A Reason to Love Rainy Days

Summer storms offer the perfect opportunity to teach your kids about water conservation. The next time it’s stormy out, create a simple rain catcher. With it, you can capture rainfall that would otherwise pick up chemicals and impurities from the ground and end up in oceans, says Paul Redeker, director of horticulture at the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon, California. Just take a clean bucket and (for fun) measure out inch-marks in marker to keep track of the amount of rainfall. Top with netting to keep out bugs, and place the catcher under a downspout. When the sky clears, your kids can use the water for plants or the lawn. (Always supervise kids around water, and try to use it within two to three days to avoid mosquitoes!)