Good Reads For Earth Day 2009

Earth Day will be here on April 22. Here are two good books for kids:

First is "Planting a Rainbow" by Lois Ehlert, published by Harcourt, Inc. New York. This colorful book is by one of the great children's authors. If you have read any of her books, you know how young children love her simple story lines and bright engaging illustrations. Since it's time to start sowing seeds, whether indoors or outside, depending on you location, this book shows kids the steps to growing a wonderful flower garden. It gives them the names of all the tools and many flower varieties, while reviewing the names of colors. Everyone can grow a rainbow!

Second is a wonderful book for older children. "In the Blink of an Eye" by Dieter Wiesmuller, published by Walker & Co, New York. This book shows children that they can see many animals in nature if they just take time to look around. Each habitat has a close up of just an animal's eye. The kids can try to guess what animal it might be. At the end of the book, all the animals are named. It's a good book for teaching kids that while they are looking for animals, the animals might be watching them!

Art Activity Earth Day Headband
For this activity you will need some green construction paper, a piece of white card stock, an empty plastic bottle (to recycle), scissors, a stapler, and some crayons.
With a adults help, cut some 3 inch wide strips and staple them together to comfortably fit around the child's head, making the headband. Cut lots of different size and shape leaves from the green paper. Staple them around half the headband, overlapping them slightly to look like the top of a tree. AN ADULT NEEDS TO CUT A HALF INCH BY 7 INCH PIECE OF PLASTIC BOTTLE, ROUNDING OFF THE EDGES. Draw a simple bird shape from the white cardstock and color to match a bird you see in your neighborhood. Cut it out and staple it to one end of the plastic bottle strip. Staple the other end of the plastic bottle to the inside of the headband, centered behind the leaves. The bird will now float and bob over the tops of the leaves. On the back of the headband (the part without the leaves) write "Earth Day 2009". Wear it proudly to remind others to recycle, reduce energy and water usage, and protect wildlife.