Wonderful Ways to Celebrate World Oceans Day Together as a Family

Where would we be without the miracle of the magical and astounding ocean? Certainly not here on planet earth as we know it. Thanks to incredible programmes such as ‘Blue Planet’ the urgent issue of protecting our oceans has come to the forefront of our awareness. The health of our oceans has become a mission of the masses, we have finally opened our eyes and our hearts to a spirit of positive activism, creating a dawn of change.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children

Native American Proverb

Children naturally follow the lead of their caregivers so if we are setting a positive example about how to care for Mother Earth they too will live in reverence to nature. We’ve come up with some ways to celebrate World Oceans Day but I’m sure you have plenty more once you and your little ones get your thinking caps on. This is just to get you started.

Picnic & Litter Pick

If you live near to the beach pack up an eco-friendly picnic to enjoy as a family after scouring the shorelines for litter and other plastics. World Oceans Day awareness spreads to caring for waters of every kind, so if you live closer to a lake or river save on your carbon footprint and head there for your outing. Have fun creating a picnic with delicious delights from the earth and experiment with different types of plastic free packaging. Children love to play and create so this will be a great added activity! Perhaps you wrap your food in cloth and tie it in a knot like the Japanese or trial re-usable bamboo lunchboxes and cutlery. Whatever is in your picnic basket make sure it’s good for our planet and you may like to pack some treats for local animals to enjoy too!

Get Creative

The world really is your oyster on with this one! From ‘under the sea’ themed dress up, ocean animal quizzes, to arts and crafts and storytelling, allow your imagination to flow free! The main theme for this year’s celebration is ocean plastic so you may like to make this your main focus. You may like to look at how plastics are harming marine life (for older children) and how the world could continue to suffer if we don’t make a change. For younger ones in particular it’s important to keep things light and positive, concentrating on how their efforts can make a difference and make the world a better and more conscious place.

Many of us ask what can I, as one person do, but history shows us that everything good and bad starts because somebody does something or does not do something.

Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer

Become a ‘Reef Town Ranger’

Splash and Bubbles are giving youngsters the chance to step forward as an ambassador of the ocean, an agent for change! Download https://www.worldoceansday.org/resources activity sheets, social media graphics and party kits through this link. If your little ones are fans of the popular TV programme Octonauts they’ve also designed some fantastic resources for more information on how to integrate the Octonauts into your celebration. Children love to feel they are helping and doing something good which serves the world. Being a ‘reef town ranger’ gives them a sense of responsibility, heightened self confidence and the feeling of being part of something special.

“We owe it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? – a world without whales. It’s too terrible to imagine.”

Piers Brosnan

www.worldoceansday.org has some wonderful resources for you to enjoy along with www.activityvillage.com.

We’d love to see how you celebrate! Please as always, feel free to tag us in your pictures on Instagram J @greatbritishnannies

Whether you end the day snuggling up watching The Little Mermaid, or turn bath time into the centre stage for sharing aquatic facts, we wish you a wonderful time! Here’s to celebrating and caring for our beautiful oceans all day, everyday.