Our planet gives us so much every day – from the water we drink to the air we breathe. So, it’s only fair we celebrate it on one special day of the year – yes, Earth Day!
And, on this day, there are few better ways to give back than to do some planet-friendly activities with the kids. It’s so important to teach the next generation about our planet, too!
However, you may be wondering what some fun Earth Day activities you can do with the kids are? Read on to find out!
Fun Earth Day Activities to do With Kids
These exciting activities will help kids appreciate our planet Earth while also having fun this Earth Day!
1. Plant a Veggie Patch in Your Garden
Learning to work the soil is one sure way to get back in touch with and appreciate the Earth this Earth Day! So, why not spend some time together planting a veggie patch on the day?
You can dig a patch, create a container garden, or build raised beds – it’s up to you! It may take time, but when kids see their veggies grow, they’ll surely be amazed at what our planet can do!
2. Plant a Tree
Trees are amazing; they provide us with the vital oxygen we need to survive! In this way, trees and plants also contribute to keeping our planet and air clean and in balance.
So, what better way to give back to the planet this Earth Day than to plant a tree? You could plant one in your backyard or at school – or even donate to a tree-planting charity.
3. Set Up a Recycling Bin System in Your Home
If you’ve seen the news lately, then you’ll know all about the plastic waste and garbage littering our planet. That’s why teaching kids to recycle is an excellent Earth Day activity to do!
You can upcycle old buckets, boxes, and crates into a compost bin or paper, glass, and plastic recycling bins. Then, label each with the opposite side of old printed pages to be eco-friendly.
4. Build A Mini Fairy Garden
Getting stuck into the dirt and soil is the perfect Earth Day activity! And, one excellent way to get your hands dirty is to spend some time outdoors creating a mini fairy garden in a pot.
It doesn’t have to be a fairy garden, either. You could also create a mini hobbit-hole, forest, zen garden, cottage garden, bonsai garden, and so much more!
5. Plant Some Seeds
For this fun summer-appropriate activity, hand out various in-season seed packets to the kids. Then, let them go around the garden with a spade and plant the seeds wherever they choose!
Marigolds, beans, peas, pumpkins, cosmos, cucumbers, squash, sunflowers, lettuce, and radishes are generally easy to grow. Just be sure to water them and add some compost, too!
6. Upcycling
When we want something, we generally buy it new from the store! However, why not do things a little differently this Earth Day to show the kids how to appreciate the environment?
Teach kids how to upcycle broken or unwanted items into something new and completely usable. For example, you could turn old tires, plastic bottles, and tin cans into planters!
7. Start Composting
Organic items usually naturally decay and turn into compost that enriches the soil and earth! So, why throw these away this Earth Day?
Instead, re-route your valuable veggie, fruit, and plant scraps to your new compost pile to decay. You could even create your own compost bin from old, brightly-painted tires!
8. Eat Plant-Based for a Day
Meat, dairy, and eggs may be something kids are accustomed to eating every day. However, this habit is neither sustainable – nor always ethical for the planet or its animals.
This Earth Day, teach kids to give back to the planet and its animals by eating plant-based for a day. Going forward, you could even include one plant-based eating day into your week!
9. Donate to a Charity
One of the best Earth Day activities to do is to donate to an Earth-friendly charity! You could even make this a family tradition, allowing the kids to research and select a charity each year!
10. Learn About Permaculture
Permaculture is an alternative way of growing produce compared to typical monoculture and agriculture, encouraging the development of natural, self-sustaining ecosystems.
As such, learning how to apply permaculture is also an excellent Earth Day activity! Start by either doing a permaculture planning course together – or designing a plan for your home.
11. Build a Bird House
Birds aren’t just pretty creatures that sing. They also do their part for our planet – including spreading seeds far and wide!
That’s why keeping our and the planet’s feathered friends warm and cozy is the perfect way to show appreciation this Earth Day! You could buy a pre-made birdhouse or build one yourself.
12. Create a Bug Hotel
Bugs are also an important part of our planet’s ecosystem, providing nourishment, working the soil, and more. So, why not make them feel welcome in your garden this Earth Day?
Yes, you can build your very own bug hotel to house beetles, ladybugs, and our other insect friends! You could even upcycle old wooden furniture and logs to make your bug hotel.
13. Set Up Some Butterfly & Bee Feeders
It’s not only the birds and the bugs that help out our planet. The bees and the butterflies do a huge service, collecting pollen and pollinating all the plants in the process!
Yes, without bees and butterflies, we’d not be harvesting quite so many veggies or fruits! So, setting up some feeders to keep them hydrated and energized is an excellent activity to do.
14. Bake Zero Waste
Baking is always a fun activity to do with kids! However, why not try out waste-free baking as a planet-friendly Earth Day activity!
Try taking a trip to a local zero-waste grocer. If this is not an option, select only zero-waste ingredients from your local supermarket or farmers market instead.
15. Mend or Upcycle Some Old Clothing
Our old clothing can get damaged, stained, and ripped, especially when we wear it a lot. Give that favorite sweater a few extra years with an up-do, mend, or patch, instead, this Earth Day!
The planet will thank you for saving a few emissions by holding off on buying a new item of clothing. And, you’ll get to hold onto that beloved garment a little longer, giving it new life!
16. Visit an Animal Shelter
It’s not only the Earth that needs lots of love – she wants us to remember her precious creatures too! Even if just for a visit, take your kids to a shelter to share some love.
If you’re open to it, you could adopt or even foster a dog, cat, or animal in need. However, you can also donate a bit of cash, food, or some toys to the shelter to help out if this is not an option.
17. Set Up Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders
Show your appreciation for the planet and its creatures by setting up some eco-friendly bird feeders. Simply coat discarded toilet paper rolls in birdseed and them in birdseed and hang!
18. Plant an Indoor Herb Pot
If you don’t have a backyard, you can also bring the outdoors inside this Earth Day. Plant a pot full of aromatic herbs, which will bring some O2 indoors and are great to cook with, too!
19. Bake Earth Cookies for the Neighbours
Share the love this Earth Day by baking some planet-inspired cookies and sharing them with the neighbors! Shape your cookies like the Earth, coloring them with green and blue food coloring.
20. Make Your Own Package-Free Shampoo Bars
Single-use plastic packaging is a huge issue for our planet today. So, why not help the Earth and the environment out by making your own shampoo bars with the kids this Earth Day?
21. Read Books About Climate Change, the Environment, and Other Important Ecological Issues
Knowledge is power – that’s why it’s so important to educate kids on environmental issues! Spending a bit of time reading informative books with kids is an excellent way to achieve this.
22. Take a Walk in Nature
This Earth Day, why not take a walk in nature with the kids to reconnect with our planet?
On your walk, you can appreciate the bounty our Earth offers us – including the trees, weather, and sunshine!
23. Go for a Hike
If you’re looking for a high-energy Earth Day activity to do with kids, why not take a hike together? There are few better ways to enjoy all that our beautiful planet has to offer!
24. Visit a Local Nature Reserve
If you want to reconnect with nature, one of the best ways is to visit a nature reserve or National park! This is an excellent activity to do as a weekend getaway.
While there, you can enjoy hikes, fishing, camping, and maybe even a warm campfire under the stars!
25. Make an Earth-Day Gratitude Board
The planet provides us with so many things – water, shelter, seasons, sunshine, food, and beauty. So, why not encourage kids to express their gratitude to the Earth this Earth Day?
26. Make Recycled Paper
Paper waste may be less of a concern than plastic, glass, or tin waste. However, it’s still an issue for our planet.
After all, paper comes from trees, which provide us vital oxygen and keep the oxygen/carbon dioxide levels on our planet in check.
Trees take time to grow and develop, making paper a valuable resource. So, why not try a hand at recycling your old cardboard and paper scraps into paper this Earth Day?
You can use your paper to draw, paint, and do arts & crafts! Ultimately, anything that helps our environment helps the earth, too!
27. Make Eco Collages
Collage is a fun medium for kids to experiment with. But, why not try our eco-friendly medium to make yours this time around – such as leaves, sticks, and flowers?
You could spend an hour or so outdoors in your garden, suburb, or at a park collecting these objects. Then, head home to make pretty collages with the found treasures!
28. Paint Earth Day Rocks
Rocks are some of the oldest inhabitants of Earth, dating back billions of years! Why not paint some with planet-inspired motifs as a fun, creative Earth Day activity this year?
29. Paint Earth Day T-Shirts
There are few better ways to make a statement than with a graphic tee! So, why not paint your own unique Earth Day t-shirts to spread the message and wear all year round?
30. Do a Beach or Park Clean Up
Our planet needs all the help it can get, particularly with cleaning up our mess! Why not spend the day outdoors doing an area clean-up with the kids?
You could do this at a favorite beach, park, or even on your own street!
Conclusion:
There are many ways we can appreciate our planet this Earth Day! These fun Earth Day activities are perfect to do with kids and teach them how to appreciate our Earth, too!