Keeping little ones entertained isn’t easy. To help you get by, here are 7 fun and planet-friendly activities for kids that might even help cut your carbon footprint.
1. Give your kids green fingers
Inspire a love of nature by teaching kids about gardening, even if you don’t have a green space of your own.
Herbs are a great place to start. Kids can pick them, smell them and taste them too. Gardening 4 Kids has this guide and kit to get you started.
2. Make friends with wildlife
Building a home for bugs and wildlife is a great activity. And why not make a bird feeder? Au Dubon shows you how to create one from your recycling.
3. Set an energy-saving challenge
Energy saving can be fun – honestly. All you need to do is turn it into a game and get the whole family involved. See who can remember to turn off the lights and plugs when they’re not in use. And dish out points to those who remember to do it.
4. Get creative with seasonal recipes
Cooking with local, seasonal ingredients is a great way to keep your carbon footprint down. It’s also a good opportunity to help little people learn about seasonal fruit and vegetables.
- Jamie Oliver has lots of ideas to get kids cooking – like his monster omelette that’s perfect for using up leftover veg.
- Erin Gleeson has put together 4 tasty recipes for the under-10s.
- And you can find lots of vegetarian recipes according to the season with delicious.
Rolling, folding and mixing are all great activities for under 5s: helping them to develop their fine motor skills. How about spooning fillings into tacos or flatbreads, shaping veggie fritters or making a healthier sweet treat?
5. Turn old potatoes into artistic masterpieces
Got a Maris Piper that’s seen better days? Use it for potato printing. It works with a range of paints so have a go and see what works. You could even try that sample pot that’s been gathering dust in the cupboard. We love Molly Mahon’s joyful repeat patterns – head to her Instagram for how-tos and loads of ideas.
6. Grab some books and try flower pressing
The Natural History Museum in the UK shows you how to use books to press flowers – no fancy printers needed. Just encourage the kids to collect weeds or flowers from the garden, or wildflowers when you’re out on your daily walk.
7. Upcycle and recycle things around the home
- Decorate an old plant pot with chalk or paints.
- Make a collage from scrap paper, spare buttons and foliage from your garden or a walk outside.
- Give wooden toys or cardboard boxes a lick of paint.
- Rescue odd socks by turning them into sock puppets.
We’ve been sticking them in our windows for passers by to see...
