With the summer holidays coming up, we thought we would put together a few fun, eco-friendly activities for kids and parents to get stuck in to, come rain or shine!
This list contains just a few ideas to get you going, but, if you have any more you would like to share, you can either post them to our Facebook page here, or tell us on Twitter (@renewableidea).
Also, if you make or do something that you’re really proud of, do let us know and we will Tweet your story and any photos.
- Make your own wallet out of Tetra Pak cartons
You may have seen in the news recently that a very talented designer made an origami lamp out of Tetra Pak cartons.
This may be a bit beyond the skills of most of us, but it does show how much you can do with a carton. One fun, easy thing you can do is to make a wallet.
You can find some easy, step-by-step instructions here.
Have a go, and if you like, send us a photo on our facebook page, or on twitter (@renewableidea).
- Plant a tree
Not only is this a fun way to learn about our environmental impact (and, parents, brighten up a garden), but it also means you will have something to take care of and enjoy for years to come.
Now, you do need to think about where you do it. Make sure that its final size will fit in the space, and avoid planting large trees within 10 – 15 metres of buildings.
In terms of which tree to choose, here are a few suggestions:
- Large gardens: Oak, Beech, Ash or Hornbeam
- Medium gardens: Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Field Maple or Silver Birch
- Small gardens: Willow or Sallow
Some useful information on growing your tree from seeds can be found here.
- Grow your own vegetables
Whether it’s in your garden, allotment or even in a window box, planting your own vegetables is a great way to get lovely-tasting, fresh veg, and help reduce those food miles!
For more information on which plants to choose, and some tips on getting started check out the BBC’s page on growing vegetables here.
If you want an easy, quick plant to get started with, why not try planting some cress? You can find a guide on how to do this here.
Hopefully that should get you started, but we will suggest some more activities in our next blog posts so do check back next week!
The Renewable Idea team