Happy Earth Day! Though everyday should be Earth Day, April 22 of every year is a great opportunity to focus on our beautiful planet and teach our little learners why it is so important to understand what is so unique about Earth and how we can do our part to keep it thriving and habitable for all life.
As a child I loved glitter! What am I saying? As an adult I STILL love glitter! So shiny and glittery. But as an adult I also loathe glitter. It sticks to everything and can be almost impossible to completely clean off. Turns out it is terrible for the environment, too. Glitter is made of microplastics that leak into the environment and enter the oceans. They are consumed by fish and other marine life and can have fatal consequences.
So this Earth Day, instead of using glitter, use SPRINKLES! That’s right, sprinkles! Though you can find recipes for DIY glitter made of sugar or salt, I prefer good ol’ store-bought sprinkles. They come in all kinds of colors, including GOLD! Not only will they help your crafts glimmer and shine, but you can buy them for a fraction of the price of craft glitter. And of course, they are edible, too! Everybody wins!
Supplies needed:
- Paper (you can repurpose some cardboard to be extra Earth-friendly)
- Liquid glue
- Sprinkles
- Marker (optional)
- Bowl (for excess sprinkles)
Either draw a picture and retrace using liquid glue or free-hand with just glue. Thinner lines of glue are better than globs of glue. Globs of glue will take longer to dry and the sprinkles will melt a little on them but still be colorful and fun. When your child is finished with their picture, put aside and lie flat to dry. The more glue you use, the longer it will take to dry.
Happy Earth Day!
Love, Learn & Librarian 