Kids eco-activities for each week of the summer

Keep the kids busy all summer long

(NC)—Have fun all summer long and do your part for a cleaner, greener planet at the same time. You can help your child discover unforgettable summer activities each week that make a real difference. Why not try the following:

Week 1.  Reduce your carbon footprint: Find an online carbon-footprint calculator and let the kids enter in what your family consumes. Brainstorm five things you can do to make your family’s carbon footprint smaller. Track your success and compare your results at the end of the summer break.

Week 2.  Get involved: Apply to be a Sunlight Green Clean Kid. It’s a panel of Canadian kids dedicated to seeing small eco-changes make a big difference across the country. The selected panel members will each receive a $2,000 honourarium and a chance to develop environmental programs that encourage Canadian kids across the country to go green. Visit www.SunlightGreenCleanKids.com for details. The deadline for applications is July 24, 2009.

Week 3: Eco-exploring: Instead of taking a road trip, reduce carbon emissions by going for a hike or a long bike ride. Visit local parks and bike trails to learn more about the ecosystems and habitats in your community.

Week 4: Find your age: Find a tree the same age as you by counting its whorls or branches. Branches grown in the same year all radiate out from the same area, so count the sets of branches for the approximate age. Look closely to see scars from old branches and add extra years for branch whorls the tree lost at its base.

Week 5: Go local: Picking berries and fruit is fun opportunity to learn how food gets from a farm to your table. Plant fresh vegetables in your backyard and watch them grow and ripen during the summer.
See more activities in the August edition.

Week 6: Composting Crusaders: Now that you have a small garden, create compost to help it grow. Collect dead plant scraps (look for brown dried leaves and pine needles) and living parts (grass clippings, kitchen vegetable scraps and weeds) to make a nutrient rich mixture.

Week 7: Scavenger Hunt: Search through your home to find items that can be made greener. Start by checking all the light bulbs; are they energy efficient? Check to see if cleaning products are biodegradable. Make sure your family uses reusable cloth bags instead of plastic bags. Be sure to look in every room, closet and cupboard to see what other items can be greener.

Week 8: Get Crafty: Recycling is a kid-friendly concept that stretches the imagination. Use old clothes and cardboard boxes to create eco-defender costumes and a headquarters for your neighbourhood eco-club.