Backyard Fun: Nature projects for kids and families

Kids are eager for outdoor activities, Spring is in full swing and summer draws near. Many adults have already waded deep into their spring gardening and lawn care projects. Twitter and Facebook is littered with descriptions of refrigerators full of ladybugs awaiting their release into gardens. Butterfly habitat plans are discussed and are in the works. Camping trips are planned, garden pots are cleaned, and butterfly-attracting flowers are featured in garden centers across the country. Everyone is eager to embrace the season when the Earth awakes from its winter sleep. Now is as good a time as any to make Earth Day every day.

Fire-Bellied Toads, Earth Day, and Habitats

Providing ideas for wildlife habitats that adults and kids can create is part of what this article is all about. You'll find information about Earth Day, Instructions on how to make an ant farm, a ladybug habitat, a butterfly garden and more. Interested in fire-belly toads? Scroll down and you'll find tips, information, and even instructions on how to create a fire-belly toad habitat. You can even play the Earth Day Spinner game.

Celebrate Earth Day now!

Spring is a terrific time to celebrate Earth Day and a wonderful occasion to introduce or reacquaint yourself and others to the joys of the garden and the world of nature. Check back often as I update this page throughout the year. Now, read on.

Earth Day has been around since 1970. The annual event has grown over the years and is now an integral part of annual classroom activities. Do you set aside time or money each to participate in the annual event or do you just treat the day as any other day?

Do you participate in Earth Day?

Today's culture and lifestyle make it all the more important to get in touch with nature. You don't have to go far to connect, either. Open the back door and step outside. Wildlife awaits. As you think about ways that you might participate in this year's Earth Day, here are a few tips.

1. A habitat is a quick, easy way to get up front and personal with nature. Make sure your habitat provides, food, shelter, water, and a nursery area for the wildlife to survive..
2. To expand a habitat, you can add a garden, wetland, and/or a nesting box to the habitat.
3. Add signs to help you identify special plants, trees, or other items.
4. If the habitat area is large enough, you can add a trail or pathway.
5. Share the project with friends, make it a cooperative effort.
6. Start a journal from the day you begin to keep track of your plans, the things you do, and what you might do in the future.
7. Be sure you take photos and even do some videos as you do your project. You'll be glad you did later.
8. See if there is a way you can add recycling to the project.
9. Take time to enjoy being in the backyard and get to know the animals and wildlife right outside your back door. .

Earth Day is all about supporting the planet, so why not think of one way that you can do that on April 22, 2012. As Earth Day approaches, there will be more and more media asking for money, offering ideas, suggesting ways to celebrate the day. It's up to you to decide how you want to participate.

Some people prefer to do something by themselves while others are eager to join in on a group effort. Check with any local environmental group or even the local zoo or nature park and you'll find many opportunities. But maybe you don't want to go anywhere. Maybe you'd rather stay home or even focus on a simple family project.

Creating a habitat is a terrific way to do just that. You'll find a variety of habitats listed here and links and resources to help get your started. Have fun!

• Photo credit: By Nasa.gov http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/earthday/earthday_gallery.html[see page for license], via Wikimedia Commons

Life around home's William Moss shows us how to make a butterfly garden and create a backyard habitat with nectar rich plants. This is a great way to invite beneficial and beautiful creatures like butterflies and even hummingbirds. William gets the children involved in the garden, planting flowers that will attract butterflies like aster, lobelia, cardinal and cone flowers. The children learn how to get in the plants in the ground and even find a giant earth worm! Subscribe to our channel for more great green living tips!

Basic information about creating a backyard wildlife habitat / bird sanctuary to enjoy birds and wildlife your own home.

Learn how a Roswell, New Mexico gardener created a turtle habitat in her backyard.

From the Southwest Yard & Garden series.

From the Video Creator: Nature habitat: Fire-Bellied Toads need both water and land to survive. Adding plants is important to them because they like to hide from the light once in a while. My Tank is 90% water 10%0 land

I feed them medium size crickets once every 2 days. Feeding them everyday is really up to the owner of the pet. I do this because I don't want them to starve when I go out of town and can't feed them. They will not touch a dead insect. It has to be moving in order for them to tract there attention. Don't treat them like babies because they will get use to that.

My tank is 20Gallons long, with only 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of water in it. A filter is very important if you're making a small pond in your tank.

If you live in a cold place make sure to buy a heater.

Make the toads believe they are in a tropical forest. Like dogs and cats they like to listen to tropical forest sounds and waterfalls. They sit still together when they're listening. At night turn the lights down to have a little bit of darkness.

Have you done anything for past Earth Days? Do you have some favorite activities you think would be perfect for Earth Day? Maybe you have some suggestions for this year. What about your favorite everyday outdoor nature activities? Share them here.

Thank you for reading this page and, if you participated, for offering your opinions and ideas. This page will continue to evolve, so please plan to return.

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Backyard Fun: Earth Day Projects for Kids