Greening Up those Kids all Summer Long!

By Jocelyn Anne

Great ideas for greening your kids throughout the summer

It’s just about a given that summer is pretty much the best time of the year ever, especially if you’re a kid, but summer is also your chance, (mom & dad!) to not only have a blast with your kids but to take advantage of all that time to show them a green lifestyle at its best!

Skip the activities that do nothing except pass the time or mildly entertain.  Pick the “good stuff,” the stuff that teaches them, encourages them, and instills good green habits in them from the youngest of ages!  If you’re not quite sure what that looks like yet, not to fear!  Here are five super easy ideas and tips to grab a hold of and run with all summer long!

1)            Start a Garden!

Since summer has just officially begun, this is the perfect way to kick start your summer, and it’ll keep your kids busy a little bit every day!  (Plus, it teaches responsibility, what could be better?)  Whether you’ve got some ground in the backyard, you plant hanging strawberry plants, potted herb gardens or upside down hanging gardens, it really doesn’t matter in the least.  Teach your kids the basics of seeds and soil, of watering and fertilizing, but more importantly, teach them the why behind gardening.  Plant things that grow quickly and bear some sort of fruit that they can eat.  Nothing reinforces the desire to do something good and beneficial like seeing, reaping and enjoying the rewards.

2)            Start a Recycling Project!

Whether it’s paper or egg shells or you’re starting a compost endeavor, construct some sort of project with an end result.  Whether you’ll use the compost in the garden, re-create new paper with old paper or keep a tally of how much was taken to the recycling bins and give a reward when certain quotas are met, inspire your kids to go looking for things to recycle.  It’s a summer long project they’ll love!  Check out the EPA Environmental Kids Club page for great ideas and tips.

3)             Take Advantage of Lunch Time!

Let’s face it, for about 10 months of the year you have almost zero capacity to make lunches and snacks with your children and limited capacity to provide them with anything remotely resembling “fresh.”  We all know a salad loses something between the 6:00 am package time and the 12:00 lunch hour when your kids get to eat.  So, we get stuck packing them soggy sandwiches.

The summertime is your chance to have your kids help you with prepping and creating fresh, delicious lunches. Venture out to the farmers markets with them and allow them to pick the fruits and veggies they like.  Take a trip to a local farm and buy local, freshly laid eggs for their egg salad sandwiches.  Serve salads and fresh veggie snacks as often as possible.  Don’t miss your golden opportunity to eat “green” with them 3x a day!  (Green picnic lunches are always a grand idea too!)

4)            Go Discover Nature!

Mix up the generic vacations with hotels and restaurants and throw in a camping trip!  Pack your own food, go hiking and fishing for entertainment.  Take plant and bird books and study the beauty of nature.  If you can’t literally get away, then go camping in the backyard.  Take walks around the neighborhood and pretend you’re hiking.  (A scavenger hunt is a great way to encourage walking activity.)

5)            Prep for the Future!

One of my final favorite ideas is to teach your kids to plan ahead.  You’ve got lots of time, so why not use it to benefit the whole family later?  If you can afford the supplies, consider doing some canning and preserving with your kids.  Stock up on fruit when it goes on sale and make jams and jellies that you can pull out mid-winter.  You can also spend long afternoons learning how to make butter (freeze it for later) and cheese (enjoy today!).

Author Jocelyn Anne’s passion lies in helping families live greener, more sustainable lifestyles.  She is currently working alongside Air & Water, promoting the use of an eco-friendly portable air conditioner over central AC systems this summer in an effort to cut families’ cost and energy usage.