Week of April 20, 2020

Y KIDS NEWS

world imageWhen school’s out, the Y is in! We hope you enjoy this edition of Y Kids News, a newsletter with games and activities you can do from home

THIS WEEK'S THEME: EARTH DAY

This week our activities will be all about Earth Day, the annual celebration honoring the achievements of the environmental movement and raising awareness of the importance of long-term ecological sustainability. Earth Day is celebrated in the United States on April 22; throughout the rest of the world, it is celebrated on either April 22 or the day the vernal equinox occurs.

healthy fun

EARTH DAY YOGA

yogaDirections:

  • Mountain pose: Bring your fingers together above your head forming a circle (the world) with your arms.
  • Butterfly pose: Move your legs up and down like a butterfly fluttering its wings.
  • Water pose: Sit with a tall spine with your legs straight out in front of you. Gently rock back and forth like you are floating on water.
  • Dancer’s pose: Flap your arms like a bird.
  • Fish pose: Make fish faces.
  • Bicycle pose: Pedal your legs in a circle symbolize reduce, reuse, and recycle.
  • Chair pose: From this pose, move to a standing position and spread your arms open wide above your head.
  • Night pose: Look at the stars and breathe in and out relaxing.

FRUIT STACKING WITH KATE AND SAM

Take this fun fruit-stacking challenge with Kate (and Sam) from Cameron Family YMCA!

Good luck! You could be featured on our social media channels!.

craft

EARTH DAY TREAT CUPS

craft familyCreate special treat cups for Earth Day!

Materials:

  • Blue paper cups
  • Black Sharpie
  • Scissors
  • Green construction paper
  • Glue sticks

Instructions:

  • Draw two eyes and a mouth on the front/center of a blue cup. Use googly eyes to make these little Earth cups extra fun!
  • Next, cut miscellaneous shapes out of green paper. Glue randomly around the cup to create the "land" on your earth.
  • If you don’t have green construction paper you could use green paint to paint the green spots on your blue cup.

MOON SAND CRAFT

moon sand craftMaterials:

  • 2 cups flour
  • ¼ cup baby oil
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Large bowl

Instructions:

  • Combine flour and baby oil together in a bowl.
  • Mix the ingredients together with your hands.
  • Add food coloring if you’d like.
  • Make sure to add the food coloring in with the baby oil before combining it with the flour.

cooking

EARTH DAY POPCORN

popcorn recipeIngredients:

  • 12 cups popped popcorn
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 package of Kool-Aid
  • ½ tsp. baking soda

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
  • Place it in a pot over medium-low heat. Add corn syrup and sugar and stir until butter is melted. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer. Stir continually for 3 minutes.
  • Remove pot from stove and stir in Kool-Aid and baking soda. Add a few drops of food coloring if needed. Mix well and pour over popcorn. Stir until popcorn is evenly coated.
  • Spread popcorn out onto a baking sheet and cook at 225 degrees for 40 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.
  • Cool completely and then break into pieces.

Fill your Earth Day treat cup with popcorn and enjoy!

jokes and trivia

EARTH DAY JOKES

  1. What is a tree’s least favorite month?
  2. What did the tree wear to the pool party?
  3. How can you tell the ocean is friendly?
  4. What kind of hair do oceans have?
  5. What kind of bow can’t be tied?
  6. What does a cloud wear under his pants?
  7. How do hurricanes see?
  8. What is a tornado’s favorite game?
  9. What did one lightening bolt say to the other lightening bolt?
  10. What happens when it rains cats and dogs?
  11. What did one volcano say to the other volcano?

See answers below

globeEARTH DAY TRIVIA

  1. When was the first celebrated Earth Day?
  2. Which country first recognized Earth Day?
  3. Who founded Earth Day?
  4. How many countries celebrate Earth Day?
  5. What did the United Nations rename Earth Day to in 2009?

See answers below

ENVIRONMENTAL TRIVIA

  1. recycleAbout how long does it take a Styrofoam cup to decompose?
  2. What country consumes the most energy in the world?
  3. Glass, tin cans, paper, or pens/pencils: which can you NOT recycle?
  4. Where is the number one place every human can help to save water?
  5. What are the 5 R’s when it comes to recycling?

See answers below

 

BONUS ACTIVITIES

Ready, Set, Hunt!: A bird house, a tree swing, a squirrel, a yellow door — see how many things you can on this Earth Day Scavenger Hunt (PDF)

Feeding time: The Living Coast Discovery Center is a local nonprofit organization located in Chula Vista. They are currently closed, but the keepers and animals specialists are continuing to post pictures and videos on the Facebook and Instagram pages. check out this one of a snake getting some exercise!

FAMILY WORD WORKOUTS

word gameCheck our social channels (@YMCASanDiego) for the Family Word Workout. Each letter of the alphabet represents a different exercise Look for new, get-you-moving words throughout the week. Download your alphabet workout sheet.

JOKE AND TRIVIA ANSWERS:

Joke answers:

  1. Sep-timber
  2. Swimming trunks
  3. It waves
  4. Wavy
  5. A rainbow!
  6. Thunderwear
  7. With one eye
  8. Twister
  9. You are shocking!
  10. You have to be careful to not step in a poodle!
  11. I lava you!

Earth Day trivia answers:

  1. 1970
  2. The United States
  3. US Senator Gaylord Nelson
  4. 175 countries
  5. International Mother Earth Day

Environmental trivia answers:

  1. 400 years
  2. The United States
  3. Pens and pencils
  4. The shower
  5. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

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