Earth Day is the day when we take the time to appreciate the earth and all of its wonderful resources. It's also a time to think about how to be caretakers of the planet, and take a considerate and responsible approach to preservation and conservation. You can plan a fun earth day for kids, even for tweens who come across as cynical and difficult. Just take the time to show them all the wonderful things going on in their own backyards.

If you want to plan a fun and educational earth day for kids, consider the following ideas. They're appropriate for parents, teachers, scout leaders or anyone who wants to help children learn about the world around them.

Earth Day for Kids - Activity Ideas

• Be a Backyard Birdwatcher: Spend a few minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening to take stock of the birds that visit your backyard or local park. Give your tween a notebook, a guidebook to birds, and colored pencils, to draw, identify and count the birds that visit your area. Document what you see in the morning, afternoon, and early evening. Is there a particular time of day when birds flock to your yard? Why? How many species of birds can you identify together? Are the birds coming to your yard to look for food, shelter, or for some other reason?

Together, the two of you can investigate ways to make your yard more attractive to your feathered friends. Consider hanging a bird feeder, a bird house or consider placing a bird bath in your yard to turn it into a backyard bird sanctuary.

• Dig in the Soil: Conduct Your Own Soil Experiment: You don't have to spend a fortune to plan an enjoyable earth day for kids. There are plenty of things you can do right in your own neighborhood to instill an appreciation of nature in your children. Many children are more than willing to get a little dirty, and if you encourage the behavior, they'll enjoy it even more. For this experiment you'll need a spoon or a small hand shovel.

Have your child find a patch of soil in your backyard or local park. Ask him to list all the things he sees on top of the soil, such as pebbles, twigs, leaves, etc. Then ask him to draw what he sees. Next, have him dig one inch down in the soil, and record and draw his findings again. Repeat the process several times, at 3 inches, 6 inches, and 8 inches. Your child should notice how the soil changes each time he digs.

• Grab Your Cameras: One way to appreciate nature is through art, and photography is a wonderful way to capture the beauty nature offers us everyday. Chances are your tween has a digital camera, or has access to one. Together, venture out into your own backyard or a local park or botanical garden. Snap pictures of flowers, leaves , trees, grass, and of course, any critters you happen to see.

Once you're back home, print out your photos, and create a scrapbook of your day outdoors. Or, upload your photos to a photo sharing website where you can create your own book of photos and memories.

• Make Worms and Dirt: This tasty snack isn't exactly healthy, but it's fun to make and it reinforces the magic of nature. Just add milk to instant chocolate pudding mix, combine with whipped topping and smashed Oreo cookies, and then top with a package of gummy worms. To make the snack extra fun, scoop it into clean miniature clay pots.

• Plant a Pizza Garden: Even if your child doesn't like veggies, you can probably convince him to eat pizza. If you grow your own pizza garden, you might even be able to convince him to try foods he would ordinarily refuse.

To make your garden, drill holes in the bottom of a plastic baby pool for drainage. Fill the pool with rich, organic soil and plant your favorite pizza veggies, such as carrots, green peppers, spinach, tomatoes and basil. Once your veggies are ready for picking, assemble your veggie pizza and enjoy the rewards of your labor.