In the heat of the summer, anyone with children can benefit from a few tips on how to have kid-friendly fun while also being environmentally thoughtful. Check out these five ideas for eco-friendly summer fun with your kids.
1. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Getting your kids outside and away from their screens is always a good idea. To help you get your kiddos engaged with nature, set up a scavenger hunt. It’s a fun way to help them get in touch with the natural world.
Click on the following Nature Scavenger Hunt sheet for a larger version.
2. Recycled Crafts
For those rainy summer days, or unbearably hot days when you’d rather be indoors and out of the sun, here’s an adorable recycled craft to do with your kids.
Recycled Bottle Fairy House
What you’ll need:
- Plastic bottles (two bottles per fairy house)
- Multi-surface craft paint
- Craft knife and/or scissors
- Natural decorations (leaves, moss, pinecones, flowers, rocks)
First, cut off the top of a water bottle. Since this is the top of the fairy house, we scallop-cut the edges and rolled them upward to make it look like a flower. Then, cut an oval hole in the side of the other bottle. This will be your fairy’s entrance.
Next, paint your water bottles. We painted the inside of the bottles so that the outside finish would look shiny. When your paint is dry, put your shorter piece (with the scalloped edges) on top of the other bottle. You may want to add some craft glue or use a glue gun to attach them. Then the fun begins. You can decorate your fairy house with whatever natural materials (or things from your recycling bin) that you can find. Make a welcome rock, add some flowers or moss — let your creativity run wild.
We hung our fairy house in the backyard, so we also painted one of the bottle caps and added string for a hanger. We put a piece of washi tape around the cap for added cuteness.
More Recycled Crafts
For more inspiration on recycled crafts for kids, visit Pinterest.
3. Healthy Summer Snacks
Snacks don’t have to be complicated, especially in the summer months when fresh, local produce is plentiful. Getting your kids involved with picking out (or growing your own) fresh fruits and vegetables really is the best way to encourage them to eat healthier. Whole foods, not processed snacks, are always the better choice when possible, so snack recipes that have fewer — and fresh — ingredients are the way to go.
Fresh Fruit on a Stick
One of the easiest and most fun summer snacks ever! Just cut up a watermelon and insert wooden popsicle sticks.
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
Here’s an easy, healthy recipe that is great for snacking or even breakfast on the go:
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, walnuts, raisins, blueberries, etc.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mash your bananas, then mix in the peanut butter and oatmeal. Drop one spoonful of your mixture per cookie onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. They should be firm and slightly browned when done.
For more easy and healthy snack recipes, visit Super Healthy Kids.
4. National Park
We’re lucky to have so many national parks throughout the United States. No matter where you live, there’s a national park, national historic trail, or national preserve not too far away.
And, if you have a fourth-grader, this is your lucky summer. The program Every Kid Outdoors gives a pass to every fourth-grader (and their family) for entry into participating national parks for free.
To get more information and print out your own pass, visit Every Kid Outdoors. Even if you don’t have a fourth-grader, this site is a great resource for planning a trip.
5. Unstructured Time
Let your kids have some unstructured, screen-free time. When children have to entertain themselves, they learn to be creative and independent. Slow down the pace and remember that it’s healthy to have a little free time.
Originally published on June 27, 2017, this article was updated in June 2021.