Earth Day 2016 – Friday April 22nd
Earth Day is always a great chance to get our kids in the spirit of being green and saving green!… helping them make the connection that their world really does affect our world …. and that every day is truly Earth Day! Lubbock offers many events and activities that can be a fun way to celebrate and educate!
1. Shop the Annual Plant Sale at the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum.
Saturday 4/16 from 9am-3pm the Arboretum at 41st & University will be buzzing with fun, plants & rain barrel kits to select, and a Kids Zone for young gardeners with races, snacks and garden activities! The Native Plant Society will be there selling water-wise plants and the Lubbock Master Gardeners will also be there to help and answer questions. Great earth-friendly items for our homes at great prices with proceeds going to organizations that help make our earth better!
2. Pack a snack and take a FREE Citibus ride.
On Earth day, Friday April 22nd, Citibus celebrates by offering FREE rides! So grab the kids, and a picnic and ride the bus to a favorite location. See their website for routes.
3. Plant flowers at Hodges Community Center.
On Earth day, Friday April 22nd from 3-5pm, take the kids by Hodges for some good, clean, dirty fun helping plant beautiful flowers! The perfect Earth Day event!
4. Plan to attend the next Second Saturday event at the Arboretum .
A great, free monthly event at the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum that features speakers and info centered on earth-friendly practices.
5. Checkout the South Plains Water Expo.
From 11am – 3:00pm on Saturday 4/23, the entire family will enjoy learning about our most valuable resource at the 2016 Water Conservation Exposition at Frenship High School. Fun activities for kids and free educational clinics are highlighted. This year features a performance by Kevin Barnes, the “Green Magican.” The annual event is sponsored by The City of Wolfforth & The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service with assistance from High Plains Water District and LubbockForKids.com.
6. Visit the Texas Children in Nature website.
This wonderful resource provided by the Texas Partnership for Children in Nature features sources and links for family nature activities around Lubbock and the State. Also see their link to the Nature Rocks! Caprock site sponsored by the Lubbock Lake Landmark - which is also a great place to visit around Earth Day!
7. Visit the South Plains Wildlife Rehab Center.
Baby bird season is in full swing so a trip to the Wildlife Rehab center at 95th & Indiana is especially fun and always informative! Open Hours are during daylight hours 365 days a year so you can drop by anytime. They have a wonderful Junior Volunteer program for kids age 12 – 17 too.
8. Take a tour of the South Plains Food Bank Farm & learn about G.R.U.B.
To see a real working example of ecology in action, call to schedule a tour of the 5-acre Carolyn Lanier Youth Farm at 76th & Ave. B. It’s a facility that includes an urban sustainable farm & learning center under the GRUB program (Growing Recruits for Urban Business) of the South Plains Food Bank.
9. Visit the Wind Museum and the Bayer Museum of Agriculture.
The Wind Museum & American Wind Power Center (17th & Canyon Lakes Dr.) and the nearby Bayer Museum of Agriculture are both great trips for our kids to remind them of our history and dependence on water sources and agriculture – especially impactful during our times of drought!
Do you have local Earth Day traditions or events that you share with your kids? Share them with us here or on our Facebook Page!
Updated 4/15/2016
