5 Things To Do for Earth Hour

Every year, millions of people around the world come together for Earth Hour, a special lights-out event that encourages us all to pause, switch off and think about the planet we call home. Held annually on the last Saturday of March, Earth Hour brings together supporters in more than 190 countries and territories, all taking a moment to make a difference for our people and our planet.

This year, it’s happening on 28th March.  So, what do you need to do? It couldn’t be simpler! Between 8:30pm and 9:30pm, switch off any non-essential lights in your home and spend an hour doing something a little different.

Earth Hour is a lovely opportunity to talk to children about the natural world and why looking after our planet matters. Little changes can make a big difference, and getting children involved from an early age helps them understand that they can play a part too. So, mark 28th March in your calendar, switch off those lights and get ready for an hour of family fun — all while doing your bit for our wonderful world.

Photo Credit: Mark de Jong on Unsplash

Earth Hour began as a simple lights-off event in Sydney in 2007, when people came together to switch off their lights and show their support for protecting our planet. Since then, it has grown into a global environmental movement, with millions of people around the world taking part each year. The idea is wonderfully simple: switch off your non-essential lights and spend an hour in the dark, joining people across the globe in showing their support for our wonderful planet.

And there’s no need to think of an hour without the lights as boring! In fact, once the lights go out, a whole new world of fun opens up. It’s the perfect excuse to put away the screens, get cosy and enjoy some proper family time together. Everyone can get involved, whether you switch off for the full hour or simply join in for as long as you can. So, if your little explorers are still wide awake when Earth Hour rolls around, why not make a night of it?

Photo Credit: Wenhao Ruan on Unsplash

1) Have a candlelit dinner

2) Story time in the dark

Make bedtime extra magical by swapping the bright lights for a cosy den and a little bit of torchlight! Earth Hour is the perfect excuse to snuggle up together, switch off the screens and get lost in a wonderful story. Drape a blanket over the sofa or make a little tent between a couple of chairs, then pile up the cushions inside to make the comfiest reading nook you can imagine. Once your den is ready, switch off the lights and grab a torch. Choose a favourite story, climb inside and get cosy together. For an extra bit of Earth Hour magic, try reading a story about animals, forests, oceans or adventures in the great outdoors. It’s a lovely opportunity to chat to little ones about the natural world and all the wonderful things we can do to look after it.

Just remember to keep candles well away from blankets and little hands — a torch or battery-powered light is a much safer option inside your den.

3) Play a board game or make crafts

Earth Hour is the perfect excuse to put away the screens, switch off the lights and spend some proper quality time together. So why not gather everyone around the table for a family game night? Choose a few favourite board games, switch off the main lights and play by torchlight or with a few battery-powered candles.

If your little explorers would rather get creative, set up a crafting station and see what you can make together. You don’t need anything fancy — in fact, the best crafts are often made from things you already have at home. Empty cardboard boxes can become castles, cereal packets can be turned into colourful creatures and toilet rolls can be transformed into just about anything your imaginations can dream up. A recycled art project is also a lovely way to chat to children about reusing things instead of throwing them away. Challenge everyone to create something completely new from something that was destined for the recycling bin. You could even have a little family exhibition at the end and give each masterpiece a silly name!

Whether you’re battling it out over a board game or getting stuck into some crafty creations, Earth Hour is all about enjoying time together while taking a moment to think about our wonderful planet.

4) Play hide-and-seek in the dark

Ready for a game of hide-and-seek with a twist? Turn off the lights and get ready for a very different kind of hiding game! Playing hide-and-seek in the dark is a brilliant way to make Earth Hour feel like a proper adventure, and we’re sure your little explorers will love the challenge. Before you begin, make sure everyone knows exactly where they can and can’t hide. Move any toys, bags or other trip hazards out of the way and keep the game to one safe, familiar area of the house. For younger children, it’s best to play together with an adult nearby.

Then it’s time to switch off! Give your little explorers a torch each and let the game begin. One person can be the seeker while everyone else finds a hiding spot. The torchlight will make everything feel wonderfully mysterious as you creep around looking for your hidden family members. For younger children, you could make the game a little easier by giving the seeker a clue, such as a torch flash or a little giggle from the hiding place.

Who knew switching off the lights could make an ordinary game of hide-and-seek so much more exciting? Grab your torches, find a hiding spot and let the Earth Hour adventures begin!

5) Make a resolution

Earth Hour is a lovely opportunity to think about what we can do every day to look after our planet. So why not use the evening to make an eco-friendly family resolution? Gather everyone together and have a little chat about the things you could change at home to be kinder to the environment. You could talk about reducing plastic waste, using less water, recycling more, saving energy or finding ways to reuse things instead of throwing them away. And don’t forget to ask the children what they think! Little explorers often have some brilliant ideas of their own. Perhaps they’d like to start taking reusable water bottles on adventures, make sure lights are switched off when they leave a room, help sort the recycling or choose a litter-picking walk for the family.

The trick is to keep your resolutions small and achievable. You don’t need to change everything overnight. Little changes, when lots of people make them, can add up to something much bigger. Why not revisit your family resolution every few weeks and see how you’re getting on? You could celebrate the things you’ve achieved and come up with a new challenge when you’re ready.

Small changes, big adventures, happier planet! 🌱