For the past five decades, we have been celebrating Earth Day every April 22nd and raising awareness about the importance of protecting our planet. If you’re trying to raise environmentally conscious children, then remember to celebrate Earth Day this year and remind them of important habits like recycling, planting, composting, and reusing. Young children are impressionable and need to build positive values and behaviors from a young age. These attitudes will last a lifetime and can inspire their adult lifestyles. Teaching them about the environment and sustainability can have a major impact on a child’s life and help improve the community around them. Celebrate this important date at home with these fun and educational activities.

1. Homemade Paper

Teach your kids how to create homemade paper, learn more about the history of how paper is made, and give trash a new life. You only need a few materials: recycled paper, water, a bowl, a blender, a wire hanger, duct tape, stockings, and an iron. You can dye your paper or make confetti and glitter paper to make it more exciting. This is the perfect activity for Earth Day! For a detailed tutorial read more here.

2. Ocean Pollution Activity

This hands-on activity will teach your children about marine and water pollution. This activity helps paint a picture of the effects of pollution and how it’s negatively impacting our ocean’s ecosystem and sea life. Read more here.

3. Sorting Game

Teach your kids how to easily recycle at home. They will learn how to properly sort through recyclables and non-recyclables. You will only need 2-3 containers, some card stock, magazines, scissors, and double stick tape. This game will help them work on their creativity and problem-solving skills! Read more here.

4. Eco-Bricks

An eco-brick is a plastic bottle tightly packed with non-recyclable plastic wrappers and other soft plastics. You will only need plastic bottles, clean, dry, soft, and non-biodegradable plastics, and a stick to push the plastics and pack the bottle tightly. Find a local eco-brick donation center, and they will use it to build walls, raised gardens, sheds, and different infrastructures. You can even use these yourself in the future to build new structures in your home. Read more here.

5. Bird Feeder

Make a DIY bird feeder with peanut butter, bird seeds, an apple, yarn, a needle, and a cookie-cutter! Feeding birds is a great way to get your kids involved with nature and teach them to care for wildlife. This bird feeder will continue to bring joy to your little ones, and it will motivate them to spend more time outside to see the birds fly around your garden! Read more here.

6. Garbage Walk

Teach your kids the importance of cleaning up after our planet with a garbage walk. Help clean around a nearby neighborhood, beach, park, or trail! Explain to them how trash is bad for the environment, and how it can negatively affect the local wildlife. Your kids will become more mindful of their surroundings and understand that littering is a bad habit.

7. Recycling Board Game

Get your kids excited about recycling with a fun printable recycling game. Educate your kids about its importance and our responsibility to take care of our Earth. This game encourages kids to pack a zero-waste lunch and teaches them each category of recyclables.

8. Painting with Nature

Your kids will love this very hands-on activity and they will want to keep spending time outside! They will be able to explore nature, discover new textures, and get creative. Your children will have to go outside and collect natural items to paint with. There are so many different textures, colors and patterns that nature has to offer. This is an immersive and sensory experience that will get your kids excited about the environment. Read more here.

9. Recycle for Crafts

Find creative ways for you and your children to make art out of materials you would otherwise throw away. This will stimulate their creativity and improve their problem-solving skills. They will learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle with these 36 ideas for upcycled kids’ crafts. Read more here.

10. Plant a Tree!

For this Earth Day, plant a tree and teach your kids about the importance of the Earth, trees, plants, and our environment. This will help them develop a sense of respect and caring towards Mother Earth. Young children learn about the environment by interacting with it and through life experiences. The more time they spend in nature, the more your children will become driven to green thinking and sustainability. Read more here. 

Conclusion

Teach your kids that Earth Day isn’t just on April 22nd, but that it’s every day. It is important getting your kids involved in taking care of the planet from a young age. Environmental education for kids encourages their curiosity and helps them grow into adults that will lead by example and live an eco-conscious life. If we all do our part to help preserve the planet, we will have healthier communities and inspire others to do the same.

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