Earth Day Preschooler Activity - Food and the Earth

Earth Day is a time to think about our planet, our environment, and what we can do to preserve our precious resources. What better way to celebrate the earth than to help your preschooler see the connection between the food on their plate and the earth. Crops need the earth to grow, farm animals need crop plants to grow, and those foods find there way to our dinner table. Expose your preschooler to how food is grown by visiting a local farm, eating food grown locally or organically from the farmer's market, talking about food during meals and snacks, and enjoying the fresh produce in-season. 

Where Does Food Come From?

Get out this month and explore farms and farmers markets in your area. Seeing food freshly picked from the field or even still growing in the field shows your preschooler the connection between the earth and food.

Find a local farm:
http://www.localharvest.org/  
http://www.eatwellguide.org/  

Play How Does It Grow?
On a plant? On a tree? Underground? This game is a fun way to introduce food origins to your preschooler.

Plant a Small Garden
Starting a vegetable garden may be overwhelming, but let your preschooler help you plant just one or two items this Spring. Try easy-to-grow foods like strawberries, beans, lettuce, carrots, or mint (grow mint in a container so it doesn't invade your yard!) Or plant and herb garden. Find out how at Preschool Science: Preschool Earth Day Science - Starting an Herb Garden

Eat Local and Organic

Organic foods are produced without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that are hard on the earth. Foods grown locally require less energy to get from the field to your plate - a good choice for helping to preserve Earth’s resources.

Visit a local farmer's market or grocer that carries locally-grown foods in your area:
http://www.localharvest.org/  
http://www.eatwellguide.org/ 

Make a What’s in Season Calendar
Create this calendar so you don't miss the tasty produce in season each month! 

Join a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture
You can join a CSA and receive a weekly basket of produce grown by local farmers. You'll get to enjoy whatever crops are growing that week.
http://www.localharvest.org/

Enjoy seasonal recipes
http://www.seasonalrecipes.com/ 

by Kati Chevaux

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