Leading up to Earth Day, I’ve been a little more conscious about teaching my kids ways in which we can save energy, reuse waste, and appreciate nature. We’ve been trying to remember to turn off all the lights that aren’t being used, walk home from school instead of driving, and colouring on both sides of the paper. My oldest daughter was really excited about Earth Hour a few weeks ago and even though she was at her Granny’s house for a sleepover, she spent Earth Hour reading by candlelight, having her bath by candlelight and having her bedtime snack by candlelight. Her SK class had talked about the importance of Earth Hour and are now discussing Earth Day while reading The Lorax. At home, we’ve been talking about Earth Day and what it means to us – appreciating nature and finding ways in which we can protect the environment.

Whether you have toddlers at home or older kids, it’s never too early or late to teach them about the importance of keeping our planet clean and protecting Earth’s natural resources. Every little bit helps and the earlier children learn simple habits, the more ingrained it will become. We can use Earth day as a starting point for creating change. Earth day isn’t just about celebrating the Earth on one day of the year. It’s about making changes every day that will create a lasting impact.

I love using picture books to compliment any subjects my kids might be talking/learning about either at school or at home. If you’re looking for some great Earth Day books to add to your library, here are a few children’s books related to Earth Day, but great reads any time of year:

It’s Earth Day by Mercer Mayer
The Earth and I by Frank Asch
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
The EARTH Book by Todd Parr

HERE is our list of ways you can celebrate Earth Day with your kids.