To commemorate Earth Day, we should all take a good hard look at how we can teach our kids to take care of the planet. In addition to this, if we teach them just what an amazing place this earth is, we can instill in them a love for it (and an understanding as to why we should take care of it). This Earth Day, let’s think about ways we can teach our kids to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer.

One thing I admit to having done for my own enjoyment, was plant a butterfly garden a few years back. Each spring it blooms into gorgeous purples, pinks and yellows. The two butterfly bushes grow like weeds and need next to no care. The other flowers, also low-maintenance, include coreopsis, daylilies and Echinacea (you know, those tall purple daisy-like flowers that remind us of an English garden?). If I just sit quietly and look at those flowers, I can’t help but smile.

But the biggest attraction is the many butterflies (and sometimes hummingbirds) which the blooms attract. On many days in the summer, you can hardly count the number of butterflies fluttering from flower to flower-there are just so many! It’s a colorful show put on by Mother Nature herself. It seems like with each passing year, my kids seem to appreciate this beautiful display more and more.

Pointing out the spectacular colors and wonders produced by Mother Nature shows our children how amazing she is. Once kids are 2 or 3, they can even help in tending to a garden and see the huge rewards their work reaps. Perhaps even more amazing for little ones, is the planting of vegetable seeds or seedlings: they will learn a wonderful lesson and enjoy the yummy veggies (or fruits, if you plant berry bushes or fruit tress) when they burst through the ground or ripen on their branches. We can teach our kids that the supermarket doesn’t give us food-the earth does. If we don’t take of the earth, how can it take care of us?

Another way to teach kids to appreciate nature is to take them to an orchard to pick peaches, berries and apples. If you live far from the countryside, plan a trip to the country and visit a pick-your-own farm. Take your kids to see a dairy farm and explain to them that cows give them that yummy milk that keeps them healthy and makes them strong. We need to take steps to keep the earth clean and safe not only for ourselves, but for the many species we depend on for our food.

Nature centers provide plenty of learning experiences and activities which will help to instill a sense of awe in our kids. Even just a hike on a nature trail with a guidebook explaining the many types of birds and trees can be lots of fun. Take along a pair of binoculars and a magnifying glass, so kids can “get close-ups” of the cool things they see.

Another lesson that we instill in our house is to respect earth’s many creatures. This even includes bugs-their lives are short already, so why squish them? You’re teaching your kids a valuable lesson if they see you relocate insects instead of killing them. (Of course, if you’re in danger of being stung by a bee, by all means, smack it in order to save yourself! There are limits to everything!).

One last thing worth mentioning: if you live in an urban setting and it’s not realistic to make a day of going to a farm or an orchard, help your kids plant seeds in pots and watch them grow into flowers or herbs on your window sill. An apartment patio will do just fine for a patio tomato plant grown in a large pot.

Let’s show our kids how to take care of the earth…but let’s also show them why our planet deserves our respect, by showing them the many things the earth does for us.

Tags: children's activities, green. Earth Day, nature, Parenting