As a homeschooling mom of two it can seem overwhelming at times all the subjects and lessons I want to teach my kids, but then I am reminded some of the best lessons are those simple ones that stick with you for life. I feel it is vitally important for our children to understand how to take care of the spaces around them and this includes the space they have to play in outside.
We live right next to a huge open space where all the kids can run around, play and have fun in. Now technically it’s the job of the HOA to take care of mowing and maintaining it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to do our part to keep it nice. My daughter takes her dog for a walk every day and she knows that she needs to make sure he doesn’t do his “business” in the open space. She also has had friends that at times have wanted to dig up the grass and make holes and I am so proud that she can stand up and tell them that it wouldn’t be right to do and they would be killing the grass.
My son is only four, so last spring we started out with small projects for him. We showed him how to plant his own fruits and veggies and he now understands how precious the garden is and to respect that space. One of his favorite activities is flying his Spiderman kite in the open space, and he knows if that space isn't protected and taken care of he wouldn't be able to fly his kite.
If we try to teach our kids how to save the world it would be overwhelming for both the child and the parents, but if we teach them how to respect and care for the spaces around them that is something they can understand and do. Scholastic and OPEI have teamed up to help your kids be Backyard Superheroes and they are giving away $5,000 and more to improve a schools green space!!
Two (2) grand prize winners will receive a $5,000 grant from OPEI to improve their green space. One hundred (100) runner-up winners (50 in grades K-2) and (50 in grades 3-5) will receive a free book from Scholastic.
Parents and teachers can enter students in the “Be A Backyard Superhero” Contest. Students who enter will be tasked with creating an original short essay that describes in 150-200 words how he/she is a “Backyard Superhero,” and along with TurfMutt and the Outdoor Powers, combat the environmental villains. Entrants will illustrate their essays with colorful character cutouts. You can check out all the details here, but hurry the contest ends on April 13, 2015!
As a child there is nothing better than playing outside with your friends, it doesn’t matter what type of video games or toys you have the most fun you will have as a child will be spent outside. That is why I absolutely love this campaign, it sets out to inspire an interest in backyard science, environmental activism, and encourage spending time in the outdoors.
With spring coming soon it’s the perfect time to get your kids involved, teaching them to be superheroes in their own backyard. Head over here to grab activity sheets, digital story books and more and help your kids learn to take care of the outdoor space around them and truly appreciate their own backyard.
