Celebrate Earth Day with simple Earth Day activities for kids — from creative Earth Day crafts to recycling fun.
Celebrating Earth Day with Kids
Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22nd in the year 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues, and it is still widely celebrated today.
While the main purpose is to teach and raise awareness, sometimes that is best done through hands-on activities, role-playing, crafts, and/or printables!
So, if you plan to celebrate Earth Day with your own kiddos this year, I’ve got you covered with some of the best Earth Day activities for kids.
You can find all my top Earth Day activity picks for the kiddos below!
Earth Day Activities for Kids
If celebrating Earth Day through activity-based fun is your style, I’ve totally got you!
From recycling and sensory activities to crafts and printables.
These fun Earth Day activities for kids will not only keep kids engaged, but they are also educational and fun, you guys!
Earth Day Crafts
When I first started creating this mega list of Earth Day activities for kids, I knew I wanted to include a large variety of ideas.
From awesome Earth Day crafts to fun Earth Day printables.
That said, I simply had to divide and conquer, you guys.
While crafts and printables didn’t make the cut for this list, they still found a home here on Life + Homeschool.
So, if crafting is more your style when it comes to celebrating Earth Day and beyond, I encourage you to check out our full list of Earth Day craft ideas — including the awesome Earth Day paper plate craft idea (shown above) via Mom Hacks 101.
Grab your craft supplies and kick Earth Day off to a creative start with these fun Earth Day crafts!
Educational Earth Day Activities
Looking for something hands-on, creative, and educational?
Check out these fun Earth Day activities that you can easily fit into your homeschool schedule!
Spend Earth Day teaching kids using this hands-on Earth Day unit via Royal Baloo.
This fun unit includes the unique activity of making a seed from playdough (shown above), creating tree rings, and lots of other fun ideas!
Looking for a longer-term project?
Consider trying some of these useful tips for teaching kids to compost via Freedom Homeschooling.
If getting creative is more your homeschool style, but traditional paper crafts simply aren’t your thing — these educational Earth Day activities will rock your world (pun intended).
Recycle Earth Day Activities
This right here is what Earth Day is all about, you guys!
There truly is no better way to celebrate this important day than by reusing or recycling something old.
Check out this fun recycling activity for littles!
Have a little one? This cute recycling activity (above) via Two Pink Peonies is the perfect activity to introduce them to what Earth Day is all about!
The best part? This fun activity not only encourages recycling but also includes free printables & other exciting Earth Day ideas.
Looking for more ideas to teach kids the importance of recycling? Consider this sort-and-recycle activity (not shown) from A Little Pinch of Perfect.
Such fun ideas for young learners!
Planting Earth Day Activities
While recycling and choosing more sustainable options tend to be the main events when it comes to Earth Day, planting something new is a very close second.
That said, some of these planting activities would also be great to lean on for Arbor Day, you guys!!
Combine the importance of reusing old items, such as toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, and K-Cups, with the wonder of planting new life with these awesome Earth Day planting activities for kids!
First, plant an upcycled garden with these toilet paper roll seedling pots (top left) via The Forked Spoon.
Then, get creative and try these unique egg carton seed starters (top right) via Barley & Birch.
Next, consider trying these planting seed pods (bottom left) via Parenting Chaos.
Lastly, reuse all those old K-Cups and learn how to make a K-Cup garden (bottom right) with these tips via Ginnifer Rose
Love these garden Earth Day activities for kids? Check out this eco-friendly cascarones activity (not shown) via Mommy Maestra for some additional planting fun!
Sensory Earth Day Fun
Creating, planting, and recycling are all wonderful ideas for Earth Day.
However, some kids learn and thrive best with a little STEAM project or sensory activity instead.
Check out these fun sensory options for celebrating Earth Day this year!
If you have little ones, these Earth Day-themed sensory bins are a great go-to activity!
First up, check out this feed the Earth sensory bin activity (left) via In the Playroom, which includes free printables.
Then, check out this recycle-themed sensory bin (top right) via Two Pink Peonies for some recycling-inspired fun!
Finally, check out this awesome Earth Day sensory bin (bottom right) via Fun a Day. *Just a note: this one does require plastic Easter eggs, so stock up now!
All three of these ideas look like super fun options, you guys!
Not only do these sensory activities help youngsters build their motor skills, but they also focus on important educational concepts while encouraging kiddos to care for the Earth!
It really doesn’t get any better than that.
STEAM Earth Day Ideas
Looking for fun STEAM activities for Earth Day?
I’ve got a few fun ideas for you!
First up, this fizzy Earth Day science activity (above) via Mommy Evolution!
This one looks super fun and engaging, you guys!
Need more ideas for your little science lovers?
Consider these fun options via STEAM Powered Family.
Skipping hands-on activities like STEAM projects this Earth Day? No problem!
Believe it or not, but I actually have even more Earth Day Activities and ideas to share with you.
Printable Earth Day Activities for Kids
If simple, printable fun is more your style, I encourage you to try utilizing some of these printable Earth Day activities for kids.
From nature activity sheets and printable coloring pages to Earth Day-specific printables that your kiddos will love!
Ready to get your hands on some printable Earth Day fun?
First, kick off your at-home Earth Day celebration with this adorable Earth Day hat (shown above) for littler learners via Mom Brite.
Then head over to our full list of Earth Day printables to find other fun options.
This list is complete with more fun hat options, printable Earth Day games, Earth Day coloring pages, worksheets, scavenger hunts, and more!
With so many fun options to choose from, your kids are sure to have an educational and fun Earth Day.
Happy Earth Day, you guys!
