Category — Arbor Day

If you enjoy gardening, invite your grandchildren to help plant your garden. This can be a great time to talk and you can use the ideas below to make it a fun learning time for math, reading and writing.
Have your grandchild:
Measure how far apart to plant the seeds.
Measure the perimeter of the garden.
Count how many rows will be needed.
Estimate how tall specific plants will grow.
Make a list of everything needed to plant and care for the garden.
Read the instructions for planting.
Read the instructions for caring for what is planted.
Design a marker for each thing planted.

Save your old magazines and let your grandchildren use them to create stories.
You’ll need magazines, scissors, glue, blank paper and a pencil. Let your grandchildren cut out pictures and words from magazines to create an original and story.

Download Paper Sack Journal Pattern This is a unique and fun way for your grandchildren to keep up on their writing skills while camping or traveling. They can keep postcards, brochures or other items in the paper sack and write or draw about their adventures.
You’ll need: 2 lunch size paper sacks, staples or tape

A remarkable letter from Mother Earth asking for help from children everywhere and entrusting them with her protection. The illustrations are exquisite.

Materials: 5 sheets of newspaper for each apron, yarn, scissors, paper punch
Directions:
1. Stack together the 5 sheets of paper so the edges are even.
2. Cut away the armhole sections as shown in diagram. The dimensions may not be exact depending on the size of your newspaper.
3. Punch 4 holes – 2 at the neck and 2 at the sides.
4. Tie the yarn securely in the holes.
It’s now ready to put on and use to protect your clothes when doing a special project. Be sure to recycle the paper when the apron is no longer needed. A word of caution: don’t wear the apron over light-colored clothing, the ink has a way of rubbing off.

Materials: A variety of paper that you might normally throw away or recycle (magazines, Sunday colored comics, wrapping paper, small scraps of colored paper), scissors, glue, pencil, yarn.
Directions:
1. From your variety of paper, cut strips measuring about 4 inches long. The width may vary from ½ – 1 inch depending on the size of bead you want.
2. Wrap the strip of paper tight around a pencil.
3. Glue the end of the bead.
4. Slide the bead off the pencil.
5. Make enough beads for a necklace or bracelet and string with yarn.
The math connection is stringing the beads in a pattern using color, size or both.

Materials: Sandwich bag, a piece of paper the size of the sandwich bag, a variety of items you might normally throw away or recycle (magazines, colored paper scraps, wrapping paper, ribbon, yarn, sequins, etc.).
Directions:
1. Create a picture with recyclable items and glue on one side of the paper.
2. Write a short story or poem on the opposite side of the picture. If your grandchild isn’t writing yet have them tell you what to write and they can sign their name.
3. Slide the paper in the sandwich bag. The items from the picture won’t get lost and your grandchild with have the picture and the story they created together.

Variation: You can use a photograph of a special event or a post card from a vacation and write about it. The sandwich bag will keep it protected.

With Earth Day on April 22nd and Arbor Day on April 25th, planting a tree would be a fun activity to do with your grandchildren. When you plant the tree it’s great to dedicate it to someone special or something you want to celebrate. One year my children and I planted a tree in honor of my father, their grandfather. We each wrote a special note and buried it in the ground with the tree. My children began calling it grandpa’s tree. If you don’t have a space to plant a tree find a park or another public place. Check with your city, I’m sure the donation of a tree would be greatly appreciated. To find information about planting trees and other Arbor Day activities go to arborday.org.

Arbor Day Foundation
Envirolink
Earth Day.gov

Go Green Baby Style – Environmentalism is definitely in fashion for baby clothes. Check out these websites.
http://www.babysoyusa.com/

http://www.bamboosa.com/

As five children travel through the Florida Everglades by canoe, their guide tells them about the change in the landscape around them. They learn that it is now an endangered ecosystem, one that will only survive with their help.

This book includes ideas on acid rain, air pollution, disappearing animals, too much garbage, water pollution, and more.
A remarkable letter from Mother Earth asking for help from children everywhere and entrusting them with her protection. The illustrations are exquisite.