Festive Climate Action Activities That Kids Will Love!
Dec 5, 2023
Winter is here and Christmas is coming quickly, so why not bring a little festive cheer to the climate action you take with your family or students?
We’ve compiled a shortlist of easy activities that integrate climate education into holiday habits and wintery fun. Plus, many of these activities can help you earn EcoSchools points, so why not bring a little holiday spirit to your climate actions this month?
1. Make holiday crafts with repurposed materials
*EcoSchools action approved
Homemade gifts are really the best, and kids love to make crafts! Challenge your students to create Christmas or winter-themed ornaments from repurposed textiles, clippings from a GOOS Paper bin, or clean recyclable materials.
Another great craft idea is holiday greeting cards. Students can create a special card for someone at home, or design cards to exchange with each other. Integrate fabrics, cardboard, paper, bottle caps or anything else you might have on hand. Making holiday crafts is a fun, hands-on, low-carbon way to engage in sustainable living that kids (and adults) can enjoy!
2.Build a wreath with foraged greenery
If you’d prefer to let nature inspire your décor, build wreaths from foraged greenery! To build your own wreath, forage for good, hearty pine branches (balsam fir works well). You’ll need to purchase a wreath ring (depending on the size of wreath you’re making they come in 8”-16″ circumferences). Use paddle or floral wire to secure the base of each branch around your ring, alternating between each side of the ring so that the wreath looks full. Clip excess wire with pruners once your wreath is fully covered, and lastly, decorate your wreath with pinecones, feathers, homemade bows, or whatever else you’d like!
Check out our TikTok to see the stages of a wreath:
@thegaiaproject_ Christmas tip 2, create your own fresh wreath! Artificial wreaths are made from plastics and other petroleum products, try out a real wreath this year. – Conseil de Noël n° 2 : fabrique ta propre couronne naturelle! Les couronnes artificielles contiennent du plastique et d’autres produits pétroliers. Cette année, opte pour une couronne naturelle! #gaiatok #thegaiaproject #climateaction #nonprofit #nonprofitsoftiktok #youthaction #newbrunswick #climateeducation #sustainability #christmas
3.Plant indoors
*EcoSchools action approved
Are you planning on doing some indoor gardening with your students this year? Why not plant some Christmas Cacti before the holiday break so that they can take them home to either gift or enjoy themselves? The Christmas Cactus thrives in warm, indoor environments, and flowers in the winter. This tropical houseplant loves to be watered regularly (be sure to plant it in a pot with some drainage to prevent overwatering), prefers lots of indirect light, and can even be propagated to make more as it grows. Plus, it makes for a beautiful holiday centerpiece, suiting the classic “red and green” Christmas pallet!
4.Set up Christmas lights and audit the electricity they use
*EcoSchools action approved
Who doesn’t love twinkly Christmas lights? But what kind of footprint do these joyful decorations have? Ask your students to decorate your classroom with Christmas lights and monitor their electricity consumption. If you have energy meters, connect your lights to them. If not, use the following formula to do the calculation in the classroom. All you need is the wattage of the lights (indicated on the box or on the lights themselves) and how much time their are on
Energy (kWh) = Power (Watt or Kilowatt) X Time (Hour)
This is a fun and festive way to engage your students in an energy audit, inspiring them to change their habits surrounding electricity use at school and home.
5.Cook a holiday dish with only (or mostly!) seasonal ingredients
*EcoSchools action approved
Does your school have a kitchen? instruct your students to work as a team, preparing and cooking a seasonal meal or snack using local ingredients; a wintery stew, apple fritter bread, or traditional Acadian pets de soeur. Better yet, ask your students what types of recipes their families cook during the holidays or winter months and brainstorm which ingredients can be sourced locally. This is a great opportunity to discover different cultures and traditions that exist within your classroom while also exploring your local growing season.
Climate action doesn’t have to be a standalone discussion. Everything we do has an environmental footprint, so integrating climate education into our daily lives, routines, and values is crucial. Climate education exists within each subject and can be framed around curriculum for every grade level. It’s also an important consideration when we explore innovation across all sectors of our government and industry. But most importantly, climate action can be fun. It doesn’t have to be a daunting, stressful topic, and it doesn’t always have to focus on global issues or impact. Climate action should also be framed around solutions, pushing us to think creatively about how we preserve our cultures, participate in traditions, and find joy in the little moments that we share together.
References:
1.Sharon (not, et al. “Christmas Cactus.” Almanac.Com, 16 Nov. 2023, www.almanac.com/plant/christmas-cactus.
2. “Apple Fritter Bread.” Apple Fritter Bread, express.adobe.com/page/ZTz7Uipf3UCMf/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
3. “Pet de Soeur Recipe.” Pays de La Sagouine, sagouine.com/en/dive-into-our-universe/pet-de-soeur-recipe. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
4. Kitchen, Deanna. “How to Make a Wreath (It’s Easier than You Think).” Team Flower Blog, Team Flower Blog, 17 Nov. 2020, education.teamflower.org/learn/design/ssl/how-to-make-a-wreath-its-easier-than-you-think.
Author: Katelyn Plant, Marketing & Communications Manager, The Gaia Project
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