Celebrate Earth Day with your Little Ones-

In the coming days before Earth Day, I thought I would put on my old environmental educator hat and share some ways to discuss, share and learn about the earth with kids, and open up the idea for folks to comment and share any ideas they have as well.

For us, the snow is barely melting out there, so we have yet to be fully enveloped in spring.

One simple idea is to go outside with your child and have him or her listen, describe and count how many different sounds of spring he or she can identify. They can be something as simple as water dripping, mud squishing, birds calling, you get the idea. You can then discuss what is happening in nature at springtime (birds coming back, frogs and toads waking up and coming out, plants starting to grow, etc). From there encourage your child to tell stories about spring, make up songs, and create art that shares about spring in your area.

If you have an older child, and the warmer spring rains have started in your area, you can help frogs, toads and salamanders cross the roads safely when they are heading to their breeding grounds. Many nature centers have volunteers that organize and do this, but you can do it yourself as well. You just need to find a spot on a road where frogs, toads and salamanders cross in the spring (and often suffer high mortality rates). If you don't know where this might be, call your local nature center. You can then venture out with your child on a rainy night, with a flashlight and reflective clothes (if possible) and a bucket. Your mission in simple: walk along the road (being careful of cars, of course!), looking for frogs, toads and salamanders trying to cross. If you spot one, gently pick it up, or put it in your bucket (they are usually cold from the long winter, so they aren't moving quickly) and walk them across the street. Then set them down on the other side. Show your child how to do this, and then continue the quest. Not only will you be helping lessen the death rates of these incredible creatures, but you can go back and look up exactly what you found in a guide book or on the web. Here are some good resources about frog, toad and salamander crossing.

New Jersey Audubon Society's site

Defenders of Wildlife

This is a once a year amazing opportunity to see, close up, the amazingly beautiful spotted salamander (if you live in the eastern U.S.). Kids love their bright spots and long bodies, and helping them is an unforgettable experience.

You can find other Earth Day tips and green activities at The Savvy Source for Parents website and blog. This month, in honor of Earth Day, they are focused on sharing ways we all can lessen our impact on the environment. This site also shares many creative activity ideas for kids, preschool selection information, information on toys, books, and a really cool looking feature I have yet to explore that shares specific learning activity suggestions based on your child's developmental level and interests. Check it out here. The site is packed with truly usable information for busy parents.

photo by: www.MichaelCravens.com