Earth Day is such an awesome time to introduce important concepts such as recycling, pollution, planting, composting, and reusing with kids. Wondering what are some easy Earth Day activities to try? These simple hands-on Earth Day activities below will help you get started to celebrate Earth Day at home or at school. Even toddlers and preschoolers can get involved and learn how to help our planet!
FUN EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
WHAT IS EARTH DAY?
Wondering what Earth Day is and how it got started? Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for the protection of the environment.
Earth Day started in 1970 in the United States as a way to focus people’s attention on environmental issues. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and saw new environmental laws passed.
In 1990 Earth Day went global, and today billions of people around the world participate in support of the protection of our Earth. Together, let’s help look after our planet!
EARTH DAY FOR KIDS
Earth Day is easy to celebrate at home or in the classroom with fun hands-on learning activities, experiments, arts and crafts that you can also use any time of the year.
From simple bug hotels to homemade seed bombs to pollution discussions, these Earth Day projects are excellent for teaching kids about the conservation and protection of our planet.
The great part about our Earth Day activities is that you get to use what you already have. Complete a STEM challenge or two with items out of the recycling bin. Make sure to grab our free printable Earth Day STEM activities below to enjoy!
Remember, Earth Day activities can be done at any time of the year, not just during the month of April! Learn about our amazing planet and how to care for it all year long!
Click here to get your FREE Earth Day STEM challenges!
HOW TO HELP THE ENVIROMENT
Here are a list of great questions to ask kids when preparing for Earth Day. Asking questions without giving the answer right away is a great way to find out what kids already know, and their thoughts and feelings.
- What can you recycle?
- What can you do around the house to conserve energy?
- What do plants do for us and the Earth?
- Why shouldn’t we litter and what is littering?
- Why don’t we dump trash in the ocean?
- What can we make from old or recyclable items?
I love some of the wonderful and thoughtful answers to these questions my preschool age son had while we enjoyed our Earth Day activities.
FREE EARTH DAY PRINTABLE…
Download this awesome Earth Day project planner below with activities that use virtually no extra supplies than what you already have around. I guarantee you can try each one!
Click here to get your FREE Earth Day STEM challenges!
EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Click on the links below to learn more about how to set up each Earth Day activity with your kids!
Acid Rain Experiment
What happens to plants when rain is acidic? Set up an easy acid rain science project with this flowers in vinegar experiment.
Carbon Footprint Activity
Introduce your kiddos to a simple definition of carbon footprint. Explore ways for kids to reduce their carbon footprint and help the environment with our printable carbon footprint worksheet.
Stormwater Runoff Pollution
What happens to rain or melting snow when it can’t go into the ground? Set up an easy stormwater runoff model with your kids to demonstrate what happens.
Make “plastic” out of milk
Transform a couple of household ingredients into a moldable, durable piece of a plastic-like substance with this chemical reaction.
Making Paper With Kids – Tinker Lab
Earth Day Ornament
These Earth Day ornaments made from salt dough are a terrific reminder to look after our Earth.
Earth Day Oobleck
Two kitchen ingredients and you have an awesome Earth Day oobleck science activity your kids will love.
Earth Day Pop Art
Earth Day Recycled Craft
Can you believe this Earth Day recycled craft uses egg cartons! So easy to make, fun to wear, recycled materials, and a bit of chemistry too!
Earth Day Zentangle
Celebrate Earth Day at home or at school with this mindful and relaxing process art activity. Draw zentangle patterns onto our printable Earth template using colored markers or art supplies.
Coffee Filter Earth Day Art
This coffee filter Earth Day art is great for even non-crafty kiddos. Explore simple science with a colorful take on coffee filter soluble science.
Earth Day Art
Use a fun paint splatter technique for a perfect art project for year-round use and of course, for an Earth Day theme!
Earth Day Coloring Page
Download our free earth coloring page. We made a batch of homemade puffy paint to color our earth for easy Earth Day art.
Earth Day Paint Chip Craft
This Earth Day craft with paint chips is fun and easy for kids of all ages.
Newspaper Craft
Reuse your newspaper and make this easy newspaper craft inspired by famous artist, Wassily Kandinsky.
Paper Earth
Make this paper earth craft from newspaper or other paper scraps you want to recycle.
Earth Day Playdough Mat
Make your own playdough and set it up for fun play to learn about how recycling works for kids.
Earth Day Bingo
Free printable bingo cards and other Earth Day activities you can do at home or in the classroom. These Earth Day picture based bingo cards are great for preschoolers!
The Lorax Activity
Combine science, sensory play, and literacy into one very hands-on activity all kids will love to try! A pie plate was the perfect base for our Earth slime.
Click here to get your FREE Earth Day STEM challenges!
DIY Seed Bombs
One of our favorite Earth Day activities these homemade seed bombs are easy to make and great for gifts too!
Birdseed Ornaments
Studying nature is a rewarding activity to set up for kids, and learning how to care for and give back to nature is equally important. Make your own super simple bird seed ornaments and add this fun bird watching activity to your kid’s day.
DIY Bird Feeder
We made a DIY bird feeder for winter, now try this easy cardboard bird feeder for Spring and Earth Day!
Start A Seed Jar
Encourage an appreciation for the natural world with this seed germination experiment. Give kids the opportunity to see up close how a seed grows and what would actually be happening under the ground!
Grow Flowers
Watching flowers grow is an amazing lesson for kids of all ages. This hands-on activity gives kids the opportunity to plant and grow their own flowers!
How To Make A Terrarium – Teaching 2 & 3 Year Olds
Surprise Garden
Bee Hotel
Take the learning outdoors and explore the world of bees with a DIY bee hotel.
Click here to get your FREE Earth Day STEM challenges!
Build an Insect Hotel
LEGO Earth Day Challenge
This LEGO® Earth Day activity is a great way to get kids fired up about the environment. Follow the prompts to complete the build using bricks you already have.
Recycling STEM Challenges
Tons of ideas for easy things to make from recycled items. Test out your engineering and design skills today!
Ways To Recycle
Fun ways to recycle as well as repurpose and reuse activities is something to think about all year long. What can you make from what you already have? Here are lots of fun ideas!
Oil Spill Experiment
You’ve head about oil spills on the news, and read about the cleanup in the newspaper but did you know you could learn about ocean pollution right at home or in the classroom.
Sorting Recyclables – Teaching Preschool
Shells In Vinegar Experiment
What happens when you put a seashell in vinegar? What are the effects of ocean acidification? So many great questions for a simple ocean science experiment you can set up in the corner of the kitchen or classroom and check on periodically.
EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES TO LEARN ABOUT HELPING OUR PLANET EVERY DAY!
CLICK HERE TO GET THE COMPLETE EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES PACK!
LEGO Earth Day Challenge
Sheryl
This is a great collection! Thank you for including our terrarium activity!
Amienata
Hi Love these craft ty so much.