Happy Earth Day! Today is a great day to talk to your children about the environment and ways you can help preserve the planet as a family.
The following fun projects can help you get the conversation started:
SEASHELL WIND CHIME
If you live near the beach, then spend Earth Day combing the sand for seashells (if you are landlocked, then head to the discount store and purchase a few bags of shells). Then, use the natural items to create a simple wind chime, which will encourage you to appreciate the breeze on a daily basis.
Materials:
Plastic milk jug
Scissors
Hammer
Nail
24 shells
Cord
Directions:
Cut the bottom off a plastic jug.
Discard the rest of the jug or save it to make a scoop.
Using the hammer and nail, make six holes in the center of the plastic circle.
Using the hammer and nail, make a hole in the top of each of the shells.
Cut six lengths of cord, 15 inches long.
String four shells on each piece of cord, making a knot in between the shells to hold them in place. Thread the ends of the cord into the holes you made in the plastic circle.
Thread another length of cord through the first hole and knot it. Thread the other end through the last hole and knot it. Use the cord to hang your wind chime from a tree or porch.
HOMEMADE FOSSILS
Materials:
1 cup of used coffee grounds
1/2 cup of cold coffee
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of salt
Wax paper
Bowl
Small cookie cutters to make impressions in the dough
String to hang your fossil
Directions:
Stir the together the coffee grounds, cold coffee, flour, and salt until well mixed.
Knead the dough together and then flatten it out onto the waxed paper.
Use the cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough. These will be your “fossils.”
If you want to hang the fossil, poke holes into the edge to hold the string.
Let the fossils dry overnight and then hang them for all to see.
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