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Earth Day is April 22 and the mild weather means it's a great time to play outside! We've rounded up some crafts, apps and fun activities that will get your kids out into nature while they learn about science, math and the environment. Check out them out for outdoor fun to last all spring and summer.
Outdoor Crafts
DIY Paper Bag Kites
Build a paper bag kite with your child and learn more about lines, sides and angles!
Plant a Terrarium
Discover more about the plant world with Nature Cat!
Craft a Colorful Hummingbird Feeder
Observe one of the world's smallest birds by making a feeder for hummingbirds!
Craft a Nature Dragonfly
Create beautiful dragonflies using objects you can find on a nature walk.
eMediaVA
Our educators collected a variety of great learning resources in this Earth Day playlist. Explore the history of the environmental justice movement, the environmental implications of pollution and waste disposal, and the role of new technologies in conservation efforts. You'll find videos, documents and interactive activities. Plus, check out the list of additional eMediaVa playlists at the end of this article for resources related to science and math.
Here are a few highlights of content you can find in eMediaVA:
Earth Day! (3rd Grade)
This video is part of the Learn and Grow with WHRO TV series. Students learn about different types of soil and the importance of soil in this session. They also look at ways to celebrate Earth Day.
Would Banning Plastic Bottles Help or Hurt the Planet? | Above the Noise
Plastic bottles are everywhere! About 70 percent of the plastic water bottles bought in the U.S. are not recycled, and end up in the oceans. It seems obvious that using fewer plastic water bottles would be a good thing for our environment, but sometimes the alternatives can have negative consequences. Do the costs of banning plastic bottles outweigh the benefits?
Batten Environmental Education Initiative K-5 Interactives
K-5 interactive games and learning objects in this playlist contain experiences for children related to environmental education.
PBS Kids Apps
Nature Cat’s Great Outdoors
Nature Cat’s Great Outdoors is the on-the-go toolset that will inspire your child to explore nature – in the backyard, at a local park or even looking out the window. Every day, Nature Cat has a new daily adventure that lets kids use tools to record and share their observations in fun, creative ways!
- Teach kids to use their eyes and ears to find exciting things in nature
- Record observations in a nature journal
- App includes Squeeks' Compass, Daisy's Camera and Hal's Sound Recorder
Ready Jet Go! Space Explorer
Go on a galactic journey with Jet, Sydney, Sean, Mindy and Sunspot from their backyard in Boxwood Terrace through space! Explore, paint, and play, as you learn about planets, stars and constellations.
- Point your device to the sky and explore to see real world positions of constellations and planets
- Add color to the night sky! Paint and color stars and constellations
- Check out the Solar Encyclopedia for fun constellation facts
Outdoor Family Fun with Plum
Explore your neighborhood’s plants, animals, weather and more with over 150 unique missions.
- Hundreds of tips to help your family talk about nature and science
- New missions and achievement badges that unlock as you use the app
- Digital tools to help your family observe and interact with nature
Photo Stuff with Ruff
inspire your child to discover what the “stuff” in his or her world is made of. In this camera-based experience, your child will learn about science by exploring his or her surroundings and taking pictures of different materials to complete silly scenes.
- 40 comical scenes to complete
- 80 unique properties to find, introducing kids to new science vocabulary words
- Photo gallery to save, review and share creations
Want to have more fun with nature? Check out these interactive Nature Games from PBS Kids.
Indoor Activities
Make a Composter - What happens to a pile of old leaves outside when you add a dash of time, maybe some worms, and a healthy splash of moisture? Make soil perfect for a garden.
GreenBeats - This series of animated shorts focuses on critical environmental issues and themes and is targeted toward children grades 3 through 5. Children learn the importance of recycling, enjoying the outdoors and encouraging others to be good stewards of the environment. Plus, they are filled with fun, catchy songs!
Educational Activities
We’ve created playlists in eMediaVA for various subjects and grade levels. Check them out when your children need a more structured learning time.
Science
Kindergarden
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Remote Learning Resources for Grades 6-12
Find more environmental resources in our online learning platform, eMediaVA.org.
