By Wendy

School is over and it’s time for some good old summer fun! You want to make sure the kids are not spending too much time in front of the tv and doing something that will keep them active and entertained. Here are 4 fun eco-friendly activities you can do outside with the kids’ right in your backyard.

Start a Garden- not only will you be teaching your kids how to grow their own food; you’ll also be able to teach them about where some of the food they eat every day really comes from. The easiest way to start is with an herb garden. It’s very easy to start your own herb garden. All you need is some dirt, seeds, water, and some sunlight. First day morning, I got a new lawn sweeper and we started to clean and prepare the lot to plant herbs with the children.

Water Fights- water fights are such a great way for the kids to stay active and cool on those hot summer days. Squirt bottles are great to give the kids since you’ll most likely have some around the house so there’s no need to buy plastic water guns that usually only get used a few times a year or water balloons.

Create Your Own Sandbox- a cheap and easy way to bring the beach right to your backyard. You can create your own sandbox with just a few bags of sand, a big container to keep the sand contained in, and a few toys. The kids will love having a sandbox right in the backyard.

Make your Own Bird Feeder- help kids gain an appreciation for nature and the wildlife right in their backyard with this inexpensive and fun project for the kids to create this summer. You’ll be surprised that you can make one with items you already have around the house.

So whether you’re creating a garden with your children for the very first time or having an old fashioned water fight, there are definitely lots of eco-friendly ways to keep your kids active and entertained this summer.

What are some of your eco-friendly activities for the kids this summer?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

This week on Halloween Crafts Roundup, we’re featuring two women with a flair for esthetics and expansive creativity! First is Pamela of French Knots, a blog dedicated to food and crafts (we love both!). Next we have Laura Fisher. Laura is a textile artist, clothing designer and the owner of Baisebeige Studios. Her fashion line is devoted to the Green movement and creates pieces that are friendly to the planet and humanity.

Spooky Halloween Garland

This lovely Garland concept is created by Pamela of French Knots will surely spruce up your living space on Halloween. Directions are located here and the materials needed are normal day items so it’s super easy to make. If you aren’t feeling the “spooky” garland, you can substitute other Halloween-themed words. Or perhaps, make multiple Garlands with different wordings to string around your home as unique decorations!

Polka-dot Pumpkins

While browsing through Pamela’s blog archives, I found this little gem of a Halloween decoration. We all know pumpkins are iconic for Halloween, and many households either crave Jack-0′-lanterns or place pumpkins of various sizes outside to spice up the atmosphere of fall and Halloween. Pamela took this Halloween staple and gave it a twist! Polka-dot pumpkins will definitely stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Decorative Masks

Laura of Baisebeige Studios created these one of a kind decorated masks out of salvaged textiles. Since she’s a designer, making these masks is a second nature for her. She has a special affinity towards Halloween because she discovered people generally are more adventurous and willing to try something new during this festive holiday. Through her various crafts and projects, Laura hopes to inspire and teach others that wonderful things can be made from discarded objects. This craft is targeted for young teens but children could also decorate these masks by drawing or gluing objects or cutouts onto them. Step by step directions can be found here.

We’re constantly on the lookout for more craft ideas to add to our weekly roundup. If you have an idea or a suggestion, please do not hesitate to leave a comment or email us! We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.