YCSW Ideas For Kids

1. Set up a bird monitoring program
2. Create or improve a bird habitat
3. Keep your cat inside–bells and de-clawing are largely ineffective
4. Reduce and avoid pesticide use in your yard
5. Drink bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee
6. Use “green” paper products to conserve forest habitat
7. Educate your community about migrating birds–see the exciting resources below for ideas. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center site has games, coloring books, songbird kits, and more.

Creative, Free & Earth-Friendly Costumes

Tired of the same old costume year after year? This Halloween, discover creative, fun and low-cost costumes that will wow your friends and help the environment. The first step to an earth-friendly costume is to NOT ask your mom or dad for a new costume. Look around your house for common items, such as a cardboard box and some old craft paint, and chances are you will be able to find a unique and easy-to-make costume. You can wow your friends with your creativity if you show up at that party dressed like a tic-tac-toe board made from an old box and some felt or TV using some cardboard and bottle tops. You’ll save money and show you know how to recycle!

Television Set
You will need:

• Large box (big enough for you to fit in)
• Scissors
• Black paint
• Glue
• Plastic water bottle lids
• Two pipe cleaners
• Headband

Find a square box and cut a hole for your head and arms. It may be best to cut off the bottom flaps so you can move freely inside the box. Paint or draw in a black screen on the front of the box. If you want to, you can draw a picture on the screen as if there is a TV show playing on your TV. Take the lids to several containers sitting in your recycle bins and glue them below the screen on the box. These will act as your TV’s controls. Find pipe cleaners to fashion two antennas and attach them to a headband to complete the look.

Tic-Tac-Toe Board
You will need:

• Black sweatpants and t-shirt
• Two large pieces of cardboard
• Black paint or paper
• White felt
• One pair of shoelaces
• Velcro
• Glue
• Scissors
• White bandage tape or duct tape

Wear black sweat pants and a black t-shirt, turtleneck or sweatshirt, depending on how cold it will be this Halloween. Find a square piece of cardboard or poster board and paint it black. Once it has dried, punch a hole in the top corners of both pieces of cardboard and tie them together with the shoelaces so that the pieces fit comfortably over your shoulders. Raid your first aid kit or your dad’s tool kit (with his permission, of course!) for some white bandage tape or duct tape and create a tic-tac-toe board on the cardboard. Then, out of felt, cardboard or an old cereal box, create Xs and Os for your board. You can paint or color them however you prefer. Take some Velcro and fasten it to each spot on your tic-tac-toe board and to the back of your Xs and Os so you can challenge your friends to a game while you walk from house to house!