Join us in celebrating Earth Day by building a Certified Wildlife Habitat®!
Turning your yard, balcony container garden, schoolyard, work landscape, or roadside greenspace into a Certified Wildlife Habitat® is fun, easy and can make a lasting difference for wildlife in your area.
At Kiddie Academy, we pay close attention to the planet our children are inheriting. Our Life Essentials® curriculum helps children engage with nature every day and teaches them the importance of protecting our natural resources.
Using the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife Certification Checklist, create a wildlife garden that includes food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable practices. You can even visit the Garden for Wildlife store for inspiration on how to build your habitat.
Build Your Own Wildlife Habitat
Building a Certified Wildlife Habitat® with your child is a great way to get outdoors and experience nature together.
Step 1 – Food: Provide nourishment for the animals and critters in your area by including a food source in your habitat. Incorporating things like seeds, nectar and pollen is critical to creating a wildlife-friendly environment.
Step 2 – Water: Birds and other wildlife need clean drinking water to survive, so build your habitat with a bird bath, or near an existing stream or pond.
Step 3 – Cover: Just like humans need shelter, animals and critters in your area need protection from rain, snow, and even summer heat. Provide a place for wildlife to feel safe like a rock pile, shrubs or a roosting box.
Step 4 – Places to Raise Young: Part of creating a safe wildlife habitat includes creating a place for wildlife to reproduce and raise their offspring. Build your habitat near mature trees, or include host plants for bugs like caterpillars, so wildlife can mate and raise their young.
Step 5 – Sustainable Practices: According to the National Wildlife Federation, maintaining your landscape in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way ensures that the soil, air, and water that native wildlife (and people) rely upon stay clean and healthy. While building your habitat, conserve soil and water, plant local plant species, and practice organic gardening methods like eliminating pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Once you’ve included all the necessary elements, you can apply for certification. Your habitat is approved, you can share your accomplishment and commitment to helping wildlife by purchasing an exclusive Certified Wildlife Habitat® sign. This sign can serve as a conversation starter and can be a great way to get others involved in protecting our natural resources. For specific questions about your Certified Wildlife Habitat®, visit the National Wildlife Federation’s website at https://www.nwf.org/.
Share your photos with us! Take photos or videos of your child working on your Certified Wildlife Habitat, and share them on your social media pages along with the hashtag #KiddieAcademyEarthDay.
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