Some ideas for activities that’ll make our earth a brighter place to live
You’re never too young to start saving the planet. It sounds like a big job, and it is… but it can be big fun too! Not to mention seriously satisfying.
As it’s Conservation Month here at Yoto, we’ve put together a list of activities that encourage recycling and are sure to inspire you and yours to jump out of bed, get outside and connect with nature. Tree-hugging not mandatory, but most definitely encouraged. Here goes.
Activity ideas
Make your own bird feeder. Bonus points if you can gather recycled materials. Think a juice carton, water bottle (or similar), some wire/string and glue. If you need help, here's a little step by step guide to making a DIY bird feeder. Let your imagination and creativity do the rest and don’t forget to share a picture of your creation in the comments!
Make your own rain gauge. This is an easy one that you can do with any type of container you might have – think a glass milk bottle or similar. Mark centimetres up the side of your container with a marker, sit it somewhere outdoors and watch it fill up as the rain comes down! Keeping a rain diary can really help encourage kids’ awareness and interest in our climate.
Suncatchers. When the brighter weather rolls around, a homemade sun catcher really livens up any garden. Pony beads, coloured tissue paper and PVA glue are great materials to use for these. Kids will love making their own unique patterns and seeing designs light up the space.
Self-watering bottles. Upside down bottles with a small hole made in the lid are great for keeping plants steadily hydrated through the summer. Decorate them with paint, glue on natural materials like leaves or even a pair of googly eyes to give them extra stand-out!
Loo-roll seed pots. Those cardboard tubes are fantastic for growing seeds in. Simply fill them with compost, plant your seeds and watch them grow. This one is so simple – great for toddlers and preschoolers.
Rock painting. This activity makes a change from painting plain old paper, plus you can add an extra layer of fun by hiding them round your garden or nearest park for others to stumble upon.
Egg carton adventure. Each player needs an empty egg carton and paints each section of it a different colour. The aim of the game (once the paint has dried!) is to find something outdoors for each of the colours. First one to fill their box wins!
Recommended cards
We’ve got more than a few cards in our library that’ll really enhance your little ones’ understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
Try titles like Percy and the Park Keeper, Peter Rabbit or even the relaxing tones of Dreams of the Forest.
Lots of ideas for you to choose from there – do share your outdoor projects with us, we love seeing them. Oh, and don’t forget to let us know in the comments if we missed anything!