Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in tampa, FL

Ten Ways to Enjoy Earth Day with your Children

by Caroline

April 21, 2009

Tomorrow is Earth Day! As parents of very impressionable young ones, we should use this opportunity to kick off a year round family commitment to caring for our environment by reusing, reducing and recycling. Here are five suggested activities to honor Earth Day. And once you’ve checked those out, pull your kid up onto your lap and click through my top five suggested Earth Day websites for children. Get green, Tampa Bay!

1. Plant something today: Whether its a row of sunflowers, a new tree or a simple potted plant, you’ll be teaching your child about the outdoor world while doing something beneficial for your environment.
2. Go for a walk at a local park: Florida is a beautiful state worth protecting with its gorgeous state, county and city parks. If your child learns to love the outdoors, they will be more likely to protect it.
3. Enjoy Florida wildlife: Grab the binoculars and watch birds land near a pond, observe a squirrel jumping through your yard or use your pass and enjoy a day at the zoo. Florida wildlife is amazing so teach your children all about it.
4. Turn off the TV: Read books, play games, do crafts and spend a day enjoying something other than Noggin.
5. Visit a local farm: Teach your child about where fruits and vegetable are grown and then buy some produce while during your visit to support your local farm.

There are quite a few interactive websites that teach children about the environment that you might want to check out with your children also.

1. PBS Kids: This site offers Earth Day videos and the fun interactive Eeko World
2. Playhouse Disney: Games, printables and videos
3. Nick Jr.: Guides, gifts, crafts and garden fun
4. Kaboose: Crafts, food, games, projects and fun
5. Savvy Source: Our national site celebrates Earth Day

Visit Lettuce Lake Park

by Caroline

February 24, 2009

Last Sunday, my ceaselessly restless boys began whining “what are we doing today?” The need for a morning outing was immediately established. We love taking advantage of these cooler February days outside but we wanted to find somewhere we didn't have to drive far to find that also wouldn’t cost us much to visit. A morning hike at Lettuce Lake Park wound up being the perfect solution.