Earth Day 2013

Earth Day is celebrated this year on April 22^nd. There are many ways your family can celebrate. You can simply talk about Earth Day and what it means or you can go all out and plan a variety of activities to do and participate in. We fall somewhere in between…we aim high but go with the flow and do what we can.

How Earth Day got started:  A San Francisco activist, John McConnell asked Americans on March 21, 1970 (spring equinox) to join in grassroots demonstrations to help celebrate and protect our Earth. During the same year Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson asked Americans to join in the celebration on April 22^nd. Both dates are celebrated but we chose to celebrate the April date. My two kiddos are still little and the concept of Earth is still quite vague but we still celebrate in our little ways.

Here is a calendar of events I created for our Earth Week Celebration. My little ones are easily excited and love to learn so I will try and take the opportunity to read books, bake goodies, and enjoy crafts and other activities that will help bring awareness of our Earth and our responsibility to take care of our Earth!

	Foods	Crafts	Activities	Books
Sunday	Earth Day Bars		Nature Walk/pick up trash	The Earth And I
Monday	Apple Salad		Gather old Clothes for Help Mission	Curious George Plants A Tree
Tuesday	Earth Day Cookies *	Recycled Paper Hearts	YouTube Video 1 Video 2	Sophia's Dream
Wednesday			Shadows with Flashlights	Earth Day Alphabet Book	LIGHTS OUT ALL DAY
Thursday	Breakfast: “Earth Muffins”*	Cut Circles, use water color paints to paint “Earth”		Big Earth Little Me
Friday	Dirt Cups*	Recycled Can Planter*	Watch Lorax	Michael Recycle
Saturday	Veggie Chips		Visit Local Farmers Market	The Earth Book

*Earth Cookies

You will need circular sugar cookies, frosting colored blue and green. Have children spread blue and green frosting on to sugar cookies so that they look like planet Earth.

*Dirt Cups to eat; use chocolate pudding, crushed Oreo cookies and hide gummy worms in it.

Earth Muffins*

Measure out the below ingredients and then let your little ones help you make these Yummy Muffins.

Mix we ingredients
Mix in dry ingredients
Mix in blue and yellow food coloring to create perfect “Earth Green”
Add in Blueberries for the Water
Spoon into Muffin Tin
Bake 15-20 minutes on 375 degrees
Enjoy “Earth Muffins”

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted.
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Mix dry, mix wet. Add wet to dry, add blueberries ( 1 cup) . Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Source: May 2008 edition of Everyday Food by Martha Stewart

*Use a Recycled can or jar and make a planter. Wash the inside of your container really well and make sure no sharp edges are on the container. Have your child fill the container with gravel and then either add soil and a seed or transplant a small plant. You can use flowers, or even herbs. Place the containers where the children can easily take care of them and help your child grow a green thumb.

 Books: