Our summer mornings always slow way down after that last school bell rings. No alarms, no packed lunches, no racing the clock. Just messy hair, bare feet on the kitchen floor, and time — finally — to breathe a little. By the afternoon, we’re usually outside with homemade smoothies or reading under a tree in the yard. It’s not fancy. It’s the reset we all need.

Summer gives us room to try things we don’t always have time for — things that matter. It’s a perfect season to mix fun with something meaningful. Montessori thinking reminds us that kids learn best by doing. They thrive on independence, real-world tasks, and a sense of purpose.

So here’s our list: seven feel-good sustainability activities for kids. Easy to try, perfect for summer, and a fun way to help your whole family care for the planet together.

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Our weekly library trips are one of my favorite summer rituals. The kids grab their tote bags — usually an old canvas grocery bag or something they’ve decorated themselves — and head straight for the shelves. They get to choose their own books, which fits right into Montessori’s focus on independence and self-directed learning.

The library itself is one of the most underrated community treasures. Instead of buying new, we get to share, reuse, and return — keeping shelves fresh and saving resources in the process. We usually look for books about gardening, nature, or people who’ve helped protect the planet.

Back home, we set up a cozy reading corner. Ours is just a floor cushion, an old lamp, and a crate of books, but the kids treat it like their own reading cave. It’s a small way to encourage quiet time and connect reading with care for the world around them.

Saturday mornings are for the farmer’s market. We try to walk or bike if the weather’s good, and I let the kids each bring their own reusable bag or stainless steel container. Our Movable Meal containers are perfect for cherry tomatoes, strawberries, or green beans—no squishing, no leaks, and no plastic.

Once we’re there, I let them choose one fruit or veggie they’ve never tried. They ask questions, talk to the farmers, and learn that food doesn’t magically appear in grocery aisles. It grows. It’s picked. It’s part of a whole system that deserves care.

Back at home, we turn our finds into lunch. Sometimes it’s a veggie stir fry. Sometimes it’s sliced tomatoes and fresh bread. The kids help wash, chop, and taste everything. A simple market trip becomes a chance to connect with our food and the people who grow it.

Pick one or two days each week to skip the car and try another way to get around. Walk to the park, bike to the library, ride scooters around the neighborhood, or use public transit for errands or short trips.

Make it a fun challenge by tracking how many car rides you avoid. Write the number on a family whiteboard or calendar, and talk about what that means — less pollution, more clean air, and happier plants. Use kid-friendly language like “fewer smoke clouds” and “better air for trees to grow.”

Let kids help choose the destination or lead the route. They’ll get fresh air, physical activity, and a small dose of independence. Plus, cutting down on car trips teaches that even little changes can help take care of the planet.

Try sitting down with your kids to figure out your family’s carbon footprint. For older kids, the CoolClimate Network’s Household Calculator is easy to use and helps break things down into simple categories.

Let your child input the data and explore which actions affect your footprint the most. They’ll start to see how choices like driving, electricity use, and food waste really add up. It’s also a great chance to talk about water and energy, like the difference between a 20-minute shower and a quick rinse.

Once you see your results, write down one or two small family goals. Maybe it’s turning off lights more often or biking instead of driving once a week. Small steps like these help kids connect their daily actions to something bigger.

Save up items like paper towel rolls, egg cartons, cereal boxes, and bottle caps—then turn them into a craft day. Set up a simple station with scissors, glue, markers, and whatever extras you have around the house.

Encourage your kids to build something fun, like a robot, or something useful, like a desk organizer or napkin holder. Let them take the lead with their designs. There’s no wrong way to create.

Use the project as a way to talk about how reusing things means less trash in the bin and fewer new materials needed. Afterward, kids can display their art in their room or gift it to a friend or grandparent. It’s a hands-on reminder that creativity doesn’t need to come in a package.

Set up a simple trash sorting area at home with separate bins for compost, recycling, reusables, and landfill. Use pictures or color-coded signs to help younger kids know what goes where. Keep it somewhere visible — like the kitchen — so it becomes part of your daily routine.

Let one child be the “captain” each week. They can check if things are going in the right bin, take out the compost, or report on how much waste you’ve sorted. Kids love having a job, and this one actually makes a difference.

Take time to explain what happens after pickup day: where compost turns into soil, how recycling gets broken down, and why certain things belong in the landfill. You can even track your compost progress each week by filling a clear jar or using a sticker chart. It’s a small habit that leads to bigger awareness.

We built Ahimsa with one thing in mind: your child’s health. Our products are MADE SAFE® certified, which means they’re free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, melamine, formaldehyde, and other toxic materials often found in dishware. It’s time to make the switch to better stainless steel dishware for your family.

We use 304 food-grade stainless steel, sourced responsibly and chosen because it’s the safest option for growing kids. No coatings, no paint, no mystery chemicals, just clean, durable steel designed by a pediatrician who knows what’s at stake.

To make our dishes fun without adding toxins, we use titanium-based PVD coating. It’s a safe, medical-grade process that’s better than traditional electroplating. The rainbow colors are permanent and completely non-toxic.

Our products – like our stainless steel plates – are built to last through years of spills, drops & dishwasher runs. Better for your kids. Better for the planet. Block some time this summer to make the switch to stainless steel dishes from Ahimsa.

These simple summer activities don’t take away the fun—they add to it. They help build habits that stick, all while letting kids feel like they’re in charge of their choices.

Celebrate the little wins. A single walk instead of a drive. One less plastic bag. A snack packed with care.

The habits your kids pick up now can shape how they treat the world for years to come. And that’s worth the effort.