15+ Earth Day Crafts & Printables for Kids

Check out these Earth Day crafts and printables for kids to celebrate the holiday. They're suitable for children who speak or are learning any language!

Why Craft on Earth Day?

Using crafts to celebrate Earth Day has numerous benefits for children and adults alike. 

• It's a fun and engaging way to learn about the importance of taking care of our planet. 
  
  
• It can also inspire creativity and encourage problem-solving skills as individuals think about ways to repurpose or recycle materials. 
  
  
• Crafts can also foster a sense of community as people come together to work on projects that benefit the environment. 
  
  
• Crafting can be a therapeutic activity that helps to reduce stress and promote mental well-being
  . 
• Making crafts out of recycled or repurposed materials, individuals can reduce waste and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The best part of making crafts, in my opinion, is that they can usually be done in ANY language. I hope you and your children or students enjoy this compilation of some pretty great crafts and printables to do for Earth Day.

Earth Day Crafts for Kids

Here's a list of hands-on crafts for kids to make as they learn about and celebrate Earth Day.

1. Cascarones Activity
   If you have any cascarones left over from Easter, then use them! If not, don't waste those expensive eggs you are buying: use the eggshells to create your own Earth-friendly seed starter pots!
   
   
2. Recycled Earth Day Craft
   I really love this simple confetti planet Earth from No Time for Flash Cards. It's just lovely and easy for little fingers to make.
   
   
3. Earth Day Printable Headband
   This is a great printable craft from Simple Everyday Mom to get things started, and to get kids excited for the day’s activities. Coloring and wearing this headband will put them in just the right frame of mind. 
   
   
4. DIY Earthy Rock and Fossil Fridge Magnets
   These DIY magnets from Sustain My Craft Habit are a neat idea that can keep the concept of Earth Day in their minds all year round every time they look at the refrigerator. The supplies list is short, but worth picking up ahead of time, as it isn’t all stuff people keep laying around.
   
   
5. Bird-Friendly Seed Mosaic Bird Feeders
   Feeding birds is great. Feeding birds safely is a major concern, though. These planet-friendly, bird-friendly feeders by Barley & Birch allow for a lot of creativity, and only take a few cheap ingredients. Great way to learn about reduce, reuse, and recycle. 
   
   
6. Fairy Greenhouse Egg Carton Seed Starters
   Also by Barley & Birch are these super clever egg carton seed starters! I mean, seriously, recycling at its best. We eat the eggs, use the eggshells as seed starter pots, and then re-use the plastic carton as a mini greenhouse. It's what Earth Day is all about!
   
   
7. Sprout House
   This Sprout House from STEM Education Guide is such a cool idea, and one that will keep kids engaged for some time after Earth Day. Build a small house out of sponges, and line them with sprout seeds. Put water in the dish, and watch day by day for the sprouts to grow.
   
   
8. Recycled Plastic Bottle Planters Craft 
   These Recycled Bottle Planters by Craving Some Creativity are the perfect size for succulents and help keep single use plastics out of landfills. Younger ones will need help, but they will love the adorable animal faces.
   
   
9. Hot Rock Melted Crayon Craft
   Older kids will love this craft from by Simply Well Balanced. It may take a fair amount of supervision based on your child's age and skill level, but the results are so fantastic. Crayons partially melt when used on hot rocks to create unique patterns. This is a great outdoor activity on Earth Day!
   
   
10. Earth Day Daisies 
    Oh my gosh, these are just the cutest things! Buggy and Buddy has this gorgeous little craft made out of cupcake liners. I think you will love displaying them as much as your kids will making them!
    
    
11. DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers 
    Toilet paper rolls can be recycled in multiple ways. But this option from The Forked Spoon creates another gorgeous planter that kids can check back day after day to watch their plants magically grow.
    

Earth Day Printables for Kids

If you prefer print-and-go activities, consider this list of Earth Day downloads.

1. Earth Day Acrostic Poem Activity
   This packet of bilingual Earth Day acrostic poem templates includes directions and examples in both English and Spanish. There are five different acrostic pages with prompts of varying length and difficulty. There's also a blank page to allow children to use their own focus word.
   
   
2. Bilingual Earth Day Activities for PreK - 1st
   This bilingual packet full of Earth-Day-themed activities is also available in English and Spanish. 
   
   
3. Free Download: Bilingual Earth Day Puzzle Cards 
   This activity is good for language learners and preschoolers. These bilingual puzzles are made up of 12 cards that feature different ways to be kind to the Earth...in English and Spanish.
   
   
4. Free Printable Earth Template 
   There are so many different crafts and learning opportunities with these Earth templates by Lil Tigers. Print several to take advantage of multiple crafts on Earth Day. Can be used in any language.
   
   
5. Earth Day Color by Number Printable
   Younger ones may enjoy helping with some of the other projects, but they aren’t going to be fully engaged in several of them. These colorable printables by Mommy Made That offer a project that they can tackle on their own. Kids can make some very cute pictures, and will love figuring out which colors go in which parts. English only.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Bilingual Activities, Crafts, Books and More for Earth Day
  
  
• 5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate #EarthDay
  
  
• Earth School from TEDEd
  
  
• 5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home

Earth Day Resources 2021

Happy Earth Day, Friends!

There are a lot of opportunities happening today that I hope you don't miss, so I'll get right to it.

FIRST, Clap for Classics is having a FREE mini music class on Instagram and Facebook live! The class will air THIS MORNING at 10am EST/ 9 central/8 mountain. It will be about 10 minutes of musical play and learning. Perfect for kids ages 2-6. 

If you've never heard of them, check out my review here. My 3yo LOVES their interactive classes!

Tomorrow, April 22, the American Museum of Natural History's annual EarthFest will offer a series of live online programs to celebrate the beautiful planet we call home, from home, beginning at 11 am ET. Offerings include a live performance featuring puppetry and animation that illuminates Indigenous folklore, a live virtual guided flight exploring climate science from the vantage points of satellites, a live program and chat with conservation scientists, a virtual dance party, and more.

Here's the schedule of events.

Project Learning Tree has free activities for families. The 12 activities from the Learn About Forests series is for kids ages 10–16 in learning about sustainable forest management.

They also have these 21 Tree Art Projects for Young Learners. I'm looking forward to doing most of these with my youngest!

And finally, don't forget that last year TED-Ed launched Earth School. It's a 30-day (not including weekends) interactive adventure through the natural world. 

Enjoy!!

Earth School

Hey, friends! Have you heard about Earth School? It's amazing and I've thoroughly enjoyed learning about it. My 14yo has just started it.  

Earth School is a 30-day (not including weekends) interactive adventure through the natural world. Hosted on the TED-Ed website, a new "quest" is posted daily (five days a week). Each quest includes a video and lesson plan. The program was launched on Earth Day (April 22nd) and it runs through World Environment Day (June 5th). It focuses on nature and our relationship with or dependency on it. 

Each week has a theme. They post on a 5-day week plan, so there are six weeks of content. The themes are: 

• The Nature of Our Stuff
• The Nature of Society
• The Nature of Nature
• The Nature of Change
• The Nature of Individual Action
• The Nature of Collective Action

A partnership between the UN Environment Programme and TED-Ed, Earth School is FULL of amazing videos. Here's an example from Day 1...

TED Ed is alway high-quality education programming. So I trust them when it comes to my kids. 

If you'd like to check it out with your family, visit TED Ed's Earth School site.

5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home

I was thinking about how to celebrate Earth Day with my family this year. Normally, I enjoy going to the zoo or participating in local events. But since we're homebound, we need to think outside the box a little. So here are five ways to observe the holiday at home.

1) Watch Amazing Documentaries & Virtual Field Trips

There are so many incredible documentaries out now that teach us about remarkable natural places and the fascinating lives of animals. Why not splurge and spend the day watching some? I'm not talking about old, dry, boring documentaries, either. Between National Geographic, Nova, and Disney Nature, you have plenty of options to watch, learn, and fall in love with wild places and animals. 

You can also go on virtual field trips to national parks, zoos, aquariums, nature centers and so much more! Just google them online to find the best ones.

2) Plant a Seed

All you need are some beans (or ANY kind of seed!), soil, and a plastic cup. How much easier does it get than that?  Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup, place a small rock (or piece of pottery or anything, really) over the hole to keep the soil from draining out. Fill the cup to about 1/2 an inch below the rim with soil and plant your seed. Water, set in a sunny window, and watch it grow! Just be sure to water whenever the soil dries out. 

If you want to be truly green, you can repurpose those empty cascarones and use an eggshell instead of using a plastic cup. Just use a thumbtack to poke a couple of holes in the bottom of the eggshell. No need for a rock. 

Want to take it a step further? Have older children learn how to grow kitchen vegetables from scraps! 

3) Feed & Watch Birds

Birds have begun to migrate back north to their summer breeding grounds. Now is a GREAT time to put up a bird feeder. You can make your own using the instructions here or for a giant list to choose from click here.

Another option is to set up your own hummingbird feeder. These feeders are a little trickier to make. But older kids can probably get it done. Or, if you already have one, get it out, dust it off and make your own nectar. Here's the perfect recipe for hummingbird nectar: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. So for one cup of water, use 1/4 cup sugar. Use hot water to dissolve the sugar. Let it cool and put it in your feeder. DON'T use red food dye. The hummingbirds don't need it and it is actually bad for them.

4) Make Crafts from Recycled Objects

Do you have a bin full of recyclables? Get your kids' creativity on and have them create useful objects by repurposing recyclable materials. Check out this huge list of ideas. But encourage your kids to be original and think of their own projects. 

5) Make Your Own Nature Log or Table

If you have access to a garden, creek, or park, then get out the camera and let your kids explore their world. Have them take photos of living things that they discover as they spend time outside. You can also have them draw their discoveries on paper and write a short description underneath. Challenge them to look closely and find tiny life forms - bugs, seedlings, fungi, or even micro-organisms (if you have a microscope!). 

The other option is to collect fascinating objects on your backyard explorations. Start a nature table (or shelf!) with remarkable things you find outdoors. Just be sure you don't take active nests. Only collect nests in the winter after they've been used and abandoned. The picture above is of my daughter's special shelf several years ago when she was around 8 or 9. Actually, she still has some of these treasures in her room today (she's now 16). 

Earth Day Bilingual Acrostic Poem Activity

Discover how acrostic poems benefit students and learn about a fun Earth Day bilingual acrostic poem activity. Download your free templates and get creative!

Tomorrow is Earth Day. It's been all but forgotten as countries around the word are coping with the pandemic. But this is the perfect time to think remember it. Because if nothing else, this virus should show us the interconnectedness of all life on Earth.

How Acrostic Poems Benefit Students

This year, I'm offering this printable activity for Earth Day. I've chosen poetry because that is a writing form that seems to fit perfectly with the beauty of our planet and the life on it.

Acrostic poems are an excellent tool for students of all ages and skill levels. By using acrostic poems, students can:

1. practice their writing skills and critical thinking,, 
2. expand their vocabulary, 
3. improve their understanding of language and syntax,
4. and GREAT for language learners because students have to think in terms of relationships: What words associated with the topic and begin with....? 

Additionally, acrostic poems provide a structured and focused framework for students to express their thoughts and ideas on a particular topic, such as Earth Day. This can help students develop critical thinking skills and learn how to organize their thoughts and ideas effectively. 

Acrostic poems can also be a fun and engaging way to learn about a particular topic, as students are encouraged to think creatively and come up with words and phrases that reflect their understanding and feelings about the subject. They really help students to think deeply about themselves and their perceptions. 

Earth Day Bilingual Acrostic Poem Activity

Do you remember doing acrostic poems when you were a kid? They were one of my favorite activities as a child. Usually, our teacher would whip them out around Mother's Day. They even made a song about it. You remember:

"M" is for the million things she gave me
"O" means only that she's growing old
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me
"H" is for her heart of purest gold
"E" is for her eyes with love-light shining
"R" means right and right she'll always be
Put them all together they spell MOTHER...

So just for fun, I've put together this packet of bilingual Earth Day acrostic poem templates. It includes directions and examples in both English and Spanish, as well as five different acrostic pages with prompts of varying length and difficulty. There's also a blank page to allow children to use their own focus word.

Download Your Copy Here

Overall, acrostic poems are a valuable tool for students to develop their writing and communication skills while also fostering creativity and self-expression. I hope you enjoy this printable activity to celebrate Earth Day!

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Bilingual Activities, Crafts, Books and More for Earth Day
  
  
• 15+ Earth Day Crafts & Printables for Kids (coming soon!)
  
  
• 5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate #EarthDay
  
  
• Earth School from TEDEd
  
  
• 5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home

Cascarones Activity for Earth Day

© Can Stock Photo - glenkar

Did you have any cascarones left over from your Easter weekend? Probably not, but just in case, I thought I would share this one activity that is perfect for celebrating Earth Day.

(If you're wondering what cascarones are, check out this post that talks about the history of this creative tradition.)

Either way, growing seedlings inside eggshells is a practical and organic way to garden and welcome spring. It's also fun! I have attached a video below from Miracle Grow (no paid promotion - I just looked up videos and liked this one best!) that gives the simple directions for growing seeds (herbs, perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, vines - you name it!) in an eggshell.

Our chickens lay a lot of eggs and we grow a LOT of seeds. So this is a perfect activity for our family.

Don't waste your money on expensive trays. Just use what you probably have available in your kitchen - eggs and egg trays.

How to make eco-friendly planters from eggshells

The directions are simple:

1. Save your eggshells from your normal meal schedule, being careful to crack the eggs on one end (the big end!) so that most of the egg remains intact. 
2. Wash the eggshell thoroughly. 
3. Use a pin, thumbtack, or small nail to poke a few drainage holes in the opposite end.
4. Fill your eggshell 3/4ths of the way full with potting soil.
5. Drop your seeds inside the egg. (You can do just one seed, but I think two(2) seeds is best so that you have a backup if one doesn't sprout!)
6. Cover lightly with more potting soil being careful to leave a lip of eggshell around the top so that the soil/seed don't wash away when you water it.
7. Place your egg tray full of planted eggs in a sunny windowsill where it will be warm and get plenty of light. 
8. Water every few days depending on how quickly the soil dries out. Those seeds love the moisture, but not a soggy environment!

Once your seeds sprout and are a good two or three inches with at least two leaves, you can transfer your seedlings to a bigger pot. Be sure to gently crack the eggshell apart so that the roots can grow and spread in the new soil and not become root bound in the eggshell.

The great thing, too, is that eggshells can benefit the new plant. They provide calcium carbonate, which the seedling uses to build healthy, strong cell walls.

Other Earth Day Activities

You may also enjoy these other Earth Day activities and printables.

• Earth School
• 5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home
• Free Earth Day Acrostic Poem Activity
• Free Download: Bilingual Earth Day Puzzle Cards
• Bilingual Earth Day Activities for PreK - 1st
• 5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate #EarthDay

Happy Earth Day!

National Geographic's Climate Hub

With Earth Day coming up on Monday, now's a great time to explore different resources available for discussing climate change and the importance of taking care of our planet.

I really love this slide show from National Geographic's Climate Hub. It does a great job of focusing on just the facts and presents them in a simple, clear format. The slides have a few graphics to help visual learners, as well as clean charts to help the reader understand the numbers being presented.

And it isn't all doom and gloom. It does end with a positive message on how we can make a difference.

Overall, I think this slide show is a perfect jumping off point for students in 5th grade and up (as well as adults!). The facts are presented and the kids can continue researching on their own.

Earth Month on PBS KIDS Starts TODAY

PBS KIDS has a whole new set of episodes that celebrate Earth Month that will begin airing TODAY!

Any Wild Kratts lovers out there in MommyMaestra readerville? I have two here at my house. So they've been ticking down the days ever since they heard that WILD KRATTS, NATURE CAT, and READY JET GO! will all be airing new episodes this week.

And, of course, we are especially excited that Wild Kratts will be featuring flamingos in their episode today. In fact, they filmed part of this episode at the bird park where my husband worked before we moved back to Texas. So cool!

It's also exciting that there will be the first-ever crossover episode of NATURE CAT that includes a guest appearance from Chris and Martin Kratt of WILD KRATTS.

The awesome thing about these episodes is that they inspire kids to go outside, explore, and have their own nature adventures.

So don't miss out! If you have little ones who are PBS fans, be sure to watch your favorite shows all this week!

Bilingual Earth Day Activities for PreK - 1st

This Sunday, we'll be celebrating Earth Day. A wonderful reminder (especially with our current political climate) that we have a responsibility to take care of our planet so that it will take care of us!

And it is never too early to start teaching our kids responsible habits, such as recycling. So I've created and expanded this bilingual packet full of Earth-Day-themed activities.

The picture above is just a peek at the fun printables you'll find. This packet actually contains:

• "Things I do to help the Earth" chore chart
• Tracing worksheet
• Shadow match
• A counting activity
• Vocabulary words
• Notecards
• Recycling craftivity
• puzzle cards

And, yes, they are ALL available in English and Spanish! It's geared for kids in PreK through 1st grade.

You can find it in my TpT store.

Happy Earth Day!

Explore the Outdoors with PBS KIDS

This morning, I filled my hummingbird feeder for the third time this year. Do you know what that means? It means that despite several late freezes, spring has officially sprung here in North Carolina. We welcome the warmer temperatures with great joy because my kids get so restless being trapped inside during the winter months. The hammocks get shaken out, the bike tires aired up, and the gardening gloves get dirty again.

We look for other ways to enjoy the outdoors as a family, too. A couple of weeks ago, we broke out the kayaks and the fishing poles and headed down to our local swamp. We were lucky to have warm weather and plenty of biting fish! I loved that my family had the opportunity to enjoy such a beautiful setting at the beginning of the season.

And once again, PBS KIDS is celebrating their annual Explore the Outdoors initiative with new programming and fantastic online content for your family. Last week, new episodes of Ready, Jet, Go! aired featuring earth science and astronomy concepts. Maybe your child learned about asteroids, meteors, and meteorites. Or maybe they learned about the northern lights.

My kids are anxiously awaiting the new Wild Kratts episodes coming out next week, including the series' 100th episode! In true creature adventure fashion, my kids have been outside scouting for wildlife. They have been monitoring a dove nest in our carport for the last several weeks and the two babies finally fledged a few days ago.

This thing actually works!

The first butterflies showed up a few weeks ago. In fact, this weekend, my two kids went out and caught a tiger swallowtail and set it up in a butterfly habitat for an hour or two for observation before letting it go.

But you don't have to have a fancy butterfly house for your kids to enjoy nature. There are fun activities available at pbsparents.org/outdoors that you can download for your children. From making planters out of tin cans to making your own Wild Kratts nature journal, you'll find easy to follow directions and engaging printables.

Also next week, you'll see new episodes of Nature Cat. Your little ones might learn different ways they can help the environment or about nocturnal animals. So be sure you don't miss out!

Dallas EEI Offers Free Programs for Local Teachers/Homeschoolers

Are there any MommyMaestra readers who are teachers or homeschoolers in the Dallas, TX, area? If so, read on about this fabulous resource!

The City of Dallas Environmental Education Initiative has a number of bilingual programs for grades K-12 that teach recycling and water conservation to elementary and middle school students. They also teach the program to educators so that they can continue the work in the classroom. After the classes, the teachers are eligible to pick books to keep in their classroom. You can go and do training pretty much anywhere in the Dallas area and private schools are welcome to participate, as well. Homeschool organizations are eligible, too!

The best part? If you are within the Dallas city limits, the programs are free!

If you go onto the site under the “Our Programs” tab you can see all of the programs available. Right now they are working with a graduate student who is renovating a couple of green spaces within two DISD schools. They go in and plant flowers and new grass, add benches and butterfly gardens. It’s really cool and the City provides the materials. Their folks provide the teaching and labor. There are City of Dallas folks that help with the “certifications” of the revamps of the green spaces and students help, as well. It’s really a nice program.

The 45-minute K-5 programs are TEKS-aligned and include hands-on activities. They are provided by certified teachers who visit your classroom and bring all the materials.

You can also find videos in English and Spanish on their YouTube channel. They cover basic concepts about environmental responsibilities. Here's an example:



With Earth Day coming up, I bet these would be a great supplement to any science curriculum.

If you sign up for a program, tell them MommyMaestra sent you!

5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate Earth Day

Latino authors and illustrators have created beautiful children's books about our connection to nature. Here's a list of some of the best Latino children's books to celebrate Earth Day.

Many Latinos enjoy a strong connection to nature. My own love of the outdoors, animals, and gardening comes from my Abuelita in whose garden I spent countless hours playing as a little girl. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that many Latino authors and illustrators have penned books that revolve around nature and the Earth.

While there are many books about our connection to nature, here is a sampling of the Latino children's books that make wonderful reads for Earth Day. 

The following links are affiliate links.

5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate Earth Day

Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol

written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez

I love this super sweet book for small children! It's gentle message of growth and being unique is relayed by inviting the child reader to imagine how they are like a tree growing strong and free. The illustrations are vibrant and actively engage little minds.

Water Rolls, Water Rises/El agua rueda, el agua sube

by Pat Mora, illustrations by Meilo So

Truly a remarkable book, it is a "poetic celebration of the movement, moods, and majesty of water on Earth." Not only do the words capture the essence of water, but the illustrations are also a visual masterpiece, each one having been inspired by a specific place on Earth.

Talking with Mother Earth/Hablando con madre tierra: Poems/Poemas

by Jorge Argueta, illustrated by Lucia Angela Perez

Through poems in both English and Spanish, Argueta teaches the strong connection between humans and nature in this tale about Tetl's, a young boy who feels different and outcast from the other children. But Tetl's grandmother helps him discover his Nahuatl heritage by teaching him the ways of their ancestors and helping him learn to listen to the wind, mountains, corn, and more.

Animal Poems of the Iguazú/Animalario del Iguazú

by Francisco X. Alarcon, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez

In this magical journey through one of the wonders of the natural world, renowned poet Francisco X. Alarcón follows the Amerindian oral tradition, allowing the animals to speak for themselves in their own roaring, soaring, fluttering voices. Maya Christina Gonzalez’s glorious mixed media illustrations bring the vibrant colors and textures of the rainforest to life.

The Parrot Tico Tango/El loro Tico Tango

by Anna Witte, sung by Brian Amador

The best thing about this book is the sing-along CD that features songs by musician and voice actor, Brian Amador. My kids absolutely loved listening to this book when they were little. The story revolves around a greedy parrot in the jungle who goes around stealing all the fruit...until he learns an important lesson.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Bilingual Activities, Crafts, Books and More for Earth Day
  
  
• 15+ Earth Day Crafts & Printables for Kids
  
  
• Earth School from TEDEd
  
  
• 5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home

Free Download: Bilingual Earth Day Puzzle Cards

Time for another free download! With Earth Day taking place tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to create these bilingual puzzle cards with ways to celebrate Día de la Tierra. The 12 cards feature different ways to be kind to the Earth...in English and Spanish.

Just print, cut, shuffle, and have your nenes piece them back together. This activity it good for language learners and preschoolers.

Click here to download your file

Happy Earth Day!

Explore the Outdoors with PBS KIDS

April is my favorite month of the year. Good things always happen this month including my son's birthday, Earth Day on the 22nd, and SPRING!! We have been cooped up in our house for so long and like many of you, we welcome the warmer days and the burst of color they bring with them. With two children who love the outdoors, spring provides so many opportunities to escape the house and explore the world outside our door.

As such, I was excited to learn that PBS KIDS and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) have joined forces to launch the annual Explore the Outdoors campaign, which encourages families to celebrate nature and the outdoors this spring.

Starting this Monday, April 7, PBS KIDS kicks off Earth Month with themed, on-air programming and online and mobile content. NRPA members across the country and local PBS member stations are hosting events throughout the month with PBS KIDS Explore the Outdoors activities and materials. 

My son is most excited that PBS KIDS Explore the Outdoors will include eco-themed programming weeks from Wild Kratts (PSST! We downloaded their new app today!) and Arthur, as well as the premiere of “The Cyberchase Movie” and the launch of the new web-original PLUM LANDING.

We started off the month by celebrating nature and the outdoors with a garden activity from the 2014 PBS Kids Explore the Outdoors Toolkit. It has us itching to start planting new seedlings in our garden and flowers in our flower beds.

You can see the materials above with the exception of some potting soil, which I forgot to add. "Arthur's Green Thumb" is just one of the fun activities for which you can print directions. Your kids can also create their own weather station, leaf/bark rubbing, nature journals, collages and more.

We're now anxiously awaiting Monday's new Wild Kratts episode (because you know we're total WK groupies in this house).

So grab a book and your kids and head outside this month! Soak in a little sunshine and vitamin D while you take your class out in the fresh air! Play some games, climb a tree, or just sit and enjoy the buzzing of the bees and the birds in the trees. 

How is your family celebrating spring and the outdoors?

Curious George Swings Into Spring

Winter is FINALLY gone and to celebrate, this Monday, PBS KIDS is airing a NEW one-hour special, "Curious George Swings Into Spring."

My family is so glad to see spring arrive. We've been spending every possible moment outside. The kids have been riding bikes and chasing butterflies, and I have been gardening and maintaining my bird feeders and nest boxes. So when I received a Curious George Swings Into Spring activity kit and screener in the mail (I'm a PBS KIDS ambassador), I was happy to see what was in it... tomato seeds and a bag of birdseed! Hurrah!

Materials You'll Need

Birdfeeder supplies:

• twine or wire
• chopsticks
• scissors
• duct tape
• funnel
• bird seed 

But what was even better than that were the activity sheets that show how to build a bird feeder from a 2 liter plastic bottle, a pinwheel craft, and coloring page. And you can find all of them, too, by simply clicking the links above. This week, we looked at all of the activity sheets, and my kids decided they want to make a bird feeder. We cheated a wee bit and used a drill to make the holes, but used closed scissors to widen them. And we also found that using a long pipe cleaner is actually a lot easier to thread back through the holes in the bottom of the bottle. They're our favorite method for hanging bird feeders because the are strong, but easily bend. My daughter loved it so much she decided to set up a chair outside to watch the birds using it.

Seed Planting Supplies:

• tomato seeds
• potting soil
• eggshells or seed starters
• egg carton (optional)

My son decided to create his own activity using the tomato seeds. He quickly gathered up some eggshells that were leftover from our cascarones-making extravaganza. We had carefully emptied and washed them, so he just stuck them in an egg carton, widened the hole a bit, and started pouring potting soil inside each one using a little funnel made out of paper. Then he planted the tomato seeds and watered them all down. I'll have to post an update once they start growing.

If you're looking for fun springtime activities to keep your kids busy, the ones I've linked to above are fun and educational. Or you can just let your child be creative and come up with his own ideas, like mine did.

Are your children old enough (or still young enough?) to enjoy Curious George? Mine still are, and after watching the episode, my son said with pleasure, "Oh, that was a really sweet show." And it is little remarks like that which keep me a loyal fan of PBS.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Explore the Outdoors with PBS KIDS
  
  
• 3 Fun Snacks for Spring
  
  
• Help Your Kids Explore the Outdoors!

Imagine a Better World, Imagina un mundo mejor

There's little else that makes me happier than finding a fabulous new resource for my children...and yours. I must profusely thank a MommyMaestra reader for contacting me and sharing this particular one with me.

Brickhouse Education is a (new?) publishing company whose goal is to "provide you with high-quality books while covering all benchmarks/standards and helping you save." Their books are designed to teach several subjects at once, to help teachers cover more with less. And if you visit their website, you'll see that they are working towards providing a free downloadable lesson plan with each book. And all teachers and librarians receive 30% off list prices.But the best part? EVERY TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH.

Okay, so you might say this is slightly exciting but... how good are the translations?

I'll admit that I haven't read all their books. But from what I can tell many of the books are written by Yanitzia Canetti, of whom I just think the world. She is a superb author and translator who, like all true translators, is remarkably good at conveying the meaning and emotion behind the story. She's not a chop-chop-choppy, word-for-word translator.

(UPDATE: I just discovered that Canetti is actually the President of Cambridge BrickHouse. That only impresses me even more.)

My introduction to the Brickhouse Education titles, was through Imagina un mundo mejor. This beautiful book is perfect for Earth Day and National Poetry month and Día de los niños, Día de los libros all together.

This book is filled with inspirational poetry and whimsical illustrations that open our eyes to the beauty of our surrounding world...

The book was written to teach Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. It touches on key concepts like rhyming words, animal habitats and behaviors, responsibility and generosity, life cycles, and descriptive language and imagery. It is also designed to build self-esteem, help children identify problems and solutions, and express emotions.

I can't tell you how much I love the poems in this book. I can't even pick out only one to share with you, they are that good. So here is just one, that I love...

 El árbol del abuelo

Abuelo sembró un árbol

que tiene ramas frondosas.

En él viven gusanitos

y hormiguitas laboriosas.

Vive un búho, tres gorriones,

y un montón de mariposas,

las abejas de un panal

y cuatro ardillas graciosas.

En invierno hiberna un oso.

En primavera, ¡qué flores!

En verano, nos da frutos,

Y en otoño, ¡qué colores!

Cuánta, cuánta, cuánta vida

tiene el árbol del abuelo.

¡Cuánta cuánta maravilla

nace de la tierra al cielo!

Some of the poems are longer than others. But they are all beautifully written and would be perfect for memorization.

And for those of you who prefer your books in English - the English version of this title, Imagine a Better World, is equally delightful! But you don't have to take my word for it. Just visit their website where you can preview each of the books they offer.

I cannot say enough about this company. Just looking through their catalog, I am drooling at all the excellent series and individual titles that cover such a great number of subjects!

Homeschooling mamis! THIS is a gold mine for you!

Parents, this is a must-have book for your family home library.

Bilingual education teachers: You cannot go wrong, I think, with this company.

So what are you waiting for? Go and check out their website at BrickhouseEducation.com.

Con mucho cariño...


Disclosure: I contacted Brickhouse Education to ask for a copy of this book, which they kindly agreed to send me for review. All the blubbering and glowing opinions found above are purely my own.

Free Education Guides for Disney's "Chimpanzee"

In case you didn't know, I'm a former zookeeper.

And I spent part of my time in the zoo field working great apes. It was a remarkable experience. They captured my heart in a way that no other animals ever have. It is impossible to gaze into their eyes and watch their daily lives and not feel the connection. They demand you give everything you've got to make their lives as good as can be in captivity.

So naturally, I'm pretty excited about the upcoming Disney film, Chimpanzee. It is the fourth film released by Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in more than 60 years. My family and I have seen the first three films, all of which have been released in the last few years on Earth Day. You may remember me gushing about African Cats, which came out last year. (The other two films, Earth and Oceans, were equally phenomenal.)

So I am beyond delighted to be able to offer you, once again, some high-quality education downloads to supplement the movie.

Teachers and parents who homeschool, this Educator's Guide is for you. Written for students in 2nd through 6th grade, it is 135 pages of lesson plans and activities that correlate to National Science, Social Studies, Music, and Arts Standards, as well as Common Core English/Language Arts and Math Standards.

I plan to use this Educator's Guide like I did last year: As a summer unit study. I so appreciate how the guide is arranged with support lessons that are geared for specific grades. The guide covers things like chimp biology, habitat, behaviors, food chains & webs, adaptations & tool use, communication, social hierarchy, and much more.

DOWNLOAD EDUCATOR'S GUIDE HERE

I hope that each of you gets an opportunity to celebrate Earth Day by seeing what promises to be a fabulous movie. And if you see it during the opening week, Disney will donate a portion to the Jane Goodall Institute. 

NOTE: I have not seen this movie. Knowing chimps as I do, I might recommend that you preview the movie first and not take very young children to see it. Chimps can be a little...intense. Loud. And you don't want to scare your kids!

Don't forget that you can still download the activity guides from last year's film African Cats.

Disclosure: Disney has given me permission to share these educational materials and movie trailer with you. I have not been compensated for sharing this information. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bilingual Activities, Crafts, Books and More for Earth Day

Bookmark this page if you are looking for bilingual lesson plans, crafts, books and more for Earth Day!

This post contains affiliate links.

Lesson Plans

Oh my gosh, it's so hard to find lesson plans for Earth Day. I can find activities and crafts until the cows come home, but actual lesson plans are difficult to come by. I've listed just a few that I found that you may be able to use. 

• Earth Day Theme Preschool Lesson Plans -Earth Day Activities from ECEducation101 :: PreK - early elementary :: English only
  
  
• Proyecto: El Día de La Tierra / Earth Day Project by La Vida Escolar :: 7th - 12th :: Spanish only

Since I couldn't find what I really wanted, I decided to also list some lesson plan ideas that you can use at home or in the classroom:

• "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" lesson plan: Teach students the importance of reducing waste and recycling by creating a bilingual poster and participating in a recycling scavenger hunt.
  
  
• "Planting Seeds for the Future" lesson plan: Introduce students to the concept of sustainability by having them plant their own seeds and care for them. Students can also create a bilingual book about the plant life cycle.
  
  
• "Exploring Our Environment" lesson plan: Take students on a bilingual nature walk and encourage them to observe the environment. Students can create a bilingual field guide of the plants and animals they see.
  
  
• "The Water Cycle" lesson plan: Teach students about the water cycle and the importance of water conservation. Students can create a bilingual diagram or infographic of the water cycle and participate in a water conservation challenge.
  
  
• "Environmental Art" lesson plan: Encourage students to express their love for the Earth through art. Students can create bilingual artwork using recycled materials and learn about famous environmental artists in both English and Spanish.

Additional Resources from Spanish Teachers

• Mundo de Pepita has this collection of Fun Earth Day Activities for Spanish Class!
  
  
• Spanish Playground published this set of resources of Earth Day Activities in Spanish
  
  
• You may also enjoy this post of Earth Day Resources for Elementary Spanish from Fun for Spanish Teachers.

Crafts & Printables

Checkout my roundup of 12+ Earth Day Crafts & Printables for Kids. You can do them in ANY language!

Earth-Loving Websites

• Nature Lab is The Nature Conservancy's youth curriculum platform with content in both English and Spanish.
  
  
• EarthDay.org is the official website for the holiday and you have the option to choose from 10 languages in which to read it.
  
  
• Canopy in the Clouds/dosel en las nubes is a fabulous site that allows students to explore a tropical montane cloud forest at their own pace.
  
  
• Reciclando en la escuela is a fabulous site, written completely in Spanish, with some of the most imaginative ideas for recycling materials into educational tools/toys/activities. This is an old site but the content is still good!

Books

Latino authors and illustrators have created beautiful children's books about our connection to nature. Be sure to check out my list of 5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate Earth Day.

• Earth Day: An Alphabet Book by Gary Kowalski in English only

• The Earth and I by Frank Asch in English only

• Talking with Mother Earth/Hablando con madre tierra: Poems/Poemas by Jorge Argueta and Lucia Angela Perez in English & Spanish

• When Jaguars Ate the Moon: And Other Stories About Animals and Plants of the Americas by Maria Cristina Brusca in English only

• El Gran Capoquero: Un Cuento de la Selva Amazonica in Spanish or The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest in English by Lynne Cherry

• Imagina un mundo mejor by Yanitzia Canetti Spanish only.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• 15+ Earth Day Crafts & Printables for Kids (coming soon!)
  
  
• Earth Day Bilingual Acrostic Poem Activity
  
  
• 5 Latino Children's Books to Celebrate #EarthDay
  
  
• Earth School from TEDEd
  
  
• 5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home