5 Eco-Friendly Spring Activities for Families

Springtime is one of my favorite times of year! Lately, our family has been enjoying spring afternoons outside. Really, we can’t seem to get enough of it. Do you have spring fever too? If so, I would love to hear what you have been up to? What is your favorite family activities to do in springtime? Interested in what we have been enjoying? Read on to check out some ways that we are getting our spring on!

1. Nature Walks at Night
Regardless of where you live, you have some sort of critters that come out at night. Take the kiddos on a late night stroll in search of these critters. Just remember to stay a safe distance away, walk quietly and have fun. In Florida, we are lucky – this is the time of year that sea turtles climb up the beach from the deep, vast sea to lay their eggs. Lately, we have been taking walks on the beach at night – in hopes that we will come upon a mother turtle returning to her beach of choice to start the next generation of sea turtles. We haven’t seen it happen yet, but it has to happen sooner or later!

2. Natural Art Projects
It’s almost impossible to take the kiddos on a nature walk or hike and not return home with a bucket full of pinecones, leaves, sticks, rocks or seashells. Use those natural treasures to create one of kind art pieces for your home. You may remember Eben and I had a blast making natural leaf prints for his office, or the nature stick mobile that we made for our patio. We even have bowls and dishes in our home that hold different finds from our adventures including; small pinecones, acorns, heart shaped rocks and pebbles.

3. Start a Garden 
One of my favorite spring activities is starting a garden as a family. Now that we are in Florida our garden consists of pots of tomatoes, peppers, oranges, lemons, limes and tons of herbs. Our citrus trees may be our favorite – they are in pots on our front patio and it is so much fun for Eben to check to see what new fruits appear. It just goes to show that you don’t need a traditional yard to grow goodies with your family. Even if you have zero outdoor space, you can still grow a garden in a window!

4. Orange Juice Carton Projects
Last year, Eben and I had a fun time creating a series of orange juice carton projects. Spring is the perfect time to tackle these projects with your kiddos – just take all of the supplies outside to your patio table. The series consisted of a desk organizer, wallet, portable dollhouse, snack container, and a sailboat. I would have to say hands down that the sailboat project was the biggest hit for Eben. Not only was he able to help me design, build and decorate the boat – but he was also in charge of testing it out on our local pond and swimming pool.

5. Take It Outside
Springtime is perfect for eating outside – grab your picnic blanket and head out. My favorite place to picnic is at the beach, all you need is a blanket and cooler and you are set! Our family also enjoys drinking our morning tea and our evening reading outside on our patio. And we like to take after dinner strolls on our beach or a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Any reason to get outside is a good reason – just do it!

What family activities are you enjoying this spring?

Eco-Friendly Summer Activity Planning

Hello, Friends! How have you been? Are you excited for summer? I can’t believe it is so close – I have been creating a list of fun, eco-friendly activities that Eben and I can do this summer. I am considering signing him up for a paddleboarding, surfing, snorkeling and skateboarding camp. Especially considering we own all of the gear that he would need for these activities – I wouldn’t have to buy a single thing. Regardless, I want to spend a lot of our summer time exploring new places near our home and spending as much time outside as possible. I was wondering, what summer activities do you have planned to do with your kids? And if you live in Florida, I would love any suggestions you have or places that you recommend we visit. I would love to hear your thoughts!

How to Make a Star Wars Jedi Light Saber from a Pool Noodle

Have a little Star Wars fan? Me too. I don’t know if it is the battle between good and evil, the fantastic characters or the light saber battles that draws them in. I do know, however, that my son’s favorite part of Star Wars lays in the long duals between the good and bad guys – and any reason to battle with a friend is always at the top of his fun list. However, those plastic Jedi light sabers that you can find at the big box toy store are not eco-friendly and quite honestly it hurts when you are hit with one. So my husband and I designed a fun and safe version of the light saber for our little padawan’s birthday party by repurposing items that we already had in our garage. Jump over to Inhabitots to learn how to make light sabers for your Star Wars loving kids. (PS: Dads like them too!)

How to Make Organic Non-Toxic Bath Tub Paints

Whether you have a child who loves to take a bath or one who is less than excited for bath time, bathtub paints are bound to make bath time more fun and possibly encourage you kid to beg for a bath. Jump over to Inhabitots to learn how to make your own easy organic bathtub paints that are non-toxic, safe for the environment and fun for your children, too.

How do you make bath time eco-friendly fun? 

Disneynature Chimpanzee Prize Pack Giveaway

Today’s giveaway is right in time for the release of Disneynature’s newest True Life adventure, Chimpanzee. Chimpanzee hits theaters on April 20th – what a fun way to spend part of Earth Day! One lucky winner will receive a Disneynature Chimpanzee The Making of the Film Book, a reusable tote bag and stuffed Oscar the Chimpanzee!

Chimpanzee is the story of Oscar, a young chimpanzee whose playful curiosity and zest for discovery light up the African forest until a twist of fate leaves him to fend of himself with the help of an unexpected ally. Take a peek at the trailer.

Enjoy and Good Luck!

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