Tag Archives: family activities

Tips for Dealing with Kids and Commercialism at the Holidays

  By Donna DeForbes | November 17, 2015 - 5:00 am | , ,
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After learning a song about climate change at school, my nine-year-old has been following us around the house turning off a light the minute someone steps out of a room. She has also been heard to make comments like, “Daddy, you shouldn’t buy a new TV because it makes more carbon dioxide, and that doesn’t help the polar bears.” I am thinking this could be a good time to make links for her between those cute polar bears and the pollution created in the manufacture of plastic toys. Yet I know this knowledge will likely be cast aside as the holiday season approaches. Sofie naturally succumbs to the childlike quality of always wanting more stuff – the latest doll or fashion style, new books, another adorable stuffed animal. And many of those wants come from advertising, whether it’s via TV, a store circular or word-of-mouth (a.k.a. her friends). At the holidays, … Continue reading →

Guilt-Free Green Tip #441: Participate in a Halloween Costume Swap

  By Donna DeForbes | October 9, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Welcome to a regular blog feature called Guilt-Free Green Tips. These will be easy action steps you can take to be a little greener, and each mini post will feature one tip. Choose the ones that appeal to you, and learn what eco benefits a single, simple step can make. Halloween costumes extend at least as far back as medieval times when people dressed up during Samhain as the fairies, ghosts and witches they feared as a way to ward off evil spirits. They went “mumming,” performing antics in exchange for food and drink. Our modern-day costumes have become much more diverse in their range of characters, often portraying whoever is popular in current media, and because of that, Halloween costumes have become a cheap, single-use industry. It’s becoming rare to see homemade outfits sewn by hand or pieced together from items around the house. This year, look for a … Continue reading →

Exploring Nature with Kids

  By Donna DeForbes | September 15, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Exploring Nature with Kids | Eco-Mothering.com

Next week is the fall equinox, and I have nothing planned. My family used to do a better job of celebrating the earth-based holidays, usually with a hike, ritual or anything else based in nature. Lately, we’ve been more focused on social events with other families, whether that be a polo match, a movie night or King Richard’s Fair. Digging through some old blog posts, never published on this site, I was reminded of our nature journeys with a two-year-old Sofie and the things we learned from those experiences… From October 2008: America’s Stonehenge We donned our hiking boots again this past weekend, this time trekking to New Hampshire for some leap peeping and a visit to America’s Stonehenge. Didn’t know we even had a Stonehenge on this side of the pond, did you? A maze of chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places built by ancient people, America’s Stonehenge is most likely … Continue reading →

Unique, Wacky and Gently Green Holidays to Celebrate in SEPTEMBER

  By Donna DeForbes | September 1, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Unique and Gently Green Holidays in September | Eco-Mothering.com

Some people only think about an eco lifestyle on Earth Day, April 22. However, a little research showed me that every month has a few unique and earth-friendly holidays that can be cause for celebration. Pick whichever ones appeal to you, then get out there and celebrate! September is Baby Safety Month. While most people focus on external safety—sharp objects, chokeables, hazardous climbing structures—you might also consider your baby’s internal safety. That means the invisible chemicals and toxins that permeate many household and hygiene products. Start with these 5 toxins to avoid in baby products and see what your alternatives are. September is also Piano Month, Self Improvement Month, Chicken Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. September’s Celebrations by Date: September 4 – Lazy Moms Day Celebrated the first Friday in September, Lazy Moms Day is a holiday I can get behind. From savvy.com, here are 25 ways to be lazy today. … Continue reading →

Green Fun Guide for Spending Time with your Teen

  By Donna DeForbes | February 17, 2015 - 5:00 am |
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family-biking

This is a guest post by Melissa Stevens In these modern times, parents are occupied with endless work-related duties and other activities that you often cannot find enough time to be with your children who have fast become teenagers. When you do grab a chance to spend a day with them, you want to have as much fun as possible. Even better, you can influence their ecological awareness by planning some green fun. Out-of-City Experiences Living in the city demands a near constant use of the car, especially when you’re driving teens to school or the mall. However, it is important to stress the importance of walking. Walk with them sometimes to the store or the local park. Gather your kids, nephews and nieces and take them for a trip into the “wild” so that they are exposed to numerous miracles of nature that urban kids rarely witness. You might … Continue reading →

Top 5 Summer Solstice Family Activities

  By Donna DeForbes | June 13, 2014 - 5:00 am |
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summer-solstice

This June 21 we celebrate the Summer Solstice — also known as Litha or Midsummer Night — as the longest day of the year. In the northern hemisphere, we often unofficially honor this time as the start of summer when kids finish school and vacation begins. On a deeper level, the Solstice is a fire festival, which our ancestors have celebrated for centuries, honoring our connection to the burning warmth and life-giving rays of the sun. Here are five ideas for celebrating the Summer Solstice with your kids: Build a Bonfire This is the traditional activity in cultures around the world. In Greece, men leap over flames; Norwegians often stay up all night with the fire; and Bulgarians perform a barefoot dance on smoldering embers. You can choose a much safer ritual around a backyard fire pit or campfire. Sing songs, have a drum circle, roast marshmallows or dance around with … Continue reading →

Keep the Family Busy with an Active and Outdoorsy Summer

  By Donna DeForbes | June 25, 2013 - 5:30 am | ,
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outdoor-summer-activities

This is a guest post from Allison Davis. The kids are out of school for the summer! Keep the family entertained and active by embarking on these fun summer activities. Backyard Camping Trip Pitch a tent and pull out the sleeping bags, flashlights and lanterns. If you’ve got a fire pit or portable grill, you can cook your meals over a real fire. Don’t forget the chocolate bars, marshmallows and graham crackers! Sit around the fire at night and tell ghost stories or sing campfire songs while indulging in S’mores. While sitting fireside, play educational games about health such as Kool Smiles dental bingo or download coloring pages from oncoloring.com. Down and Dirty in the Vegetable Garden The North Dakota State University “Food Wi$e” page and the Family Nutrition Program promote hands-on experiences for kids. Gardening teaches kids about science, reading, math, organization and responsibility. Kids may be more interested … Continue reading →

What Kids Can Learn at the Farmers Market

  By Donna DeForbes | June 18, 2013 - 5:30 am | ,
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What Kids Can Learn from the Farmers Market | Eco-Mothering.com

With June comes farmers market season in Rhode Island. The last few years, we’ve grown some of our own vegetables, but nothing beats the local farmers market for additional produce and atmosphere. Farmers markets are made for families. Here are a few things kids can learn from being there. Food Comes From the Earth You’d never know it from the cold, sterile environment of a supermarket where tomatoes are packaged in plastic and carrots come dirt-free. At the farmers market, we see veggies with their leaves and roots hanging out. They’re fresh and earthy—rather like kids themselves. Here, little ones discover that tomatoes come in many colors, that there is such a thing as purple cauliflower, that local peaches are smaller (and sweeter) than the commercially grown variety. With no layers between you and the food, you can smell or taste something right there. And famers love to offer samples, … Continue reading →