National Pollinator Week is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them. This year, National Pollinator Week will be celebrated June 20 to 26. Pollinator Week has grown into an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

National Pollinator Week is a great excuse to get your hands dirty and help protect our environment.

Here are some ways to celebrate Pollinator Week with your scouts or with your family:

• Work on a butterfly garden to attract monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
• Plant some wildflower seeds to attract bees.
• Visit a honey farm. (We like Hunters Honey Farm in central Indiana.)
• Make seed balls.
• Talk about what kids can do to protect pollinators (like leaving them alone when they see them!)
• Build a bat house.
• Build a bee condo. (Woodworking badge, anyone?)
• Learn about bats.
• If you’re stuck indoors, have a quiet activity like a pollinator puzzle.
• Become a butterfly hero.

What other ways have you helped your kids learn about protecting pollinators? Share your ideas below.