Category: kids planting

Earth Day: Fun Stuff to Do with Your Kids

Posted on | by KD Novelties
The state of the environment is a major issue these days. When it comes to motivating others to take up more environmentally friendly activities and practices, one of the main points of argument happen to be that the world needs to be healthy and habitable for future generations. But in order to guarantee that these efforts are successful and continue to be so, it is imperative that the kids who make up the future generation know just how important this issue is and how best to help care for the world that they live in.
Earth Day April 22, 2015
Earth day is the 22nd of April, and what better time to teach kids about what’s good and green in the world? The snow has melted and making way for budding flowers, plants, green grass and trees are finally growing their season’s leaves. There are plenty of fun ways to get kids interested and involved in this day that will stress its importance in the present as well as the future. 
1. Read about Earth Day. Getting kids interested in the topic may first require some familiarity with this particular day, for starters. Books with pictures and easy digestible facts can help pique kids’ interest while educating them at the same time.

2. Get outside! It’s important for kids to have a relationship with nature if you want them to care more about Earth Day. This way the weight of the issues mean even more to them. Take them to the local park, go on a mild hike or even take them to national landmarks if you happen to live near them.  If you don’t you can always play around with Google Earth, plus you can explore natural wonders all around the world that can benefit from their protection!

3. Volunteer! Your child’s school or even the local park that you may have visited might have ongoing cleanup programs or they might be running something special for Earth Day itself. Find out what’s going on in your community and make a fun family outing of it!

4. Plant something! Whether you plant some flowers, some vegetables to feed the family or plant a tree as part of an Earth Day program or event, this can be a positive experience all around. Knowing that they are responsible for a living plant that will continue to grow can help kids feel more a part of Earth Day as well as an integral inhabitant of this planet as well.

5. Instill good habits all year round. Encourage your kids and your family to recycle, not to litter and to partake in other planet and environmentally friendly activities and practices. These are the things that are truly important and are helpful to practice all year round, not just on Earth Day. While such practices and ideas are important every other day of the year as well, you can still use Earth Day as an opportunity to teach kids these important lessons and to make positive memories that will stay with them forever, encouraging them, too, to teach future generations the same things as well.

Year Round Tip: We have great outdoor personalized books that can instill the love of the environment to kids.  Our Fishing Adventure personalized book and My Camping Adventure that helps kids understand the beauty in the mountains and all around them.  
Camping Adventure Personalized Book

Now is the time to purchase these two personalized books as we have an April sale of 15% site-wide. Use AprilShowers-KD at checkout – expires April 31st.




How can gardening help your kids improve their reading and listening skills?

Posted on | by KD Novelties
 
Now that Spring is here get your kids involved in outdoor clean-up
and planting activities.
 
·         Involve them from the beginning.  Have them pick the seeds (flowers or vegetables) they would like to plant.  Remind them that they can’t plant until they have read the instructions first.  
 
·         Let them have their own spot in the garden to dig for worms, catch bugs and prepare the soil.
 
·         Get them their own kid size garden tools to work with you.
 
·         Let them have their own space to plant the seeds they picked.  They are to read on how to plant them and how much water is needed, etc.  They can be responsible for caring for their part of the garden.
 
·         Create a picture journal marking each step of the journey.  Sit with them every day and write, draw and take pictures of what is happening in their garden.
 
·         If the child is smaller and does not know how to read show them either pictures of instructions if available or simply speak out the instructions and have them repeat it back to you.  Repetition improves their listening skills.
 
·         Keep some of the seeds they are planting outside and plant them indoors (they are to read the instructions again or repeat the process to you to see if they paid attention) in a clear plastic cup or container so they can see how the roots are formed and experience the miracle of growing something.
 
·         If planting vegetables encourage them to eat their own creations!  How cool is that!
 
·         Lastly and most importantly make it family time and have fun gardening whatever your child’s age is.  Encourage the love of nature and gardening.
 
Note: You can incorporate reading lessons and instructions in your everyday duties.   When you see the opportunity to read seize it!  Promoting literacy while doing your normal activities will get kids more involved instead of making it a chore (since they won’t realize you’re actually making them read or teaching them).
 
Personalized Kids Books by KD Novelties