Last summer I found a hidden treasure at a local book sale. I scored an aged copy of Exploring Nature with Your Child :: An Introductory to the Enjoyment and Understanding of Nature by Dorothy Edwards Shuttlesworth. I cracked the spine, read the 1952 copyright date, and dug into my nearly free handbook. I was awed by the intro, this my friends is what I feel Earth Day is all about:
“Children are natural explorers. They have the true explorer’s interest in their immediate surroundings as well as far away places, and they are eager to know why things are as they are. If you are a wise parent you will look upon these qualities in your child as a sacred fire–always to be fed, allowed to die out never. An inquiring mind and zest for living are essential for a rich, interesting, and worth-while life. Childhood is a time to nourish and strengthen these fine qualities. Just as your child is a natural explorer, you are a natural guide.
You can be a fellow explorer, too, enriching your own life as well as your child’s. As you look back on your own early years, you may recall the first time you noticed a bud opening into a flower, a bird building its nest, two colonies of ants battling each other. You may remember that such intimate glimpses of nature gave you a real thrill. Now, as a parent, you can find still more pleasure in learning about the ways of animals and the wonders of plants as you share your observing with your child. No need to go on a safari through Central Africa–delightful discoveries await you in your own back yard, in city parks and suburban gardens, along forest trails where you may hike, and by the side of lakes and streams or the ocean where you may vacation.” {Source}
Over the next week we'll be playing outside. I cannot wait to share our family adventures with you on Facebook. The week will conclude with a free downloadable Screen-Free Week To-Do List. We will be signing off the internet, turning off the TV, and powering down the iPad for 7 days, to celebrate the earth, family, friends, and good old fashion offline life. Would you like to join us? Even it is for just a day?
Today join the Kid's Co-op in honoring Earth Day. Below you'll find a variety of fun & educational crafts! Check out last week's collection of projects too. Enjoy celebrating this special day over the weekend, but keep in the back of your mind that Earth Day is everyday.
Catch you on the flip side,
PS: THANK YOU to everyone who shared ideas last Friday.
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Image Credit: Donkey Hotey via Flickr.com
