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10 Easy, Eco Ways to Entertain Your Kids This Summer

Running out of ideas for activities this summer? Why not try some that the kids will love and teach them to love the environment at the same time?

by M.C. Milker
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summer activities to do with your kids

© iStockphoto_SKLA

Caring about nature begins with knowing about nature. So start with a trip to your local library. Over 2.5 billion books are sold each year in the U.S., many of which end up contributing to the 50 million tons of paper bloating our landfills each year. So rather than spending $15 on a new book, go to the library and borrow as many as you want…for free. Look for the many great books about science and nature for kids, most of which you can't find at your local bookstore. You can also try some of these summer activities:

1. Plan A Pilgrim Day

Conserve the old fashioned way. Spend a day without energy-eating and carbon-emitting modern conveniences. Use candles instead of electric lights (be sure to follow candle safety rules and not leave children attended around them). Read stories aloud instead of watching TV or playing computer games; go to the farmers' market for dinner ingredients and cook together; buy a clothesline and hang clothes out on the line to dry. Make it fun; pretend you're pilgrims or pioneers. Then calculate your carbon footprint and talk about other ways to incorporate pioneer ways into your daily life.

2. Practice Garbalogy

Make it a habit after each meal to talk with your children about where our waste goes. Paper napkins, fast food wrappers and processed food packaging all contribute to our planet's waste. Start using reusable whenever possible.

10 Easy, Eco Ways to Entertain Your Kids This Summer

Photo via www.solidwastedistrict.com

3. Create Eco Art

Spend two weeks saving all of your (cleanable) paper and plastic recyclables. See what you and the kids can make. Build towers with cereal boxes. Swordfight with paper towel rolls. Use plastic strawberry baskets as bubble wands. Make an underwater viewer from an old milk jug and plastic wrap. Recycle when you're done.

garden with your kids

4. Plant Late Harvest Vegetables

Gardening is one of the best ways to teach children about eating organic. It's not too late to plant a garden for a yummy fall harvest.

5. Start Your Own Nature Library

Buy a (used) regional field guide, take walks together and finally identify those plants, birds and animals you see every day. The Audubon Society has regional guides to plants and animals common in each part of the country.