Every year on April 22, individuals who care about the environment celebrate the planet we live on with unique activities and events called Earth Day. Many others are made conscious of their impact on the environment at these activities, and they resolve to improve in the upcoming year.
We must contribute by sharing our knowledge, even if we are fully conscious of our influence on the environment and choose to treat Mother Earth with kindness. Teaching kids about the environment and how they may contribute to its protection is one method we can do this.
Teaching my girls about our planet and their responsibility to protect it has been a top goal of mine since they were small. As they teach their peers and even other adults how to make environmentally friendly decisions, I can see the results of my labour.
Children absorb information like tiny sponges. This is the moment to instruct them. This is the day to change things.
However, you must be able to explain this material to them in a way that they can comprehend. Kids will love learning from the many Earth Day celebration activities available. Children learn via play, and one fantastic kind of experiential play they can pick up knowledge from quickly is crafts.
We’re talking about Earth Day, so I’ve compiled a list of five easy Earth crafts you can do with your kids. It would be great if you could participate and work alongside them. It’s a wonderful chance for you to spend time together, and as you work on the crafts, you can discuss the reasons behind your focus on Earth crafts and the significance of taking good care of the planet.
Paper Plate Earth Craft
This is a fantastic Earth Day craft that kids of all ages can do. Paper plates, blue and green paints, crayons, or markers are all you’ll need. Like us, you probably always keep supplies like these on hand. If you don’t have paper plates, you can have your child use a sheet of paper to make a circle the size of a plate.
I always enjoy to see the distinct character of each child’s creation. Print off an image of Earth or look at one online with your children. Then, give them a task to paint or draw shapes that represent land and sea to duplicate what they see in the picture.
Tissue Paper “Stained Glass” Earth Day Craft
Try this tissue paper “stained glass” Earth craft instead of the paper plate one if you enjoy the idea but want something with a little more depth. Clear contact paper (or wax paper and adhesive) and blue and green tissue paper are required. To inspire your children’s artwork, you’ll also need an image of Earth.
Paper Mache Earth Day Craft
Paper mache was one of my favourite school crafts when I was younger. And a perfectly entertaining Earth Day craft for youngsters is this paper mache globe. Before the kids begin, lay out your genuine globe for them to look at. Or look for some Earth images that will provide them with a complete vision of the planet so they can see what they want to develop.
Paper mache paste, tempera or acrylic paint, a round balloon (or other ball-shaped object), and newspaper strips (torn into pieces 1-2″ wide) are required.
To keep the balloon inflated, begin by inflating it and tying a knot in it. (Note: Avoid purchasing balloons if you already have them. Try forming discarded paper into a ball by wadding it up. Next, to maintain the shape, place the ball inside an old plastic bag and tie the bag in a knot. The newspaper strips should then be dipped in the paper mache paste and attached to the balloon (or your homemade ball). Maybe you should work on one side at a time. After letting the layer totally dry—which could take up to a day—apply three or four more layers.
After applying as many layers as desired, grab some paint and paintbrushes and let’s The children personalise their Earth!
It’s incredible how many enjoyable kid projects you can do with coffee filters! With this one, watch your children carefully or your house might turn blue and green overnight! Place your children on a non-porous surface to prevent staining.
For this easy craft, all you need is blue and green food colouring, a coffee filter, and an image of Earth.
Have your child look at an image of Earth first. They only need to squeeze a few drops of food colouring over the coffee filter at a time to create their coffee filter Earth. They will be able to watch their design come to life as the colour spreads across the filter. Ask them to keep adding food colouring drops to the coffee filter until they are satisfied with the result.
Mosaic Earth Day Craft
Children of all ages will enjoy making this Earth project. Cut a circle out of an old cardboard box first. Next, use construction paper to cut out little squares (a decent colour diversity is provided by the colours blue, green, brown, and white). Younger children can be sliced by you, or they can be sliced by larger children. Younger children will find larger squares easier, while older children will find smaller squares to have more intricacy.
When you have all the squares you need, use the construction paper squares and glue to have your child attempt to recreate Earth on the cardboard circle.
Your children will enjoy working on any one of these five Earth Day crafts. Which one is your favourite?
The featured image is courtesy of Shutterstock / Wittittorn Onkhaw. This article was amended in March,2024 after it was first published on February 10- 2023.