Activities For the Child Within All of Us

These are just a few of Stephanimals™' favourite activities. While they roll around, playing and giggling, they are also enjoying the outdoors, seeing other animals and learning about them and their habitat. Come and join them and learn some fun ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, and help create a cleaner, greener planet for all. Spend time with your family, use your imagination and have fun!

1. Plant a Garden:
   You might see some garden creatures like ladybugs, worms, caterpillars and ants. You don't need a lot of space - some planter pots, sunlight and care is all they need. Try planting a variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs. You and your family can then enjoy some of the "fruits of your labour" by feeding on this delicious, nutritious home-grown food.

2. Start a Worm Composting Bin:
   Take care of worms by feeding them on a weekly basis with all of your family's fresh fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, used tea bags and coffee grinds. The worms will eat all of these scraps and, within a few months, convert them into moist, nutrient rich soil that you can then use in your garden or plant pots. This recycles food waste, saves energy and reduces waste disposal costs.

3. Go for a Nature Walk / Hike / Bicycle Ride:
   You don't have to go far; if you live in the city, go to a nearby park; and if you live in the country, nature is your backyard. Whichever the case may be, pack-up your family, a notebook and pencil, maybe some binoculars, maybe even a picnic lunch (however, "Leave No Trace"), and get outside and go exploring. Open your eyes, ears and nostrils; look, hear and smell everything that surrounds you. Make sketches and take notes of different animal and plant life you encounter. Then, when you get home, do some research and see how many life forms you identify; learn about their habitat and ways in which you can help protect their environment. You can even make a fun game out of it - the next time you and your family go out, see how many life forms each person can remember.

4. Create Art from Items in Your Recycling Bins:
   Instead of going to the store to buy new materials for art projects, go to your recycling bin and use newsprint, the cardboard from toilet paper rolls, bits of fabric from worn clothing, milk cartons and any plastics that might be in your recycling bins. Create a picture or a sculptural object for Mom or Dad, Grandma or Grandpa, brother or sister; they can be great Christmas or birthday gifts.

5. Go Fruit or Berry Picking:
   Where ever you reside, you are sure to have ripe fruits or berries at some point throughout the year. Grab Mom or Dad, and the family and go out picking. You'll see birds, insects, and depending on where you live, you may even see rabbits, squirrels or raccoons, or other local wildlife. You'll learn how to pick fruit and develop a greater appreciation for it, and see how its' habitat is vital for the longevity of all species.

If you have more fun activities that can help increase animal/environmental awareness and encourage environmental respect and accountability, Stephanimals™ would like to hear from you. Send us an email and we will share these ideas with the rest of the world, in hopes of creating a sustainable world for all life.