🐢 May 23 – World Turtle Day: Shell Yeah, It’s Time to Celebrate! 🐢
If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to wear green, move slowly, and stick your neck out for something adorable—today’s your day. World Turtle Day, celebrated every May 23, is the perfect moment to honor our shelled, surprisingly sassy reptilian friends. Whether they’re slowly crossing roads or starring in viral videos, turtles (and their slightly saltier cousins, tortoises) have long earned their spot as the unofficial mascots of chill vibes and quiet wisdom.
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🐢 A Brief History of the Shell-ebration
World Turtle Day was founded in 2000 by the American Tortoise Rescue, a non-profit organization devoted to the protection of all turtle and tortoise species. Their goal? To raise awareness about the dangers turtles face (spoiler: it’s mostly humans) and encourage us to be better shellmates to the planet. 🫶🌍
Since then, this slow and steady holiday has gained fans around the world—because let’s be real, turtles are the introverts we all aspire to be.
🐢 10+ Delightfully Quirky Ways to Celebrate World Turtle Day
Dress Like a Turtle
Throw on a green hoodie, stuff a pillow in the back, and boom—you’re a turtle. Bonus points if you commit to walking slowly and occasionally retracting into your “shell.” OR check out our turtle themed t-shirt in our Etsy shop!Host a “Shell-ebration” Party
Turtle-themed snacks (hello, turtle-shaped cookies!), green mocktails, and slow jams only. Make it a potluck and call it a slow-cial.Adopt or Sponsor a Turtle
Can’t house a hard-shelled buddy? Sponsor one through a local wildlife org or marine rescue. Turtles > NFTs, honestly.Start a Turtle Watch Squad
If you’re near a beach or pond, organize a turtle-spotting walk with friends. Binoculars, picnic blanket, and chill vibes encouraged.Turtle Spa Day
Embrace your inner tortoise with a slow, luxurious self-care day. Think face masks, cucumber water, and zero urgency.Make Turtle Art
Draw one, paint one, crochet one. Bonus if it has a punny name like “Leonardo DaTurtle” or “Shellvis Presley.”Read Turtle-Inspired Books
Try Yertle the Turtle, or go deep with The Old Man and the Tortoise. OK that one’s not real, but it should be.Spread the Word (and the Shell Love)
Post a turtle meme, fact, or cute photo to your socials. Tag it #WorldTurtleDay and bless the timeline with some shell-tertainment.Watch a Turtle Documentary
Learn more about sea turtles and conservation efforts. My Octopus Teacher fans—this is your next feel-good nature fix.Turtle-y Good Deeds
Help clean up a local waterway or beach. Even if you don’t spot a turtle, you’ll be helping their habitat—and that’s turtley awesome.Bake Turtle Brownies
It’s not technically turtle-related, but caramel + chocolate + pecans = happiness. And that’s what World Turtle Day is all about.
🌱 Turtle Day Dinner Theme: "A Slow Picnic in the Sun"
🐢 Main Dish: Stuffed Zucchini Turtles
Not actual turtles, of course—just cute zucchini halves filled with herby rice, mushrooms, and cheese, lightly browned and cozy in a baking dish.
Ingredients:
4 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise and scooped out
1 cup cooked rice (wild rice blend is A+)
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or dill
1/2 cup grated mozzarella or Gruyère
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Instructions:
Sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms in olive oil until soft.
Mix with rice, herbs, cheese, salt, and pepper.
Fill zucchini boats with the mixture, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 375°F for ~25 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
Optional: use cherry tomato halves and thin carrot slices to make little turtle “faces” and “feet” for fun 🐢✨
🌸 Side: Pond-Side Pea Shoot & Cucumber Salad
Fresh, crunchy, and very turtle-core.
Ingredients:
Handful of pea shoots or watercress
Thinly sliced cucumber
Snap peas (sliced)
Chopped mint
Lemon vinaigrette (lemon juice, olive oil, honey, Dijon)
Toss together and serve chilled, maybe with some edible flowers on top because we’re still keeping it magical.
🍹 Drink: Mint & Lime “Swamp Water” Spritzer
Gently green and totally refreshing.
Ingredients:
Juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp honey or agave
Handful of fresh mint
Sparkling water
Optional: splash of elderflower liqueur or white rum
Muddle lime, mint, and honey. Strain into a glass, top with sparkling water and a sprig of mint. Serve in a mason jar or glass with a leaf or cucumber garnish. Green straw = bonus points.
🕯 Bonus Touch: Place little “lily pads” (cut-outs or coasters!) around your indoor picnic area. Light a few candles. Play gentle nature sounds—frog croaks optional. Check out for Spotify Playlist for some inspo! Move slow. You are one with the turtle.
🐢 ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM IDEA (Grades K–5)
Shell-abration Shell Art 🎨🐚
Provide paper plates or ovals for students to create turtle shells using patterns inspired by various species. Tie in math (symmetry & patterns) and even cultural art styles!
🐢 SECONDARY CLASSROOM IDEA (Grades 6–12)
Shell Speed Physics 🧠🏁
Explore speed vs. velocity using turtles and hares as models. Create a motion lab with slow-moving toys and data tracking to model the "slow and steady" principle.
🐢 Quirky in the Workplace
Office Slow Race
It’s the opposite of a sprint. See who can get from one end of the office to the other the slowest—without stopping.
Slowest non-stationary mover wins. Bonus points for turtle impersonations.
(Note: HR says no actual shell sliding.)
🐢 Movie: Finding Nemo (2003)
Why it fits:
This beloved Pixar classic features one of the most iconic turtles in animation — Crush, the laid-back sea turtle who helps Marlin and Dory navigate the East Australian Current. His surfer-dude wisdom and father-son bond with his kid, Squirt, embody the spirit of turtle appreciation. Plus, the film touches on ocean conservation themes that align with World Turtle Day values.
📺 TV Episode: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – “Turtle Tracks” (1987, Season 1, Episode 1)
Why it fits: The OG intro to everyone's favorite pizza-loving, sewer-dwelling mutant turtles—Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. It’s campy, classic, and filled with turtle power. A nostalgic way to appreciate turtles… with nunchucks.
Alt pick for real-world turtle love:
📺 Planet Earth II – “Islands” (Episode 1)
Features breathtaking footage of baby sea turtles hatching and making their first journey to the ocean—equal parts adorable and awe-inspiring.
So slow your roll today and celebrate the unsung heroes of the animal kingdom—because turtles might be quiet, but they’re definitely not boring.
🐢 Fun Turtle Tidbits:
Sea turtles can hold their breath for up to 7 hours. Take that, yoga teachers.
Turtles have been around for over 200 million years—they literally outlived the dinosaurs.
A group of turtles is called a bale. Which is oddly elegant, right?
🐢 Hashtags to Get Shell-ebratory:
#WorldTurtleDay #SlowAndSteadyWins #ShellYeah #TurtlePower #ChelonianChic #TurtleLove #GreenIsTheNewBlack #TurtleVibesOnly
