Summer brings us a lot of time to plan activities with our children. But it’s easy to run out of creative ideas now that summer is coming to an end and school is right around the corner.
If that happens, why don’t we look to our plant friends to keep the kids busy? Teaching children about the importance of biodiversity and connecting with their community is essential for the future.
Here are three fun plant- and planet-friendly activities you can do with your kids.
1. Field Guide to Pollinators Nice
Save the bees! A Pollinator Field Guide is a great activity to introduce your children to all pollinators and encourage empathy for our little friends. A field guide to pollinators can be made at any time of year and at any age. It is a fantastic tool for observation, learning and discovery.
The goal is to create your own pollinator field guide for identifying pollinators on nature walks or in the garden. Plan about 1 to 2 hours to complete this activity.
Materials:
- Photos of pollinators (ideas for where to find them below)
- Index cards or cardstock
- Double-sided tape or glue
- Markers or colored pencils
- Hole puncher
- Metal binding rings
Instructions:
First you need to collect the collection of pollinator photos. Some of these include: honeybees, bumblebees, native bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, hummingbirds, and even some small animals, depending on where you live.
- Take your own photos. Take nature walks on a mission to catch pollinators doing what they do best: pollinating the planet. Make sure you don’t step on any plants while taking the photos!
- Search online. I like to refer to sites that do that support our pollinators.
- Cut out photos from magazines or old books. Any science or nature magazine will do.
- Draw your own! This is especially fun for young children.
Then create a card for each pollinator using index cards or card stock by adding a photo.
- Add a few fun facts related to the photo on each card. Start by naming the pollinator and any plants in the photo.
- Include the life cycle, favorite flowers to visit and whether the pollinator is undergoing metamorphosis.
Make a hole in the corner of the card and insert the metal ring through the holes. Now you’re ready for a nature walk to identify the pollinators!
Add any new pollinators you learn or encounter during your walks to the card game.
2. Vegetable board games
Replace the outdated Monopoly board game with something more modern and environmentally friendly.
Wildcraft (photo at the top of this post, courtesy of Learn herbs) is a game that teaches the importance of identifying herbs and their uses and being a team player. It’s a nature-based biodiversity game with the traditional board game style we all love. The game also comes with additional coloring activities and a pocket guide for identifying plants. I love getting cozy with a blanket and playing on a rainy day!
Herb fairies teaches children about medicinal herbs and is an immersive, active experience for the whole family. The game also features hidden ethnobotany themes, as each fairy is called the Latin name of an herb from their geographic region.
3. Gardening
Mom and Dad, this one is for you too. Most families enjoy doing activities together, and getting your hands in the mud doesn’t hurt! If you have a balcony or garden, outdoor plants can entice both you and the kids outside. Planting seasonal annuals is a good start, and nothing is more rewarding than tasting a home-grown, freshly picked tomato straight from the vine. And of course we love growing our own herbs!
Do you have an apartment? No problem. Teaching your kids how to plant and care for houseplants is also great. My mother always told me that taking care of plants was like “filling your basket.” Every day you can prune the plant, talk to it and water it. One by one you fill your daily basket with self-awareness.
Stuck inside? Here are five ways to keep kids busy and happy when they have to be indoors.
Using herbal allies to support focus
Do you find it challenging to keep your children’s attention during any activity? These days, it seems like everywhere kids go there’s a computer screen in front of kids’ faces, and when it’s time to do an activity or take a lesson, it can be hard for them to concentrate. Fortunately, you can find support from herbal allies!
Please note: Ally Focus Friend lives up to its name and recognizes the genius in your child by supporting optimal neural messaging. Herbal extractions like Attention Ally Focus Friend are great for kids because they have high bioavailability, making them a great way to start an afternoon of board games or start the school day. This specific formula contains herbs such as Gotu Kola, which promotes healthy cognitive function, and Scullcap, which nourishes the nervous system and can help calm the nervous system.
A good night’s sleep is one of the most important things for growing children (and adults too)! Quiet Time Calm & Center For Kids is designed to help a child return to a centered state. Formulated for small bodies, Quiet Time contains soft passionflower buds and milky oatmeals for a natural source of magnesium, which is necessary for bone and muscle health. The mineral also supports relaxation and contributes to a good night’s sleep.
Most importantly, our factory operations build a rich culture and community while strengthening useful knowledge and ecological relationships that last a lifetime. After all, the most important investment is our children and their future place to live – among the wildflowers.
Lauren Ann Nichols-Sheffler attended the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism and received her certificate in Medical Herbalism. She owns it Blue yarrow herbs also known as Herbal Vice, an herbal product company that practices bioregional herbal medicine by growing plants and sourcing locally. Lauren loves educating and advocating for plant sustainability. She is the purchasing and sourcing manager for WishGarden Herbs.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
Feature photo credit: Learn herbs
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