Blissful in Black!
Earth Hour is on Saturday, March 26th at 8:30pm (local time).
Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. That year, over 2.2 million people and 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Since then, Earth Hour has grown into a huge international movement. Last year over 128 countries and territories participated, and this year promises to be even bigger. Participating in Earth Hour is a powerful way to show your support for the planet, and it is simple too - just turn off the lights (and ideally your other electronic devices too) for that hour. If you live in an urban area, it is beary beautiful to see the effect that Earth Hour has, as lights in office towers and on other major structures are shut off. It can also be beary dramatic in the countryside, where it is possible for everything around you to be dark. The Earth Hour website has lots of useful information on the event, and on what you can do to help the planet. Of course all of us here at Ape 2 Zebra will be observing Earth Hour- environmental issues are beary important to us - and we wanted to do something to help your family participate in Earth Hour too, so Darla and I put our snouts together and came up with this list of activities for you to do with your family during Earth Hour this year.
1. Storytime by Candlelight: Light candles (make sure you keep flames away from young children), and read stories outloud together. Stories about protecting the Earth would be perfect, but any story would be great!
2. Sustainable Snacks: Prepare a snack together that requires minimal or no additional energy to cook. You could stir up a batch of trail mix with dried fruits and nuts, slice up fresh fruits and vegetables, or try making muesli the traditional way, by simply pouring milk, juice, or yogurt over your grains and allowing them to soak. If you are hungry, you could eat if after a short soaking time. Alternately, you could follow the older practice of allowing it to sit overnight (we recommend you put it in the fridge if you do this), and enjoying it for breakfast the next day. This would also be a great time to talk about processed vs. unprocessed foods, and the sources of food. That banana you enjoy might be a good no-cook option, but what about the environmental impact of getting it here?
3. Stargaze!: Take a book out from the library on astronomy, or look up some information online. Then, take advantage of the darkness to try and locate on the planets, stars, and constellations that you see in the sky. You could read or tell your children some of the myths about each constellation too (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are my favourites).
4. Play a game of Hide and Seek in the Dark.
5. Guess (or Match) the Object: Before Earth Hour, fill a bag with various household objects (a wooden spoon, different toys, a water bottle, socks, a watch etc.) Once it is dark, have family members reach into the bag and try to identify the objects based on touch alone. You could also add pairs of items, and have players use their sense of touch to feel out pairs, or add wooden shapes or letters, and have players guess them based on feel.
6. Shadow Puppets: Make shadow puppets on the wall. If possible, use a hand powered flashlight or a candle to make your shadows.
7. Play Guess the Word (or Letter/Shape): Have one player use his or her finger to "write" a word/shape/letter on another player's back or hand. The second player then tries to guess the word.
8. Play Guess Who: If you live in a creaky house, have one player stay in the room while the remaining players go upstairs, or into a neighbouring room. One of the remaining players then walks around, and the guessor tries to determine who it is based on the sound of the footsteps. If your house isn't creaky, have one of the remaining players speak instead (he can try to disguise his voice). The guessor then attempts to figure out who has spoken.
9. Go on a Alphabet Treasure Hunt: Before Earth Hour, write the letters of the alphabet (you could also use words or a certain shape) onto post-it notes. Once it is dark, "hide" them around the house and have players try to search and collect them. A hand powered flashlight helps with this activity as well.
10. Play Four Corners: Choose names for the four corners of your room (A,B,C,D works well). Alternately, pick four large objects that are in different areas of the room. Chose one player to be the guessor. The guessor closes his eyes (this may not be necessary if your room is already really dark), and the remaining players run to the corners of the room. The guessor then calls out a corner. Any player in that corner is out. Everyone else then runs to a new corner, and the game continues until all players are out. The last player to be "out" becomes the next guessor.
Have a beary special Earth Hour with your cubs, porcuples, or people.
Beary Truly Yours,
Theodore Bear, Darla Porcupine, and everyone else at Ape 2 Zebra.
1. Storytime by Candlelight: Light candles (make sure you keep flames away from young children), and read stories outloud together. Stories about protecting the Earth would be perfect, but any story would be great!
2. Sustainable Snacks: Prepare a snack together that requires minimal or no additional energy to cook. You could stir up a batch of trail mix with dried fruits and nuts, slice up fresh fruits and vegetables, or try making muesli the traditional way, by simply pouring milk, juice, or yogurt over your grains and allowing them to soak. If you are hungry, you could eat if after a short soaking time. Alternately, you could follow the older practice of allowing it to sit overnight (we recommend you put it in the fridge if you do this), and enjoying it for breakfast the next day. This would also be a great time to talk about processed vs. unprocessed foods, and the sources of food. That banana you enjoy might be a good no-cook option, but what about the environmental impact of getting it here?
3. Stargaze!: Take a book out from the library on astronomy, or look up some information online. Then, take advantage of the darkness to try and locate on the planets, stars, and constellations that you see in the sky. You could read or tell your children some of the myths about each constellation too (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are my favourites).
4. Play a game of Hide and Seek in the Dark.
5. Guess (or Match) the Object: Before Earth Hour, fill a bag with various household objects (a wooden spoon, different toys, a water bottle, socks, a watch etc.) Once it is dark, have family members reach into the bag and try to identify the objects based on touch alone. You could also add pairs of items, and have players use their sense of touch to feel out pairs, or add wooden shapes or letters, and have players guess them based on feel.
6. Shadow Puppets: Make shadow puppets on the wall. If possible, use a hand powered flashlight or a candle to make your shadows.
7. Play Guess the Word (or Letter/Shape): Have one player use his or her finger to "write" a word/shape/letter on another player's back or hand. The second player then tries to guess the word.
8. Play Guess Who: If you live in a creaky house, have one player stay in the room while the remaining players go upstairs, or into a neighbouring room. One of the remaining players then walks around, and the guessor tries to determine who it is based on the sound of the footsteps. If your house isn't creaky, have one of the remaining players speak instead (he can try to disguise his voice). The guessor then attempts to figure out who has spoken.
9. Go on a Alphabet Treasure Hunt: Before Earth Hour, write the letters of the alphabet (you could also use words or a certain shape) onto post-it notes. Once it is dark, "hide" them around the house and have players try to search and collect them. A hand powered flashlight helps with this activity as well.
10. Play Four Corners: Choose names for the four corners of your room (A,B,C,D works well). Alternately, pick four large objects that are in different areas of the room. Chose one player to be the guessor. The guessor closes his eyes (this may not be necessary if your room is already really dark), and the remaining players run to the corners of the room. The guessor then calls out a corner. Any player in that corner is out. Everyone else then runs to a new corner, and the game continues until all players are out. The last player to be "out" becomes the next guessor.
Have a beary special Earth Hour with your cubs, porcuples, or people.
Beary Truly Yours,
Theodore Bear, Darla Porcupine, and everyone else at Ape 2 Zebra.
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