If there’s one thing I love watching, it’s documentaries. Growing up, I refused to go out on a Friday night until 20/20 was over.  There’s something very captivating about documentaries.  They’re both educational and entertaining.  As a visual person, I’ve learned a lot from these types of films; granted, its not always about history or self-help, I often enjoy dramatic documentaries the most.  Either way, I was hooked from an early age.

Earth Day Documentaries

That’s why I was so pleased to learn that Netflix has an array of documentaries available at a touch of a button. With Earth Day coming up (April 22, 2014), there were several selections to choose from that touched upon this important theme including The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans, Moving Art: Oceans, A Sea Change, Chasing Ice, Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?, Addicted to Plastic and more.  These documentaries are perfect for both parents and older children.  They’re also a great way to strike up a conversation with your kids.

As a parent, I understand all too well our society’s obsession with plastic.  Most toys are made from it, but even worse, the amount of packaging that most toys come in is astounding. For some reason, our huge big recycling box is always filled to the max every other week.  It’s packed with boxes, paper, plastic bottles, etc…  It bothers me, but the cycle keeps going. That’s why the documentary Addicted to Plastic caught my attention.  I watched it with utter amazement.  It was both surreal and hit close to home. It’s interesting to see how different countries deal with the same issue differently. While it’s unrealistic to get rid of plastics completely, it’s important to come up with creative and economical ways to decrease it.  This movie touches on a few good ideas.  I would recommend watching it.

While my young kids don’t share my love for documentaries yet, Netflix offers a range of children-friendly shows that do a great job introducing kids to nature.  Some examples include Bubble Guppies: Boy Meets Squirrel, Go Diego Go: Rescue of Red-Eyed Tree Frogs, Dinosaur Train: Stargazing on the Night Train / Get Into Nature and more.  A personal favourite of ours is Go Diego Go.  It’s a great way to get them thinking and learning about the Earth without them knowing that they’re really doing it.

Another great way to get them excited about the Earth and all of it’s natural beauty is to create Earth-Art.  Now that the weather is finally cooperating, my kids and I are spending a lot more time outdoors.  This week I plan on creating art work with them using pieces we find outdoors like leaves, acorns, sticks, dirt and flowers.

How will you be celebrating Earth Day?