by Dr. Joyce Sibbett
One of our favorite holidays at Dancing Moose is Earth Day, which occurs on April 22nd every year. The warmer weather allows our students to spend longer time outside and experience the magic of new growth in the Springtime. Maria Montessori frequently emphasized the importance of enjoying the earth and appreciating its beauty. It is also an excellent excuse to get your family outside on a walk or short hike to observe the changing seasons.
A fun activity to help maintain the beautiful earth may be to plant something. Working in the soil is a meaningful project as it extends from planting seeds to watching them grow. Children can also learn about the importance of trees, which helps with soil erosion and carbon emissions. Planting trees is a nice way for children to discover how they can give the next generation a greener future.
Maria Montessori frequently emphasized the importance of exploring nature and observing the world carefully. One way to connect with nature may be to have an Earth Day scavenger hunt in a Dancing Moose garden at Garden or Museum campuses or the park adjacent to River Park campus. Children can then explore and observe wildlife in natural habitats. As children explore, they can use their artistic talents to draw pictures of flowers and plants that they discover.
The internet and YouTube display a broad range of activities with easy-to-follow instructions which allow children to create an assortment of fun projects, such as building a birdhouse or bird feeder, a bug hotel, and many more.
Besides appreciating earth’s beauty, children can learn some important lessons on conserving energy, recycling, and doing things to make items reusable, such as borrowing books from the library instead of buying new ones.
Earth Day may extend from school to home for all children, and it is a perfect time for teachers and parents to exemplify responsible actions that contribute to the environment. These messages can last throughout children’s lives as they continue to engage in earth-friendly projects.