Here’s an easy way to explain the extra day to your kid
“What is leap year?” If you’ve heard that recently, and you’re wondering how to explain to your kiddos why there’s one extra day every four years, we’ve got easy answers. It’s simple (especially if they know how to count): Leap Year is all about keeping the calendar in sync with how long it takes Planet Earth to completely orbit the sun. And fun fact: It takes more than 365 days.
The earth takes almost six more hours to make its way around the sun. Add up those extra hours, and every four years, there’s an extra day on the calendar, which is where February 29th comes from.
The story of Leap Year goes way back to Julius Caesar, who added an extra day to February (this was the last month of the year in Roman times) over 2,000 years ago. However, his math wasn’t precise, and it wasn’t corrected until the Georgian calendar, which has a mathematical formula that keeps leap years in check. Yep, that means not every four years is necessarily a leap year! In layman’s terms, if the year is divisible by 100 but not 400, it’s not a leap year (e.g. 1900).
What does this mean if we didn’t have Leap Year? Well, dates would slowly shift, and eventually, the seasons would be way off. That could mean celebrating the 4th of July in the dead of winter!
And remember, while people born in February might be Leap Year babies, they can still celebrate on February 28th or March 1st!
There’s no doubt about it: kids are sponges when it comes to learning (and picking up on swear words, turns out). We’ve rounded up some fun facts for kids that will entertain and wow them (and you!). For those in search of trivia for teens, we’ve got you covered as well! Try to stump your kids at the dinner table or go all in for a family trivia night. In the mood for even more fun? Try out these hilarious jokes for kids, the best minute to win it games, and some selections from the 100+ movies every kid needs to see before they grow up.
6. Even in an airplane, a trip to Pluto would take about 800 years.
7. Ham the Astrochimp was the first hominid in space, launched on Jan. 31, 1961.
8. Neptune’s days are 16 hours long.
9. It takes eight minutes and 19 seconds for light to travel from the sun to Earth.
10. The footprints on the moon will be there for 100 million years.
11. A neutron star can spin 600 times in one second.
12. Jupiter is the fastest-spinning planet in the solar system (it only takes about 10 hours to complete a full rotation on its axis).
13. Sound does not carry in space.
14. The Earth's core is as hot as the surface of the sun.
15. The very first animals in space were fruit flies...they were sent up in 1947 and recovered alive.
16. In 2011, ten-year-old Kathryn Aurora Gray discovered a supernova (a star that has run out of energy, explodes and then collapses before it dies) that no one else had seen before.
17. Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, has saltwater geysers that are 20x taller than Mt. Everest.
18. Saturn's rings are made from trillions of chunks of orbiting ice.
19. Alpha Centauri isn't a star, but a star system. It is 4.22 light years away.
20. One day on Venus is almost 8 months on Earth.
21. Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a storm that has been raging for over 200 years.
22. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on Earth.
2. Garlic bulbs are full of Vitamin C, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and more. It also has 17 amino acids.
3. On the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, potatoes were once used as currency.
4. The strawberry is the only fruit that bears seeds on the outside.
5. According to Tori Avey, coffee became a popular drink in America after the Boston Tea Party of 1773: Making the switch from tea to coffee was considered a patriotic duty.
6. The double coconut palm produced the biggest seed in the world: 45 pounds.
7. Ice cream was once called “cream ice.”
8. Pound cake is so-called because the recipes once called for a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour.
9. Peanuts aren't nuts! (They're legumes.)
10. Carrots weren't always orange: they were once exclusively purple.
11. Cherries are a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) as are quince, pears, plums, apples, peaches, and raspberries!
12. Lima beans have an amazing ability to command wasps as a defense. If insects are eating the lima bean's leaves, the plant gives off a substance that acts as a signal to parasitic wasps to swoop in and destroy their enemy (i.e. the leaf-eating insects).
13. Apples float because they are one-quarter air!
14. Ripe cranberries will bounce like a ball. (Go on, try it!). They also float.
15. German chocolate cake is not from Germany. German is the last name of the man who invented a kind of baking chocolate (Sam German).
16. Cilantro and coriander are considered to be the same.
17. SPAM is a mash-up of the words "spice" and "ham."
Amazing Facts for Students About History
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1. The Wright Brothers only flew together once (though both piloted the planes individually): on May 25, 1910, they took a six-minute flight piloted by Orville with Wilbur as his passenger.
2. Regardless of their size, naval tradition declares submarines to be called “boats” rather than “ships.”
3. Hedy Lamar was a famous Hollywood film actress who also invented what became modern-day Wi-Fi.
8. Before European contact (which caused populations to diminish rapidly ) California indigenous tribal groups spoke more than 200 unique dialects.
9. Amelia Earhart first saw a plane at the age of 10 but didn't take an airplane ride until 1920 when she was 23 years old.
10. Abe Lincoln was a professional wrestler long before he became the 16th President of the United States.
11. After landing in Ireland after her first solo Atlantic flight, a farmer asked Amelia Earhart where she was from. When she said America, he almost didn't believe her!
12. Frederick Douglass's birth name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey. When he married he chose the last name Douglass after the hero clan in Sir Walter Scott's famous poem, Lady of the Lake.
13. Frida Kahlo created 143 paintings. Of these, 55 were self-portraits.
14. Babe Ruth was the first baseball player to hit a home run in the All-Star game, at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1933.
1. Some tornadoes can be faster than Formula One race cars!
2. There are 2,000 thunderstorms on Earth every minute.
3. The wind is silent until it blows against something.
4. There are ice caves in Iceland that have hot springs.
5. The fastest recorded raindrop was 18 mph!
6. The US gets over 1200 tornadoes a year.
7. Lightning can strike twice.
8. Clouds look white because they are reflecting sunlight from above them.
9. Yuma, Arizona gets over 4000 hours of sunshine a year, making it the sunniest place on Earth. The least sunny place is the South Pole, where the sun only shines on 182 days a year. (Which would you rather live in?)
10. Rain contains vitamin B12.
11. A bolt of lightning is five times hotter than the sun.
12. A hurricane releases enough energy in one second to equal that of 10 atomic bombs.
13. It can be too warm to snow, but never too cold.
14. Tropical storms and hurricanes started getting "named" in 1953.
15. You can tell the weather by counting a cricket's chirps!
16. Worms wiggle up from the ground when a flood is coming.
1. Many people believe that early mermaid sightings can be attributed to dehydration + manatees.
2. Sloths cannot shiver to stay warm, and so have difficulty maintaining their body temperature on rainy days.
3. In the wild, some reindeer travel more than 3000 miles in a single year.
4. Only half of the dolphin’s brain goes to sleep when asleep and the other half stays awake.
5. Other than humans, emperor penguins are the only warm-blooded animals to stay in Antarctica for the winter.
6. The biggest fossil of a spider was found in China. It is one inch long and 165 million years old.
7. The largest living animal is the blue whale, which can measure as much as 100 feet.
8. Nearly 10% of all of a cat's bones are in its tail.
9. In the wintertime reindeer grow their facial hair long enough to cover their mouths, which protects their muzzles when grazing in the snow. Beard-os!
10. Dolphins have been seen wrapping sea sponges around their long snouts to protect them from cuts while foraging for food.
11. Shrimp's hearts are in their heads.
12. While pandas sometimes eat fish or small animals, 99% of their diet is bamboo.
13. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
14. A fox uses its tail to communicate with other foxes.
15. Dogs have wet noses because they secrete a thin layer of mucus, which helps dogs smell!
16. The female hummingbird builds the world's smallest bird's nest (approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, around the size of a walnut!). She weaves it from spiderwebs which allows it to expand as the chicks grow.
17. The largest land animal in Antarctica is an insect: the columbola (which looks like an earwig). Penguins are considered marine animals.
18. There are 222 owl species in the world. Most are nocturnal, but a few are active during the daytime, such as the Barred Owl.
19. Sloths are strong swimmers, especially good at the backstroke.
20. Sharks do not hunt humans or consider humans food. Shark incidents occur when sharks are hunting for seals, dolphins, or other "human-sized" prey. It's a case of mistaken identity!
21. A koala's fingerprints are so similar to human fingerprints that they could taint a crime scene.
22. The loudest animal in the world is the Pistol Shrimp. It can collapse its jaws so fast that creates a bubble that collapses and creates a sonic blast.
1. In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA basketball game. No one has broken this record (not even Steph Curry!).
2. Babe Ruth began his career as a pitcher: Ruth was both a left-handed pitcher and a left-handed batter.
3. The record for the long jump is held by Mike Powell: 29 ft. + 4 inches. That’s like jumping the length of two minivans!
4. The most medals won for Olympic basketball (male or female) are both held by women: Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie with four gold medals each.
5. Wilma Rudolph (who set the world record in 1960 for 100, 200, and 4x100-meter relay) had polio, scarlet fever, and pneumonia as a child, leading doctors to believe she’d never walk again.
6. NFL Super Bowl referees also get Super Bowl rings.
7. In 1919, Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell was struck by lightning in the middle of the 9th inning. He kept playing!
8. The 'G' on the Green Bay Packers helmet stands for "greatness" not Green Bay!
11. Golf is one of only two sports ever played on the moon. In 1971, Alan Shepard hit a ball with a six-iron while on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 mission. The other sport was a javelin toss, during the same visit.
12. The shortest player in the National Hockey League (NHL) was goaltender Roy Waters who measured 5 ft. 3 in. tall.
13. The tallest player in the NHL is Zdeno Chara, who is 6 ft. 9 in. tall.
How fast does a tornado go? What’s the tallest tree in the world? Find out!
When it comes to conversation, nothing beats the weather, especially if you can spout off a few cool facts about weather science or space trivia for the kids. Use these fun science facts to create your own trivia questions for teens or kids for a game night or just to learn something new.
1. Some tornadoes can be faster than Formula One race cars!
2. There are 2,000 thunderstorms on Earth every minute.
3. The wind is silent until it blows against something.
4. There are ice caves in Iceland that have hot springs.
5. The fastest recorded raindrop was 18 mph!
6. The US gets over 1200 tornadoes a year.
7. Lightning can strike twice.
8. Clouds look white because they are reflecting sunlight from above them.
9. Yuma, Arizona gets over 4000 hours of sunshine a year, making it the sunniest place on Earth. The least sunny place is the South Pole, where the sun only shines on 182 days a year (Which would you rather live in?).
10. Rain contains vitamin B12.
11. A bolt of lightning is five times hotter than the sun.
12. A hurricane releases enough energy in one second to equal that of 10 atomic bombs.
13. It can be too warm to snow but never too cold.
6. Even in an airplane, a trip to Pluto would take about 800 years.
7. Ham the Astrochimp was the first hominid in space, launched on Jan. 31, 1961.
8. Neptune’s days are 16 hours long.
9. It takes eight minutes and 19 seconds for light to travel from the sun to Earth.
10. The footprints on the moon will be there for 100 million years.
11. A neutron star can spin 600 times in one second.
12. Jupiter is the fastest-spinning planet in the solar system (it only takes about 10 hours to complete a full rotation on its axis).
13. Sound does not carry in space.
14. The Earth's core is as hot as the surface of the sun.
15. The very first animals in space were fruit flies... they were sent up in 1947 and recovered alive.
16. In 2011, ten-year-old Kathryn Aurora Gray discovered a supernova (a star that has run out of energy, explodes, and then collapses before it dies) that no one else had seen before.
17. Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, has saltwater geysers 20x taller than Mt. Everest.
18. Saturn's rings are made from trillions of chunks of orbiting ice.
Here’s what all those bubbles and foam really mean
As schools start to let out for the summer, parents everywhere are starting to mentally prepare themselves for occupying their kids at home. Get started early with this fun demo video for the beaker volcano science project from The Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Experiments.
The science behind, “But, why?”
Don’t get caught off guard by your kids’ science questions! You and your family can learn about chemistry with this amazing beaker volcano science project! Best of all, this experiment can be tossed together with just vinegar, baking soda, red dye, a baker, toilet paper, and string. This is a science experiment that also expertly mimics what happens under the earth’s crust to create volcanic eruptions.
Volcano Time!
If you grew up watching endless Brady Bunch reruns you’re probably familiar with Peter Brady’s volcano—a mud-spewing, steep-sided science project that sent showers of muck and sludge all over Peter’s sister, Marsha, and her snooty friends. It was the coolest thing ever.
There’s a good chance that this one episode alone launched our love affair with kitchen-sink volcano projects—an experiment so simple that you and your lab partner can most likely do it right now with stuff you already have in the kitchen. All you really need is vinegar, baking soda, and a bottle to mix them in, but it is much cooler to use good ol’ fashioned backyard dirt to construct a volcano model around the bottle first and then conduct the experiment. Either way you do it, this is a science experiment with serious thrills. But it also expertly mimics what happens under the earth’s crust to create volcanic eruptions.
Here’s Why the Volcano Science Project Works
When the solid baking soda (sodium bicarbonate—a base) mixes with the liquid vinegar (acetic acid—a weak acid), a chemical reaction occurs and forms a gas (carbon dioxide). All those bubbles and foam? They’re evidence of gas, and as the gas expands, it looks for an escape route for all that built-up pressure. So the foam and bubbles rise until they flood out of your bottle’s opening. Pretty much the same exact thing is happening under the earth right now. The earth’s crust is made up of many sections of super thick shell—65-plus miles thick!—called tectonic plates that are always moving, very slowly, over the much, much hotter inner earth. Most of the world’s volcanoes are found where two or more of these tectonic plates meet one another. Sometimes those plates shift and sometimes they collide, forming escape routes in the earth’s crust for molten rocks and gas, called magma. Much like the carbon dioxide in your baking soda–vinegar experiment seeks the quickest escape route to relieve pressure, the gases in the underground magma do the same thing before erupting out of a volcano.
Not all eruptions are alike, however. Sometimes the gases in the magma are easily released from the earth’s crust and the result is a slow, oozing spread of superhot lava. But sometimes the gases stay trapped beneath cooled magma and rock building up pressure until they erupt in violent explosions that can send ash and boulders flying up to 20 miles high. In fact, airplane pilots keep track of volcano activity around the earth, just to be sure they don’t fly into clouds of dangerous ash.
Here’s What You Need for a Volcano Science Experiment
Baking soda
Vinegar
A bottle (a good vase with a wide bottom and slender top also works well, but use whatever you can find)
Red food dye String Toilet paper
Here’s What You Do
1. First add the vinegar to your bottle and dye it red with food coloring. Then, rip out a few sheets of toilet paper and make a pouch for the baking soda. Use your string to tie the pouch and then insert the pouch into your bottle, using the bottle cap to hold the other end of the string so that the pouch dangles above your “lava.” (See Fig. 1.)
2. If you’re feeling super science-y/crafty, let your lab partner shape a volcano model out of backyard mud and dirt around the bottle. Note: you don’t have to do this, but go big or go home, right?
3. When your volcano model is ready, lift the cap and watch the pouch drop into the lava. It will foam up slowly, mimicking the slow buildup of earth’s gases, until the vinegar fully soaks the tissue paper. Then, the fun really begins, as the foam begins to climb the bottle, looking for an escape route. Just stand back, and watch the foam erupt. It’s really that easy!
Want More?
There are many, many ways to perform this experiment, so don’t be afraid to get creative. Try mixing the vinegar and baking soda in a bottle, and then quickly place a balloon over the bottle opening. While this doesn’t create a lava explosion, the gases will inflate the balloon. Pretty cool, right? Or, put baking soda in a small snack-size zip bag and seal it tightly with a bit of air in the bag. Place the baking soda bag in a larger zip bag that is filled with vinegar and seal that bag tightly, with as little air as possible in the big bag. Now use your fist to smash the tiny baking soda bag and stand back. You just made a sandwich bag bomb, using the same chemical reactions as your volcano.
Take an evening at home to learn about stargazing with the kids
Summer is the perfect time of year for stargazing, especially after school is out and the kids can stay up late. The key to stargazing is to pick a clear night and find a spot that’s away from the city lights and clear of trees. Want to leave the astronomy lesson to the experts? Plan a visit to a dark sky national park for their seasonal stargazing programs. Then check out our gear and tips to get the kids really jazzed about this outdoor activity!
Sure, any kid will jump at the chance to stay up past bedtime with the family, but it's best to get your kids interested—or at least familiar with—the stars before heading out for a night of skywatching. Luckily, there are tons of books, games and gadgets out there to get them excited:
Bring the Stars Inside - Stick constellation stickers on your child’s ceiling to get her used to looking up and seeing those familiar shapes.
Make a Star Wheel - This activity works best for older kids (8 and up), but once they make it, kids will love being able to use this homemade tool to navigate the night sky.
Make Crafts - If you're the crafty type, your kids can get some planetary know-how with this cute space mobile from Honeybear Lane.
Play Space-Themed Games - Planet-themed Bingo, anyone? Play Dough to Plato has free BINGO cards that even preschoolers can enjoy. (Note: You'll have to submit your e-mail address, but the download appears immediately).
Have Smart Screen Time - At NASA's Space Place, kids can find some fun games that'll help kids explore the solar system as well as comets, black holes, and weather systems.
Watch Storytime From Space- This may be the coolest thing ever: Astronauts read stories from the International Space Station. Sure, your kiddo may be too preoccupied with watching the astronaut's hair floating in the no-gravity environment, but that's OK; They'll be space-crazed by the story's end.
It might seem like plopping down on the grass and simply looking up would be enough—and it is if all you want is a few minutes of stargazing—but rounding up the right supplies for a night of sky-watching is essential to making your evening easy and fun. Little stargazers can get hungry, antsy, and uncomfortable, so it's best to be prepared! Here is what you'll need:
A large (preferably waterproof) blanket - Sitting directly on the ground may be scratchy and uncomfortable (not to mention you're exposing yourself to any creepy-crawlies that might be lingering below), so make sure to bring a comfy surface for the littles to lay on. Waterproof blankets help, in case the grass is wet.
Folding chairs - If you'd rather lounge than lay on a blanket, folding chairs make for comfy outdoor digs. Try to find chairs that recline, so you're not left with a stiff neck afterward.
Pillows - Lying down is, after all, the best way to get a full view of the sky, so bring along pillows to make things extra cozy!
Snacks - Little bellies need constant attention! Bring finger foods and snacks that the kids (and you!) can munch on while gazing skyward. It's best to stick to dry snacks so you won't get sticky fingers on that brand-new set of binoculars.
A Flashlight - If you're in a particularly dark spot (which is better for seeing stars), you should bring a flashlight in case you need to read a sky map, find the snacks or get your bearings. Of course, a phone works just fine, too.
Bug Spray - When the sun goes down, the bugs come out—so be prepared. For bug protection that will last the longest, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids over age two use an insect repellent containing (a maximum of 10%) Deet. For younger children and babies, use products containing Picardin, an odorless chemical safe for babies as young as two months; or natural products containing citronella, lemongrass, peppermint, and cedarwood (note: these usually need to be applied more frequently to be effective).
Star Apps - Easy apps like Night Sky or Skyview are great for finding the constellations, even when the sky conditions aren't ideal. Just hold your phone up and you'll get an AR, up-close look the constellations, satellites and planets in real-time.
S'mores - A strong recommendation from our writer's eight-year-old. Here's where you can find our favorite s'mores recipes.
Get Set Up with an Easy-to-Use Telescope or Binoculars
Kate Loweth
Seeing the constellations with the naked eye is fun—but it's always cooler if your kids can get a closer look. Telescopes (and binoculars, which can surprisingly offer just as good a view) are a perfect accessory to any stargazing outing.
Telescopes: There's nothing that dampens the excitement of a stargazing night than an overly complicated telescope that you're worried about the kids destroying. For stargazing with kids, we like the Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope for its ease of assembly, ease of use, and integration with your cellphone. Bonus, its $140 price tag is not too shabby. This video shows all the steps needed to get your telescope set up. When we tried it out, we found that older kids could set it up easily including focusing and attaching their cellphones so they could take photos. The telescope can also be used in the daytime for birdwatching and other activities.
Binoculars: For binoculars, look for a pair that's 7x50 (the most popular size for skywatching). These will not only get you a view of the moon's craters but may also snag you a glimpse of Saturn's rings and Jupiter's belts.
The darker the sky, the more you'll see—so it's best to get out of busy towns and cities if possible. Consider yourself lucky if you live near one of dark sky national parks, but really, any spot away from light pollution will work. State parks are usually good, safe spots to visit.
Of course, if you can't get out of your backyard, that's fine; you can usually see a scattering of stars (and the moon)—and that's a start.
Note: Wherever you go, make sure to give it time. Stargazing experts say it takes your eyes 20-30 minutes to completely adjust to the dark.
Check the Sky Forecast - While most kids are keen to get outside on any given night, not all evenings are ideal for stargazing. Check your local forecast to see when the skies will be clear. If you want to be uber-informed, you can check out Cleardarksky.com, which publishes "astronomers forecasts" to help people find the clearest, darkest sky reports for locations all around the country (It's a bit tough to read, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to find the best location near you to go, plus the best time to do it.).
Pick Your Night - To find specific space events in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, check out SpaceWeather.com, which has up-to-date forecasts. Heavens-above.com will tell you when you'll be able to spot the International Space Station—as well as other bright satellites—at your location. You can download a super-cool free map of this month's night sky at Skymaps.com (Even if your kids don't understand it, the fact that it's an actual MAP OF SPACE should make it extra-cool.).
If You Can ... Look for a Meteor Shower - There's something about those sudden streaks of light ... they make you feel lucky just for seeing them. So try to schedule your stargazing outing for a night when shooting stars are in the forecast. The Perseids Meteor Shower, which takes place every year from Jul. 24 - Aug. 24, is the best night show of the year, with up to 100 shooting stars per hour during the shower's peak, Aug. 11-13. Be sure to explain to your little astronomers that meteors aren't really "stars" at all—they're big chunks of space debris (bits of broken comets and asteroids) colliding with our Earth's atmosphere. For a list of other notable meteor showers, check out Space.com.
So, you're outside. It's dark. You're looking up. Now what?
For New Stargazers
The first thing to explore is the moon. After all, it's Earth's best celestial buddy, and it's big enough to see without binoculars. Ask your kids if they can see the lighter splotches on the moon—then explain to them that those are the moon's mountain ranges and highlands, which are filled with humongous, city-sized craters.
For Intermediate Astronomers
Then, find the visible planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. To tell them apart, look at the colors: Jupiter is the brightest, Saturn is usually golden-yellow, and Mars is light orange-red. For a more detailed guide on finding what's visible in the sky week-to-week (because it changes!), check out Skyandtelescope.org.
For Future Astronauts
After that, start looking for the constellations, which can vary in visibility depending on the season. For help finding these, NPR published an easy, animated how-to guide. The simplest ones to find are:
The Big Dipper (Ursa Major)- This is usually the easiest to find, as it looks like a giant ladle in the sky.
Polaris (a.k.a. The North Star) - If you follow the invisible line formed by the two farthest stars in the Big Dipper's saucer, it will point to the North Star.
The Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) - The North Star is the top star in the handle of the Little Dipper. Just follow the stars down to see the curved handle and cup.
Scorpius
Keep an eye out for man-made space inhabitants like the International Space Station and large satellites, both of which appear as small, moving stars.
Don't know what to talk about with your kids while you're watching the stars? How about some of these amazing facts about space?
Since the light from stars takes millions of years to reach Earth, seeing a star means you are looking millions of years back in time.
There are approximately 200-400 billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy alone.
Each galaxy—and there are estimated to be more than 100 billion of them—contains hundreds of billions of stars In all, the total number of stars in the universe is possibly as high as 300 sextillion, or 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000!
Stars do not actually "twinkle." The twinkling appearance is only the Earth's atmosphere deflecting the light that reaches our eyes.
When you're looking at a star, you're seeing something that's about 20 quadrillion miles away.
There is no sound in space.
Venus rotates so slowly that one day there is about a year on Earth time.
There may be a planet made out of diamonds. According to research from Yale University, a rocky planet about 40 light-years away from us may have a surface made of graphite and diamond.
Some scientists believe the moon may once have been a piece of Earth that tore off when an object smashed into our planet long, long ago.
These Earth Day books for kids are perfect for getting them excited about taking care of our planet
April 22nd is Earth Day! And if you’re ready to start teaching your kids about “climate change” means or what to do about trash in the park to celebrate, reading a book to inspire them is a great step in becoming global citizens! These Earth Day books for kids don’t just highlight problems: they offer actionable solutions that kids of any age can implement in their homes, schools, and communities and demonstrate that one person can have a huge impact on the planet. From books about recycling to stories about endangered animals, these books are sure to educate and entertain your little ones. And they’re all written by award-winning authors and illustrators, so you know they’re good!
Be the Change: Rob Greenfield’s Call to Kids―Making a Difference in a Messed-Up World
Amazon
Every day, we contribute to the pollution and environmental issues in our world; now what? Rob Greenfield's actionable book tells the story of his own commitment to saving the planet, and gives tangible and realistic ways every person can work towards reducing our carbon footprint and changing our habits for good. Ages: 8+
While our world hosts billions of people, plants, and animals, there's only one Earth for us to take care of. Young environmentalists will thoroughly enjoy this journey from Earth's birth to the exploration of galaxies, continents and more! Deborah Hopkinson and Chuck Groenink do a wonderful job incorporating eye-catching illustrations with straightforward facts that all readers can understand.
We may be one of billions of Earth's inhabitants, but that doesn't mean we can't make a difference! Philip Bunting breaks down the history of waste—what it is, where it comes from, and why we keep making so much of it. After a few whimsical stories comes the good stuff: how to save the earth. Creative illustrations and simple how-to's make this book a must for everyone, not just kiddos. Ages: 5+
No words are needed for this sweet tale that follows a young marmot who witnesses a forest fire. Shared with gorgeous illustrations by Pam Fong, little readers will walk away with the message that we can all do our part to help save and restore the earth, no matter our size! Ages: 4-8
A tree is more than just leaves and a trunk: it's a home to wildlife that everyone can learn from. Kate McMullan weaves a story that not only shows how one small action can produce a big result, but will inspire kids to become nature lovers, too! Ages: 4-7
Beautifully illustrated by Charles Santoso, this story by Sarah Thomson follows animals in the Australian forest as they live peacefully only to encounter a dangerous wildfire. Told in a way that educates young children on climate change, this story co-mingles lessons on compassion, the environment, refugees, and coming together under times of turmoil.
This classic by Todd Parr takes on the topics of environmental protection and conservation in a book for very young readers! Printed on recycled materials and using non toxic soy inks, this picture book has been in print since 2010 and is both an homage to our beautiful planet and a young Earth activist's guide to understanding why caring about the environment is so important. Ages: 3-6
In this gorgeously illustrated book by author-illustrator Lara Hawthorne, we meet Alba, a fish who loves to collect objects that fall down to the ocean floor. The beauty and diversity of color and life in the ocean are showcased and then contrasted with the ever-increasing presence of trash. Ocean plastics are taking over: but what can Alba (and you) do to help? Read an enchanting story followed by actionable ways to save the ocean’s vital ecosystems! Ages: 3-7
Forest bathing comes naturally to children and Kallie George’s new nature book for kids reminds us all how the sounds of nature can be restorative to our minds and bodies. The forest has a lot to say if you listen! From the creaks of the trees to the nibbles of the squirrels, the forest is forever revealing secrets to those willing to listen. Read this book and head out for a hike. Carmen Mok’s illustrations are both whimsical and realistic, making you wish you were napping on a forest floor right now. Ages: 3-7
A devastating tornado leaves Rodrigo and his family homeless. But through his community and a strong connection with nature, Rodrigo finds a way to build a new life. He begins a farm where he can grow food to not only feed his family, but others like him. The book is printed on the publisher Cuento de Luz’s signature stone paper, and all of author Cristina Expósito Escalona's income from royalties will be donated to the Homeless Garden Project. Illustrated Miguel Ángel Díez. Ages: 4-8
Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals
Amazon
Katie S. Duffield’s forthcoming collaboration with Illustrator Mike Orodán celebrates nature through the wildlife crossings that exist around the world. From a bridge over a Canadian interstate to monkeys on rope bridges to bears under an overpass, Crossings teaches kids what happens when the non-natural world and the creatures of nature collide, celebrating both the ingenuity of animals and encouraging conservation and awareness. Ages 3-8
In this exquisite book by Sam Hutchinson, children are taken on a journey through seven different habitats to learn about the animal kingdom’s challenges. Children explore more than 70 different animal species that are endangered or threatened due to climate change and pollution as well as species that are thriving thanks to conservation efforts! The format is unique—illustrator Sarah Dennis uses her collage style to create seek-and-find and monochrome images, inviting children to explore further. The book also contains lots of tips about how we can help the species. Ages: 6-9
The “A Kids Book About” series takes on challenging topics (racism, death, being transgender, and more) and and breaks them down into easy-to-read kids’ books that help both kids and their grown-ups have frank, honest conversations together. In A Kids Book About Climate Change, youth activists Zanagee Artis and Olivia Greenspan take the overwhelming topic of climate change and explain it in understandable terms offering facts about the current state of our planet, how we got here, and how to fight for our future. Ages: 4-8
Luna & Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest
Amazon
Author-illustrator Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw brings the story of Julia Butterfly Hill’s famous protest to life in this exploration of what it means to be an activist! Julia Butterfly Hill lived in a redwood tree for over 2 years to protect it from being cut down. The tree became affectionately known as Luna. Julia refused to come down from the tree until the lumber company who wanted to cut it down agreed not to. An inspiring reminder for kids of what just one person can do to make a difference! Ages: 5-9
The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs
Amazon
If you like the kind of book that makes you want to literally dive into its pages, this is the book for you! With dreamy illustrations by Matthew Forsythe, it's the powerful story of Ken Nedimyer’s quest to rescue the world’s coral reefs. Written by Kate Messner, it reminds kids everywhere that “it starts with one.” Not only will you be enchanted by the layout of the book, but you’ll also be inspired by Ken. Includes a coral-reef glossary and ways kids can help. Ages: 6-9
Walking for Water: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality
Amazon
In this inspiring story, artfully told by Susan Hughes with beautiful, graphic-novel style illustrations by Nicole Miles, we meet young Victor and his twin sister, Linesi, two Malawi kids who love going to school. But when they turn 8, Victor learns that because Linesi is a girl, she is no longer allowed to attend school. Instead, she walks to the river to get water each day. Soon, Victor begins to understand what gender equality means and comes up with a plan to change things.
This is not just a story about gender equality, though. It is about unequal access to education. It is also about access to clean water, and how there are people in the world who don't have it. Your kids will not only learn how one person can make a difference, but they will also understand the importance of a global mindset. Includes a glossary of Chichewa words. Ages: 7-10
An excellent gift to any class, this book shows kids the huge impact they can have on the environment and immediate, actionable steps they can take to protect it! It’s full of great ideas that teachers can implement in their classroom (making paint from dry markers!) or kids can do at home. It’s a positive way to approach climate change, with solutions that are completely doable, helping parents and kids talk about something that can feel daunting and scary for kids. Buy one for your kiddo’s class today! Ages: 4-10+
How to Make a Better World: For Every Kid Who Wants to Make a Difference
Amazon
This guide by Keilly Swift comes with a foreword by Jamie Margolin, a Columbian American climate activist, which sets the tone for the upbeat and inspiring book. While the author does not shy away from the grim reality, she offers tons of solutions, ideas, and advice for becoming an advocate for climate justice! Going beyond the lists of “what you can do to save the planet,” this book takes on the subtitles of what it really takes to help the Earth every day. She even discusses how to handle tricky situations when people aren’t always nice or empathetic to your cause. Ages: 7-9
You Can Change the World: The Kids' Guide to a Better Planet
Amazon
Author Lucy Bell has a message for kids of the world: you can make a difference! This illustrated book is packed with colorful images designed to present solutions to children in a way they relate. From reuse (mending clothes, compost), recycling, and reducing (avoid single-use plastics and make conscious consumer choices), this is the practical guide for any family to make significant changes in their household starting today. Ages: 8-12
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Space trivia for kids is perfect for a night under the stars
Whether you’ve got a would-be astronaut in your household or are just looking for quirky or interesting facts for kids, there’s no denying that space is a fascinating topic. From the moon and stars to space exploration, here’s some of our favorite space trivia for kids.
1. The moon is very hot (224 degrees Fahrenheit, average) during the day but very cold (-243 degrees average) at night.
2. Venus spins clockwise. It’s the only planet that does!
3. One teaspoon of a neutron star would weigh six-billion tons.
9. It takes eight minutes and 19 seconds for light to travel from the sun to Earth.
10. The footprints on the moon will be there for 100 million years.
11. A neutron star can spin 600 times in one second.
12. Jupiter is the fastest spinning planet in the solar system (it only takes about 10 hours to complete a full rotation on its axis).
13. Sound does not carry in space.
14. The Earth's core is as hot as the surface of the sun.
15. The very first animals in space were fruit flies...they were sent up in 1947 and recovered alive.
16. In 2011, ten-year-old Kathryn Aurora Gray discovered a supernova (a star that has run out of energy, explodes and then collapses before it dies) that no one else had seen before.
17. Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, has saltwater geysers that are 20x taller than Mt. Everest.
18. Saturn's rings are made from trillions of chunks of orbiting ice.
19. Alpha Centauri isn't a star, but a star system. It is 4.22 light years away.
20. One day on Venus is almost 8 months on Earth.
21. Golf is one of only two sports ever played on the moon. In 1971, Alan Shepard hit a ball with a six-iron while on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 mission. The other sport was a javelin toss, during the same visit.
22. Jupiter's Great Red Spot is the Solar System's longest raging storm: it has been observed for more than 200 years.
23. Mercury and Venus do not have moons. (They are the only two planets in our solar system that don't!)
24. There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sands on Earth.
Gone are the days when a PB&J is standard lunch fare. There are a gazillion bento boxes for kids on the market and they are just calling out for some fun school lunches. Scroll through to find some holiday-themed bento box lunches, special tools that kids will love, googly eyes that make your sandwich rolls come to life and tons of other ideas. Pop in a printable lunchbox joke and your student will be the talk of the lunchroom!
Every year, we dedicate a day to acknowledging, appreciating, and preserving our planet. Earth Day is a beautiful way to teach children the importance of keeping our world healthy and clean. This year, Portland has a whole host of events planned for getting out into the communities we love and cherish to do our part in keeping our environment happy. Bringing the kids along to these events is the perfect way to help them understand the importance of protecting our ecosystem, as well as having a little outdoor fun! Need help finding out where to go? No problem – scroll down to see our list of 2022 Earth Day events for kids!
Let’s face it – we live in a city, and in a city there is trash. We might not always have the time to stop and pick up some of that garbage we see on our daily commutes, but this April, we can make time. Bring the kiddos out to northwest Portland to spend a Saturday morning cleaning up the neighborhood! The Hostel Cafe is acting as the hub for this Earth Day tradition, and they’ll have you covered. SOLVE Oregon will provide the bags, the litter grabbers, the gloves, and the refreshments – all you need to do is show up in your best pair of walking shoes, but you can bring all of your own materials if you’d like!
Where: Northwest Portland International Hostel – 479 NW 18th Ave., Portland, OR When: Apr. 23, 2022 from 9- 11 a.m. Online: Event Details
Trail Work in Forest Park
Portland is home the largest urban forest in the country. It offers local families gorgeous trials to bike and hike throughout the year. What better way to celebrate Earth Day then by keeping Forest Park trails clean and healthy. Join Portland families in our city's beloved Forest Park for the annual trail work party with the Forest Park Conservancy. Attendees will work throughout the morning until noon working on the trails. Sign-up is required in advance.
Cleaning up the streets and giving to outdoor programs are great ways to get involved for Earth Day this year, but what if you need a little something extra to challenge your green-ness? Corvallis Environmental Center [CEC] has just the thing for you! Take up the challenge of diminishing your transportation-carbon footprint for all of April by getting creative for when you’re on the go! Gather the kids and brainstorm all the fun ways to get to the park, the store, or their friends’ houses! By bus? By bike? By foot? The options are nearly limitless, especially here in Portland. See how much of a difference you can make this month, and as a bonus, you’ll avoid the crazy gas prices at your neighborhood fuel spot.
As Portlanders, we spend a lot of time enjoying the beauty that is Forest Park. But how often do we take the time to tend to it? This April, the Forest Park Conservancy is giving you and your family an opportunity to do just that. Teaching the kids about the harm caused by invasive species is a great way to introduce them to the makeup of their surrounding environment. And then they get to help rid the park of all that ivy! Suit the whole family up in long pants and close-toed shoes, and spend your Saturday at the Birch Trailhead – Forest Park Conservancy will provide all necessary trainings, tools, and gloves.
This full-day event is sure to get the kids pumped about celebrating our awesome planet. Get to know your neighbors and show up on Earth Day at Washington Highschool to enjoy an afternoon of panel discussions, arts & crafts, and live music! Make sure to bring props, homemade signs, and your best Earth accessories so you can take part in the parade that happens at 5 PM! After that, you can make your way to Clinton Street Records for a little pre-screening bash before settling in at the Clinton Theater to watch Rad Earth [$10/person] with your family. There is no better way to get out into your community, have quality family time, and appreciate the beautiful place we call home.
Where: Revolution Hall Field [AKA Washington Highschool] – 1300 SE Stark St., Portland, OR When: Apr. 22, 1- 9 p.m. Online:Event Details
Earth Day is a great reminder to love and cherish our planet and we can do that through books, reducing plastic wasteand even upcycled crafts! So whether your Earth Day celebrations involve taking to the streets for climate change, attending an Earth Day festival or helping with a beautification or habitat restoration project, let’s remember that every day can be Earth Day.
California State Parks Foundation Celebrate Earth Day the entire month by signing up for an Earth Day Kit or drop by an REI to pick up gloves and a compostable trash bag and get to work on beautifying your community. The foundation is also sponsoring community events at Half Moon Bay (Apr. 9), Angel Island State Park (Apr. 16) and Candlestick Point (Apr. 23), pre-registration required.
Earth Day at Oakland Zoo Join the zoo’s “Regeneration Celebration” for a day of action, fun and exploration combined with their centennial birthday celebration!
We Love Earth Festival Education and family-friendly activities at this festival will all be geared towards learning about creating a climate-friendly home, sustainable eating and energy use as well as climate advocacy.
April 22
March and Rally for Our Earth Take to the streets to rally for a better earth in celebration of Earth Day as we push for a more sustainable future.
Earth Day Walk & Talk Join a guided sunset walk at the Wetlands Edge Park & trail while learning about the environmental and climate changes challenging the wetlands. Hikes leave every half hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. for an easy 1.5 mile flat loop with the last hike leaving at 7 p.m.
Aquarium of the Bay
April 23
Golden Gate Conservancy Volunteers ages eight and up can help out at Crissy Field, Ocean Beach or Stinson Beach through habitat restoration or beach clean ups.
Earth Day SF Build environmental awareness while enjoying neighborhood fun with live music, kid’s activities and vegan chef demos all while celebrating our planet.
Earth Day Clean Up Richmond Unity Park needs you! Beautification, weeding and clean-up projects are all available to help out with.
Oakland Clean up Join the community in the 28th annual clean up at creeks, neighborhood sites and parks all throughout Oakland.
Kelly Sikkema via unsplash
I Heart Oakland-Alameda Garbage Clean Up Clean up teams choose to work “on land” by foot or “on water” through rented kayaks or SUP so that you get some exercise while cleaning up the waterways and surrounding areas.
San Leandro Family Earth Day Festival Casa Peralta is host to this festival with hands-on kids activities and crafts such as a zero-waste bird feeder craft and eco-pledge tote decorating, a story time, sidewalk chalk and more. Be sure to bring a reusable cup for free coffee and have kids bring a toy for the "Buy Nothing" Toy Swap!
Earth Day on the Bay The Marine Science Institute celebrates Earth Day with events on land through a BioBlitz and on water with a discovery boat voyage.
Earth and Arbor Day Festival Hands-on activities, food trucks and live music will bring the community together to learn about environmental issues and solutions in this family-friendly festival.
Earth Day Trail Clean Up Ages 10 and up can join in to give a little love to Guadalupe River Park with beautification projects.
PVPLC
April 24
Spring Into Green After a two year hiatus, Spring into Green is back in Los Gatos! Plant trees, check out the Farmer’s market, live music, family-friendly activities, information booths and a bike safety course will all be back, too!
Muir Woods Earth Day Join in habitat restoration and boardwalk care to celebrate Earth Day at Muir Woods.
Earth Day Napa This year the Earth Day Napa community cleanup features ten different sites so a bring a bucket, gloves and then head to the Napa Earth Day Festival after!
Jarrod L via yelp
At Home If you’d rather celebrate Earth Day at home (and save gas which is also environmentally friendly!), check out the following options:
National Park Service Virtual visit Pick a park. ANY park. Virtual visits means you can get up close and personal with a national park through digital tours or webcams at any time from anywhere. Where do you want to go?
City Nature Challenge The annual City Nature Challenge is set to take place in cities throughout the world in two parts from April 29-May 2 with the picture taking of animals and plants and May 3-8 for identification of what was found. The global event, co-organized by the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County and San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences, calls on current and aspiring community scientists, nature and science fans, and people of all ages and backgrounds to observe and submit pictures of wild plants, animals, and fungi using the free mobile app iNaturalist.
Disney X National Geographic Three new titles are being released in collaboration by Disney and National Geographic: Disneynature’s Polar Bear, a wildlife nature story about…you guessed it, polar bears; Explorer: The Last Tepui which is National Geographic’s newest “Explorer” series following Alex Honnold from Free Solo to the Amazon jungle and The Biggest Little Farm: The Return, based on an award-winning documentary about a couple who ditch urban Los Angeles life to live on a farm and grow their own food.
