Hey Pals! Sarah here! Growing up Earth Day was one of my favorite holidays! I loved learning cool facts about the planet, fun experiments and eating "mud pie." As an adult, it's still one of my favorite days because you're encouraged to be outside and take a moment to think about ways we can be better for our planet. So I was super excited to ask the rest of our team to put together some of their favorite, creative Earth Day activities for us to share with you to do at home with your kiddos! 

Get Outside

Hands down, our favorite way to celebrate is to spend time outdoors. Grab the kiddos and take a nature walk. Look for chirping birds, silly squirrels or exploring insects. Look at the flowers starting to sprout, collect different leaves to compare or just lay in the grass and feel it tickle your legs!

DIY Seed Cups

This is a fun, DIY science experiment that the kids will love (I mean who doesn’t love playing in dirt)! They'll get to watch their seeds sprout and grow into a flower or vegetable, then plant it in a garden once it’s ready to experience the full lifecycle of plants. 

What you need:

• Water
• A plate
• Potting soil
• A cup (we suggest upcycling your Oats in Coats cup)
• Seeds (sunflowers, peas, and beans sprout quickly)

Steps:

• Poke a hole in the bottom of your cup to allow excess water to drain out so we don't drown our new seedlings.
• Fill your cup with dirt. Let your kids use their hands or a shovel to help you. Have fun, get a little dirty!
• Use fingers to push holes into the dirt. Place seeds in the holes and recover with dirt. 
• Set on the plate and add a little water. 
• Place where it can get light (and also where you will remember to water it). Kiddos will love watching their experiments grow before their eyes!

Make a Bee Watering Station

Get your kids involved in picking a shallow bowl and colorful pebbles or marbles. Place pebbles into the bowl and pour in a few ounces of water (the bees need to be able to climb on the pebbles so they don’t drown). Place around your yard. 

Get upcycle crafty 

Instead of tossing those lids in the trash, upcycle them into one-of-a-kind earrings and show your Oats in Coats love to the world! You kiddos can also color the white side for a reversible fun set! 

Supplies:

• Jump rings
• Earring hooks (both can be found at your local joann, michaels, etc)
• Thumbtack
• Pliers (optional)
• Lighter (optional)

Steps:

• Use the thumbtack to punch a hole in the top part of the lid. (If you have trouble punching a hole, use a lighter to warm up the thumbtack metal. This is a parent hands-on alternative)
• Insert a jump ring into the hole and tighten with pliers.
• Insert the earring hook onto the jump ring.
• Repeat for the second earring!
• Dazzle everyone with your Oats in Coats earrings

Lid upcycle bonus: Have your kids color the inside of the lid and swap out earring hooks for a safety pin. Then the kiddos can wear them as badges during play time!  

Upcycled Toilet Roll Bird Feeders

Photo from Attachment Mummy

We love this project because not only do you get some hands on, messy playtime with the kids but it’s something you can enjoy for days to come! We suggest hanging near a window your kids can easily get to so they can regularly check on their feeders. 

What you need:

• String
• Scissors or hole punch
• Birdseed
• Butter knife
• Peanut butter
• Bamboo skewer
• Toilet paper roll or used Oats in Coats cup

What to do:

• Place two holes at the bottom and top of the cardboard tube and push the skewer through to make a perch for the birds. 
• Spread peanut butter over the outside of the tube. 
• Roll or sprinkle birdseed onto the tube until covered. 
• Run string through the top holes, hand outside and let the fun begin! 

 And When You Can’t Get Outside…

Whether the weather isn’t great on Earth Day or you’re stuck at home while one kiddo naps, there are still so many ways to be creative and celebrate nature. Grab a few art supplies and turn an empty oatmeal cup into a bunny rabbit, basset hound or maybe even Oatis! 

What you need:

• First aid glove (or upcycled dishwashing glove)
• Markers
• Super Glue or Krazy Glue
• A cup (we suggest upcycling your Oats in Coats cup)
• Scissors 
• Straw

What to do:

• For a bunny, glue the thumb and pinky fingers down on the palm of the glove. Glue the third finger down on the other side of the glove. Leave the second and fourth fingers free, these will be the bunny’s ears. Let glue dry.
• Decorate the bunny’s face with markers. 
• Put the glove over the top of an empty cup.
• Poke a hole on the side of the cup. Insert a straw through the hole.
• Blow into the hole to inflate the bunny. It should definitely make some bunny smile!

Virtual Trips

Feeling the wanderlust even when you can’t get out? You can tour some of our nation’s best parks from the comfort of your home. The National Parks Service offers a myriad of video tours to experience Yellowstone. Or dive into the ocean with an episode Blue Planet. Did you know that ants have super powers? Check out their skills in action in Ants: Nature’s Secret Power. 

We hope you enjoy this fun list of ideas from our team! We'd love to hear how you celebrated Earth Day. Better yet - show us! Share a photo and tag us!