Ages 5 and up

Start an Upcycle Bin

Repurpose would-be waste into craft supplies.

Create space in your home to store items that either can’t be recycled or can easily be repurposed before being recycled. Then encourage your children to use their imaginations, turning this would-be waste into something new.

Teaching our children to care for the earth is integral to teaching compassion. And as the complicated challenges of climate change and waste management demand global attention, the planet's health will be front and center in kids' lives. Here is one small, fun way your family can learn to become earth advocates.

Possible recipients

Get started with this quick video.

Encourage your family to get creative with clean, would-be waste materials, either as silly craft projects or as creations with clever new purposes.

What you’ll need

Click here to download and decorate a sign for your upcycle bin.

  • Our printable Upcycle Bin label

  • Crayons, colored pencils, or markers

  • Box or spare laundry basket

  • Duct tape

Instructions

  • First, decorate your poster.

  • Add three ideas for upcycled creations in the three blank spaces. Get inspired with our Kids Can Upcycle! Pinterest board.

  • Attach your poster to a large cardboard box.

  • Add a roll of duct tape.

  • Add unrecyclable plastics and other clean items you would otherwise toss whenever possible.

  • When you’re feeling crafty, create something new from the materials you gather!

Reflections

  • Can we think of some ways to use less plastic as a family? Let's make a list!

  • What are some things our family is already doing to conserve earth's resources and keep the planet clean?

Resources

Browse our growing collection of picture books for earth advocates.

Take it Further

Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.

Clean Up Your Neighborhood

Take pride in your community.

Picking up litter is a fun, simple, and free activity that can have instant results for your child and your community.

Possible recipients

Anyone who enjoys a pristine neighborhood, park, beach, or public walkway.

What you’ll need

Instructions

  1. Assign gloves and a trash collection gear to each family member.

  2. Clear out litter from a section of park, beach, vacant lot, or your own neighborhood. Take all necessary precautions, including wearing sturdy gloves, being careful on river banks or near roads, having adults handle dangerous items, and supervising children closely. You can pick your favorite walk and do a one-time sweep, or make clean-up a regular family event.

  3. Properly dispose of all litter.

Reflections

  • Did you find a lot of litter? What kind of litter did you see most often? What could be done to help with that problem?

  • Why is it important to pick up litter?

  • How do you feel when you see litter?

  • How can you inspire others to help keep the neighborhood clean?

  • What other ways can we take care of the spaces where we live?

Resources

  • Colonel Trash Truck by Kathleen Crawley
    The colonel is on a mission to protect the beauty of the earth by cleaning up litter — and convincing others to do the same.

  • Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter
    This hilarious story is sure to inspire your whole family to be mindful of your environmental impact.

Take it further

  • Take a few digital photos of what you’ve picked up. Then have your family send an essay about your experience along with your favorite photo, your names, age(s), and address to mail@wildernessproject.org. Your essay will be published on the Nicodemus Wilderness Project website, your children’s names will appear in the Registry of Apprentice Ecologists, and you’ll get an official certificate. For tips on conducting the clean-up and writing the story, as well as essays and photos from other apprentice ecologists, visit the website.

  • Have each family member pick up five pieces of trash each time you visit the park before you start playing.

Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.

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Advocate for Animals

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Raise your voice for endangered creatures.

Encourage your child to speak up for endangered animals with this unique project. Equal parts art project and advocacy letter, this project is an excellent introduction to active citizenship.

Invite your child to draw a picture or write a letter to advocate for their favorite animal.

Possible recipients

Elected officials, whether local, state, or federal.

What you’ll need

  • Drawing paper

  • Markers, crayons, or colored pencils

  • Notepaper

  • Envelop and stamp (if mailing)

Instructions

Get inspired with this fun video!

First, choose an animal friend in need of help.

  • Take half an hour or so to learn about endangered animals.
    Discover endangered animals in your state by visiting the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

  • Or take a global view and choose an animal from the World Wildlife Federation's complete global species list.

  • Help your child choose an animal to champion. As your child gets to know their chosen animal, be sure to answer these questions:

    • Why is this animal endangered?

    • What is this animal's greatest threat?

    • Who is working to protect this species? How?

    • What can our elected officials do to protect this creature and its ecosystem?

Second, illustrate the problem.

  • Gather drawing materials and create artwork featuring your chosen animal and its greatest threat.

  • Be sure your child signs their name and age.

Third, write a letter to your elected official.

  • Look up your congressional leaders here.

  • Write a letter asking your chosen official. Ask them to support policies that protect the animal and its ecosystem.

  • Mail (scan and email) your creation to your elected leaders.

  • Post the name, email address, phone numbers, and photo of your elected leaders in a prominent place - perhaps the refrigerator - in case your family has future issues to bring up.

  • If you get a response, post that as well!

Reflection questions

Resources

  • A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Robinowitz
    Meet Alan, a boy who loves animals. In fact, he struggles with a stutter unless he's speaking to animals. Alan has to overcome his stutter and find his voice when he encounters a zoo whose animals are in a sad state. Can one young voice make a difference?

  • Gamba - An Optimistic Mountain Gorilla Tale by DJ Burk
    Gamba is busy learning everything a gorilla needs to know to thrive with her family in the wild until tragedy strikes. Although people were responsible for Gamba's hardship, the kindness of humans also helps him in the end. This book will start a thoughtful conversation about how humans can make things better for animals.

Take it further

Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.

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Assemble and Share Seed Bombs

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Assemble colorful habitat starters to support pollinators.

These compostable, natural balls of clay will hold seeds until they break down in the sun, air, and weather, unleashing a colorful, nutritious treat for pollinators.

Possible Recipients

Mix up a batch of seed bombs to plant in your backyard! Share them with friends. Work with your school or youth group plant them around your organization’s campus. Or try your hand at guerilla gardening!

What you’ll need

Avoid commercial wildflower mixes, as they are likely to contain invasive species.

Avoid commercial wildflower mixes, as they are likely to contain invasive species.

  • Dry clay powder (like this from Seed-balls.com)

  • Variety of native seeds from your area (Note: this is important! Call a local nursery for guidance!) Here are helpful tools:

  • Compost, manure, or worm castings

  • Water

  • Measuring cups, a bowl or bucket, and large spoons for mixing

Instructions

This beautiful book will inspire your young seed bomb makers and introduce more creative ways your family can support a strong monarch population and connect with bug life.

  1. Plan your measurements in a ratio of 5 parts clay - 1 part compost - 1 part seeds

  1. Mix compost and seeds well.

  2. Add dry clay.

  3. Slowly add water, a few tablespoons at a time, and mix until a moist but not wet meal forms and can be pressed together. If you add too much water, add clay to get the proper consistency.

  4. Flatten dough and cut it into equal parts.

  5. Roll each part into a ball about the size of a ping pong ball.

  6. Dry the balls until ready to disseminate to your destination.

  7. Give your seed balls their best chance to germinate by sinking them about halfway in the surrounding soil, especially if planting in a backyard or school campus. Watch for results!

  8. If guerilla gardening, use native milkweed seeds and toss them under power lines or along roadsides.

Reflections

  • How important are pollinators, anyway? Check out this National Geographic video to learn the answer.

  • How do you feel when you see a butterfly or a bee pollinating a flower?

Take it further

Resources

Discover more titles to inspire your next project to heal the earth with this growing list.

Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.

Bake Dog Biscuits

Create shareable treats for furry friends.

Share these treats with shelter dogs, canine neighbors, or host a pet treat bake sale to raise funds for an animal shelter near you!

Possible recipients

Many local Animal Humane Societies and animal shelters appreciate donations of homemade treats.

What you’ll need

  • Large bowl

  • Rolling pin

  • 1/2 cup cornmeal

  • 6 tbsp oil

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour

  • 2/3 cup water or broth

  • Cookie sheet

  • Cookie cutters (especially dog-bone shaped!)

  • Container

Instructions

  • Call your nearest animal shelter first to be sure they can use the dog biscuits you make. Ask when to drop them off and whether you can get a tour or visit with the animals.

  • To make the dog biscuits: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together well. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake 35-40 minutes, let cool, and store in a tightly sealed container.

Reflections

  • Why is it fun to spend time with animals?

  • Why is it important to care for animals that don’t have a home?

  • How do you think a dog might feel to get a special treat? How do you feel when you receive a special treat?

  • What are other ways we can help animals in need?

  • Discuss the many wordless ways animals show their feelings -- pain, hunger, excitement, loneliness. Ask your children how those emotions and responses are similar to their own.

Resources

  • Maggie’s Second Chance by Nancy Furstinger
    Ages 4-8. Jeff and his 4th-grade classmates save Maggie, a rescue dog, by petitioning the town council to establish an animal shelter. Based on a true story.

  • Buddy Unchained by Daisy Bix Ages 4-8. The story of a dog that was abused before finding himself in a loving home.

  • The Shelter Dog by Christine Davis
    Ages 4-8. Hero, an angel dog, decides he wants to go back to earth to be a shelter dog so a loving family can choose him as their pet. Slowly he realizes that living in a shelter isn’t as nice as it appears.

  • A Dog’s Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin
    Ages 9-12. A puppy separated from its family must learn how to survive on its own.

Take it further

  • When you deliver your goodies, spend some time playing with the animals. See if you can get a tour of the shelter and ask about other ways you can help out.

  • Consider fostering animals, which means providing a temporary (a few days to a few months) home for animals that require special attention because they are very young, sick, or because the shelter has limited space.

  • Offer to assist an elderly neighbor or friend who might need help with dog walking or other pet care.

  • Make other pet treats or toys for animals at the shelter.

    Browse the projects in our Big-Hearted Families Tookit!

Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.