Yesterday, our Earth Day turned out to be a lot different from what we had in mind. On Sunday, the wonderful spring-summer weather we enjoyed previously, disappeared. Instead, we got April showers, strong winds and cold temperatures. Having a picnic at a park, planting flowers and hiking became a brunch in the kitchen, crafts indoor and climbing onto bed to watch a movie. Not bad at all for me. As an adult, I can always appreciate a quiet, peaceful Sunday at home.
However Zoe, my five year/old daughter insisted on not calling Earth Day off. Instead, she came around with this little poster in her hands, to remind me that there is a lot we can do together, outdoors or indoors, to show respect and care for our planet, not only on Earth Day, but everyday.
Zoe, as well as my older daughter Naomi, now nine years old, went to the same environmentalist Pre-K program at the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in New York. I have to say, it is amazing the amount of knowledge a toddler three-four years old can acquire by experiencing nature "hands-on", and the respect for the environment they can develop at such an early age. Maybe, some other day I'll write a post about this school. What I want to share now is this beautiful manifesto that the children made at the end of their last pre-school year to give to their parents, along with their diploma on graduation day.
::: How to Really Love a Young Naturalist :::
Pick wildflowers together ~ Give lots of hugs ~ Appreciate dandelion bouquets ~ Check for ticks ~ Follow a butterfly ~ Make a rock pile ~ Save paper towel tubes ~ Find pictures in clouds ~ Paint sidewalks with water ~ Make fairy houses in the woods ~ Catch frogs ~ Rescue insects ~ Take a walk in the rain ~ Build rock walls ~ Go fly a kite ~ Read books together ~ Read some more ~ Listen to crickets ~ Count the spots on ladybugs ~ Blow milkweed seeds ~ Reduce ~ Recycle ~ Reuse ~ Use levers and pulleys ~ Invent ~ Explore ~ Count the stars ~ Make moon cookies ~ Plant seeds ~ Hug a tree ~ Collect rocks ~ Taste sap ~ Watch leaves fall ~ Make snow critters ~ Make houses for toads ~ Build forts ~ Play in the mud ~ Feed birds ~ Give more hugs ~ Take time to appreciate them ~ Because .....
They are precious!!
Hope you were able to share a meaningful Earth Day with your family. Keep in mind that little ones can learn love and respect for Mother Earth from the very beginning, like any good habit or manners.
Hudson Highland Nature Museum, more info available here.
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