A SELECTION of Top Ten Green Websites for Kids, to keep children amused in the summer holidays:
1. Recyclezone: www.recyclezone.org.uk
Recyclezone is sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and is a great source of green information for school children. It’s bright, interactive and easy to use with a wide range of brain teasers, jokes and ideas.
Don’t miss Recycler the Rapping Robot’s musical debut.
2. The Greens: www.meetthegreens.org
Meet The Greens is a website about an environmentally conscious family who are trying to do their bit for the planet. This US-based site features short animated adventures, which all carry sustainable messages.
Tons of trash, Birds need trees and Food rescue are just a few of the episodes on the site.
There’s also an interactive blog where children can discuss how they feel about the programmes they’ve watched.
3. CBeebies Green Balloon Club www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/greenballoonclub
The Green Balloon Club stars four eco-warrior children and a dog, who live in a virtual green club house.
The site is full of songs, videos, print and colour activities and there’s a green star club where you can print out a chart and collect reward stickers for good environmental behaviour.
4. National Geographic Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.co.uk/kids
The National Geographic children’s site is a great resource, which focuses on topics like animal migration, the environment and how it affects the wildlife around us. There are plenty of quizzes, videos, games, stories and tips to bring your children closer to the nature around them.
Check out the step-by-step guide to planting your own garden.
5. WaterBusters: www2.seattle.gov/util/waterbusters
This interactive game has been created by the Saving Water Partnership, Seattle, USA.
Your mission is to help Phil Dumpster and his friend Bert the Salmon (who is on hand with green advice) to find the areas around the house where they can save water, money and the environment before they are washed away.
6. Scholastic Explorers Earthwatch Partnership: www.teacher.scholastic.com/activities/explorer
This educational site is a great tool for inspiring children to expand their learning skills, as well as their knowledge of wildlife and the environment.
Find tips on discovering the eco systems in your garden as well as the chance to watch a wildlife video and submit a report on what you see.
7. Charlie and Lola Look After Your Planet: www.charlieandlola.com/
This popular game is a fun way of familiarising your children with the process of recycling. The task is to navigate one of the Charlie and Lola characters to catch falling rubbish in correct recycling bins.
The fun graphics and illustrations make this a pleasure to play, and you can progress through the site to bigger challenges depending on your level of skill.
8. Kidsrgreen: www.kidsrgreen.org/krg.html
This hands-on site offers plenty of advice to children who want to be more environmentally conscious — both in and out of school time. You can hop on a spaceship for a round-the-world tour about biodiversity or learn about the environment through online activities.
9. The Natural History Museum: www.nhm.ac.uk/kids-only
With naturecams, where you can watch foxes and their cubs in the wildlife garden and sections on dinosaurs, earth and space and animal life, there should be plenty to spark everyone’s interest at the Natural History Museum website. There are also fun games and quizzes.
10. The Woodland Trust — the Nature Detectives: www.naturedetectives.org.uk
This is a great website for kids and parents alike. There are 100 ideas for summer activities outdoors, with free accompanying activity sheets which can be printed out. There are also online games and quizzes for rainy days.
For £12 a year, kids can join the Nature Detective Club. As part of their membership they receive an activity kit and can join more than 26,000 children doing fun challenges every week.