Earth Day
Earth Day started back in 1970 and takes place on the 22 April each year. Earth Day 2020 marks it’s 50th anniversary.
A turning point in Public awareness of environmental issues affecting our Planet came with the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health.
Earth Day 1970 provided a voice to this emerging environmental consciousness, and brought environmental concerns to the forefront and their mission is now:
To build the world’s largest environmental movement to drive transformative change for people and planet.
Earth Day Network’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in over 190 countries to drive positive action for our planet.
Today, Earth Day is marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behaviour and create global, national and local policy changes.
How to get Kids involved in Earth Day 2020
The theme of this year’s Earth Day is Climate change. The Coronavirus has meant that in 2020 we have to keep our distance and this has brought about a change in the approach but that wont stop the conversations.
With today’s digitally connected world the global conversations, calls to action, performances, video teach-ins and more will still happen.
During the 24 hours of Earth Day there will be a host of livestreamed discussions and presentations that you can be a part of. You can tune in to Earth Day Live where there will be messages, performances and calls to action from a host of speakers.
There are also numerous online events taking place across the Globe. You can find an interactive map of events on the Earth Day website.
You can get kids involved in Earth Day by participating in one of the online events or simply just by talking about it with them and drawing a poster or planting some seeds. See below for my top picks for how to get kids involved in Earth Day 2020.
Kids Activities for Earth Day 2020
For Kids:
The Geography Classroom celebrates Earth Day 2020 11:00 22nd April – session is for children aged between 5 to 10 years old. It will be posted on the ‘Geography Classroom’ channel on YouTube. The session will look at 2 of the causes of climate change, with a specific focus on deforestation in Borneo and the effect it has on habitats. Children will need a piece of paper, colour pencils and access to the internet to participate.
Zula Patrol Down to Earth 15:00 22nd April – While on a routine fossil-hunting expedition, The Zula Patrol turns up evidence that the villainous Deliria Delight has been traveling back in time to Earth’s prehistoric past to illegally dump her company’s toxic trash. The Zula Patrollers must find and catch her, before her actions cause catastrophic consequences. In the process, our heroes learn all about the formation and development of Earth, and the life forms who call it home.
National Geographic Kids – Earth Day facts and activities for kids
Create an Earth Day Poster – put it in your window, take a picture and tweet your poster to @EarthDayNetwork
Earth Challenge App – download the Earth Challenge App and help collect data on air quality and pollution
Plant some Vegetable seeds
Plant flowers to help the Bees – check out my Blog Post Lets Help the Bees
Make a Bee House
Family:
Wheelbarrow Disco Garden Party 18:00 22nd April -This Earthday celebrate in style with Tip of the Pops the worlds only solar powered wheelbarrow disco made from waste. A family friendly disco party playing nursery rhymes, funk, punk, rock, pop & cheese and everything else in between. TOTP is a UK festival favourite spinning 5 decades of dance, old-fashioned vinyl records on discarded equipment. You will not believe your ears that this Was Once Waste WOW !
