Guest Post: Eco Play: 7 Eco-Friendly Activities for Kids

Play is fun and kids need to play.  It doesn’t mean we can’t offer some cool ways to help them learn about and help the environment at the same time.  Here are 7 activities that they can take part in that will not only help them learn and help the environment, but should be pretty fun too.

Build your own greenhouse with plastic bottles

Upcycle your plastic bottles with this fun activity for the whole family – collect up empty plastic bottles and build your own greenhouse with them. Once you have enough bottles the greenhouse is pretty simple to build but it does require a little bit of effort so all hands on deck! To get started you need to remove all the labels and wash the bottles. Then you need to cut off the bottoms and take off the lids.   When the bottles are ready start threading them through a garden cane and attach it to a basic wooden frame and gradually create rows of plastic bottles around the frame. The best part is that once the greenhouse is completed your kids will be able to grow their own food! So, not only is this activity great fun but it teaches your kids about the value of recycling and sustainable living. Even if your kids don’t end up growing food inside, it makes for a great den or play house too.

Make your own compost

Here’s another fun-filled activity for the kids that gets a big green thumbs up – make your own compost! This activity encourages your kids to recycle as well as gives them a science lesson into the natural cycle of growth and decay. Making a compost heap is easy and virtually costs nothing. All you need is a compost bin then you can start collecting biodegradable waste. This is things like potato peelings and egg shells. Go on! Play with dirt!

The little ones will love making their own balloon powered car toy! All you need to do is get a plastic bottle, which will form the main body of the car. Then you need to give your car some wheels! Start off by cutting a straw into two pieces the width of the bottle and tape one near the front of the bottle and the second one near the back. Then get four bottle tops and pierce a hole in each one. Once this is done cut a kebab skewer into two pieces making sure the two pieces are slightly longer than the straws then place a bottle top on one end and thread it through the straw and place a lid on the other end and repeat. Now you need to make the nozzle by taping four straws together and inserting them into the mouth of a balloon. Then cut an ‘X’ in the centre of the bottle and thread the nozzle through it with the end popping out of the opening of the bottle.  It’s as easy as that!  You’ll have it made quicker than you can say zoom zoom!

Create your own ring toss game

Here’s a fun inclusion to family games night – create your own ring toss game. To create this game you’ll need six paper plates and a kitchen roll tube. Cut out a circle the size of the kitchen roll tube diameter from one of the paper plates and insert the tube through the hole with the plate laying on a flat surface and secure with cellotape. Then cut out the middle of your remaining plates and there you have your rings ready to start playing!

DIY cup and ball

Let your kids discover the fun of this old school game! You can make a DIY cup and ball by cutting the bottom off a milk jug so you still have the handle then fill up a balloon with rice using a funnel and tie the end of the balloon. Then create a rubber band rope by cutting rubber bands in half and tying them together. Once you’ve done this cut a slit at the top of the milk jug and tie the rubber band through it then tie the other end to the balloon. Now you’re ready to play!

Make your own bowling game

Here’s a cheap and fun game that you can make with the kids! You’ll need to collect six empty plastic bottles and wash them out then fill each one with about 50 grams of rice. For even more fun you can let the kids decorate the pins with brightly coloured paints! And, once the paint is dry you just need a ball and you’re good to start knocking down those pins!

Make your own X’s and O’s

If the kids are getting under your feet noughts and crosses is a quick and simple game to make that should keep them entertained for a few hours. All you need to do is collect nine bottle tops and mark your noughts and crosses on them using a sharpie pen then draw your grid on a chalkboard or old piece of cardboard.