order to do this activity, you may need the following:
-a tarp
-plastic bags, dishes
-sprayer
-drops of food coloring
How to Do This Activity:
Prepare a tarp by folding it in half. Use tape to make sure that you do not get any holes in the tarp. Scatter the dishes, plastic bags, and other waterproof items across a tarp to make a landscape with hills and valleys.
Have your kids spray water over the landscape, see how rain flows and collects in depressions to form lakes and wetlands.
Next, introduce pollution into the system by adding a few drops of food coloring at a point in the watershed. Then make it rain again and observe how pollution from a single source affects water throughout the watershed.
4. Do Some Recycling Activities
Recycling is one of the most fun ways to take care of our environment, and it is not hard to do, making it a great activity for your child. It can also be a good way to introduce your child to a few basic environmental concepts.
There are many recycling activities that you can enjoy with your child. We pick some of the most fun and easy ones to try.
- Make Seed Paper: Seed paper is a great way to use natural resources that you would otherwise throw away. This project is fun to do with your child. Using your used paper, you will be able to make seed paper that can be used as a simple art project. You can visit Climate Kids to learn how to make your seed paper.
- Make A Bird Feeder: One of the great things about bird feeders is that they can be made from items you already have lying around the house. Make sure to recycle when you can because this project is easy and fun to do with your child. The Resourceful Mama can guide you on how to make your very own bird feeder:
- Create a Recycling Bins for the Home: This is a fun activity that your child will be able to help you with. All you have to do is help them create recycling bins for the house and start placing them in areas that make sense, like near your kitchen or in the bathroom. Kaboom has some great tips on how to make recycling bins at home:
5. Make A Small Garden
Making a small garden makes great sense for an outdoor project. Your child will learn about the importance of growing food for us and show how some of these foods can be used directly in our diets.
For this activity, you will need:
-a few pots and soil
-various seeds (vegetables and herbs work great)
How to Do This Activity:
Find a sunny place where you can place a few pots for your child to plant their seeds in. This is a perfect project for the elementary or preschool age. Plant some of your child’s favorite vegetables, herbs, and flowers in the pots. Show them how to make the soil better for growing their plants by putting in extra nutrients for them to absorb. Compost is a good material for garden soil. Putting the organic matter into the soil will turn it into a fantastic growing medium for your children’s plants.
6. Read Books About Environment
Reading books about the environment can be a great activity for you and your child. By reading these books, you will be able to teach your child about some of the most important environmental issues that affect us today. You can also use books to stimulate your child’s imagination and creativity. Bird books for kids can show children the beauty of birds which can help you teach them to appreciate the birds and respect their wild nature.
Final Thoughts
These activities are great ways to show your child the importance of caring for our environment. It is up to us all to make sure that our planet stays clean and healthy because we all want a better future for them.
Montessori Academy believes in making sure that each child is educated about and immersed in the environment. We strive to make a world where kids are empowered with skills and knowledge to live, learn and share in a sustainable way. We do this through our students’ exploration of the natural environment, their involvement with environmental issues, and their connections to nature.
The activities we provide will allow your children to see themselves in Nature by exploring living things and applying the skills they learn in Math, Science, and Art within a real-world experience. They will also engage in educational activities that help them understand how Earth’s processes work together to form ecosystems around them.
We hope that these ideas will help you set up a fun, easy, and creative project with your child. Have fun while you learn and teach!
