10+ Earth Day Activities for Kids: Fun Eco-Friendly Earth Day Ideas

Earth Day is a perfect time to engage kids in fun and educational activities that teach them about the environment, sustainability, and the importance of protecting the planet. Here are some creative and eco-friendly Earth Day activities for kids of all ages:

1. Plant a Tree or Garden

• Why it’s great: Planting trees or starting a garden teaches kids about the importance of greenery and biodiversity. It also provides a hands-on way to learn about ecosystems and the role plants play in reducing carbon emissions.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Plant a tree or small plants in your backyard or local community garden.
  • Start a small herb or vegetable garden in containers.
  • Decorate pots and plant flowers for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

2. DIY Recycled Crafts

• Why it’s great: Reusing materials helps reduce waste, and crafting is a fun way for kids to express creativity while being eco-conscious.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Create art with recycled materials like bottle caps, cardboard, and scrap paper.
  • Make bird feeders from toilet paper rolls, peanut butter, and birdseed.
  • Craft homemade greeting cards from old magazines, newspapers, or packaging.

3. Nature Scavenger Hunt

• Why it’s great: A scavenger hunt outdoors encourages kids to connect with nature, learn about different plants and animals, and understand the importance of biodiversity.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Create a list of natural items (e.g., a leaf, a pinecone, a feather) for kids to find during a walk in the park or around the neighborhood.
  • Encourage kids to take photos of their finds and identify the plants, trees, or insects they discover.

4. Recycle Relay Race

• Why it’s great: This fun activity teaches kids about recycling and the different categories of waste (e.g., paper, plastic, glass, and metal).
• Activity Ideas:
  • Set up bins labeled with different types of recyclables. Have kids race to sort items into the correct bin.
  • Time the kids to see how quickly they can sort the recyclables or challenge them with tricky items.

5. Upcycled T-shirt Bag Craft

• Why it’s great: Upcycling old clothes helps reduce textile waste and teaches kids about reusing materials in creative ways.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Turn an old T-shirt into a reusable shopping bag by cutting and tying the fabric.
  • Decorate the bags with eco-friendly fabric markers or tie-dye to personalize them.

6. Create a Nature Journal

• Why it’s great: Keeping a nature journal helps kids observe and appreciate the world around them while learning about the environment.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Go on a nature walk and ask kids to draw or write about what they see, hear, and feel.
  • Encourage them to include observations about animals, plants, weather, or even the changing seasons.

7. Eco-Friendly Science Experiments

• Why it’s great: Science experiments can demonstrate eco-friendly concepts like energy conservation, water purification, or the importance of plant growth.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Create a mini solar oven using a pizza box to demonstrate solar energy.
  • Experiment with water filtration by creating a DIY filter with sand, gravel, and charcoal.
  • Grow plants in clear containers to observe how roots and stems respond to light.

8. Make a “Trash to Treasure” Collage

• Why it’s great: This craft helps kids see the potential value in items that might otherwise be thrown away, promoting creative thinking and the importance of reducing waste.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Collect clean trash items (like bottle caps, old buttons, and fabric scraps) and use them to create a collage or mural.
  • Use pieces of broken ceramic or glass for a mosaic project.

9. Eco-Friendly Obstacle Course

• Why it’s great: An obstacle course is a fun, physical activity that can be made from reusable materials, promoting both exercise and sustainability.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Set up a course with items like cardboard boxes, tires, and pool noodles to jump over or crawl through.
  • Challenge kids to complete the course in the shortest amount of time or with minimal environmental impact (e.g., no disposable materials).

10. Earth Day Pledge

• Why it’s great: Making a commitment to taking care of the Earth helps children take ownership of their actions and motivates them to live sustainably.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Have kids create a personal Earth Day pledge, outlining small changes they can make (e.g., using less water, recycling more, planting trees).
  • Display the pledges on a bulletin board or create a poster with everyone’s commitments.

11. Host an Earth Day Picnic

• Why it’s great: Hosting a picnic with eco-friendly choices encourages kids to learn about sustainable eating and waste reduction.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Pack a zero-waste picnic with reusable containers, cloth napkins, and compostable utensils.
  • Encourage kids to try local, seasonal foods and learn where their food comes from.

12. Learn About Endangered Species

• Why it’s great: Earth Day is an excellent opportunity to educate kids about the importance of protecting endangered animals and their habitats.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Read books or watch documentaries about endangered species.
  • Create artwork or posters of endangered animals and discuss ways to protect them, like habitat preservation and reducing pollution.

13. Organize a Cleanup Event

• Why it’s great: Cleaning up local parks, beaches, or neighborhoods promotes environmental stewardship and helps kids feel empowered to make a positive difference.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Organize a trash pickup day in your community, with kids helping to gather litter and recycle appropriately.
  • Use gloves and bags, and make it a team event with rewards or recognition for everyone’s efforts.

14. Watch a Documentary or Earth Day Video

• Why it’s great: Learning about environmental issues in a visual way can help kids understand the bigger picture of climate change, pollution, and conservation.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Watch an age-appropriate documentary on nature, wildlife, or the environment (like Our Planet or The Lorax).
  • Follow up with a discussion or a creative activity like drawing or storytelling about the themes presented in the video.

15. Create a Reusable Water Bottle Holder

• Why it’s great: Promoting the use of reusable items reduces single-use plastic waste, and making a personalized water bottle holder gives kids a sense of ownership over their sustainable choices.
• Activity Ideas:
  • Create DIY fabric or paracord water bottle holders that kids can carry their reusable bottles in.
  • Decorate the holders with eco-friendly paint or embroidery.

These activities not only celebrate Earth Day but also help instill a lifelong love for nature and a sense of responsibility toward the environment. Whether crafting, learning, or taking action, Earth Day provides many opportunities to engage kids in fun, eco-friendly ways.

1. Outdoor Earth Day activities for kids

Taking your children outside to appreciate the planet’s beauty and inspire them to take care of it is one of the greatest ways to commemorate Earth Day. Get the whole family together with these simple Earth Day ideas.

Additionally, with the weather warming up, kids’ outdoor Earth Day activities are a great way to celebrate the start of spring. Now is the ideal moment to enjoy the world.

2. Free Earth Day activities for kids: pick up trash

Picking up trash is a fantastic Earth Day activity for kids! It’s simple, impactful, and helps teach kids about environmental responsibility. Here are some ideas to make this activity fun, engaging, and educational for children:

1. Trash Pickup Scavenger Hunt

• How to Play: Turn the trash pickup into a scavenger hunt. Create a list of different types of trash (e.g., plastic bottle, paper wrapper, aluminum can, cigarette butt, etc.). As kids find and collect these items, they check them off their list. You can make it a race or a timed activity for added excitement.
• Learning Opportunity: Teach kids about the different types of materials that end up as waste and how each one affects the environment.

2. Color-Coded Collection

• How to Play: Give kids colored bags or buckets, each designated for a specific type of waste (e.g., plastic, paper, glass, metal). Encourage them to separate the trash they pick up accordingly.
• Learning Opportunity: This introduces children to the concept of recycling and waste sorting.

3. Trash Sorting Challenge

• How to Play: After collecting the trash, set up sorting stations where kids can group items by their recyclability (e.g., recyclable vs. non-recyclables). This can be done at home or in a community space.
• Learning Opportunity: Kids learn the importance of sorting trash and how certain materials can be recycled or repurposed, reducing landfill waste.

4. Nature Clean-Up Art

• How to Play: After the trash pickup, use the collected trash to create a piece of art (e.g., a trash collage or sculpture). Let the kids use their imagination to transform trash into something beautiful.
• Learning Opportunity: This teaches kids that even waste can be repurposed and encourages creativity.

5. “How to Recycle” Education Session

• How to Play: After cleaning up a park or your neighborhood, take some time to sit down with the kids and talk about recycling, composting, and the impact of littering. Show them how to properly dispose of and recycle different items.
• Learning Opportunity: Provide an educational component about waste management and how everyone can help reduce pollution.

6. Litter-Free Walk

• How to Play: Go on a walk through your neighborhood or local park with a bag and gloves to pick up any trash you come across. Make it a game by setting goals, like filling up one bag or cleaning a specific area.
• Learning Opportunity: The walk is not only an opportunity to clean, but you can also discuss the beauty of nature and the importance of keeping our surroundings clean for wildlife.

7. Storytime: “The Adventures of Trash”

• How to Play: After the cleanup, gather the kids and read a story about environmentalism or a book about reducing waste (e.g., The Lorax by Dr. Seuss). Use the opportunity to discuss the issues raised in the story.
• Learning Opportunity: Storytime can serve as a reflective time to understand how litter affects animals and ecosystems.

8. Trash Pickup Relay Race

• How to Play: Set up a relay race where kids work in teams to pick up trash. They can take turns running to designated areas to collect pieces of trash and bring them back to their starting point.
• Learning Opportunity: This encourages teamwork and gets kids moving while making a positive environmental impact.

9. Create a “No Littering” Poster

• How to Play: After picking up trash, encourage the kids to create posters or signs that promote a clean environment. These can be displayed around the neighborhood or school to encourage others to take care of their surroundings.
• Learning Opportunity: This empowers kids to advocate for a cleaner world and raises awareness about the importance of not littering.

10. Nature Appreciation Break

• How to Play: After the cleanup, spend some time relaxing in the area you’ve just cleaned. Have a picnic or simply sit and observe nature to reinforce the idea of taking care of our planet.
• Learning Opportunity: Kids will feel a greater connection to the environment after actively participating in keeping it clean.

By making these activities fun and educational, you’ll not only celebrate Earth Day but also instill a lifelong respect for the planet in the kids you’re working with!

3. Fun ideas for Earth Day: visit a botanical garden

Visiting a botanical garden is a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day, as it offers both fun and educational experiences for kids. Here are some creative and engaging ideas to make the most of your trip:

1. Scavenger Hunt in the Garden

• How to Play: Create a list of things for the kids to find in the garden, such as specific types of flowers, trees, insects, or even a specific color of leaves. You could include things like “find a red flower,” “spot a butterfly,” or “look for a tree with a thick trunk.”
• Learning Opportunity: This is a great way to teach kids about different plants, insects, and ecosystems. It also helps them learn to observe nature closely.

2. Plant a Seed Together

• How to Play: Many botanical gardens offer planting stations or programs where visitors can plant seeds. If not, bring small pots and seeds with you to plant in the garden. Choose native plants or flowers that can later be transferred to your garden at home.
• Learning Opportunity: This teaches kids about the plant life cycle, the importance of native plants, and how they can contribute to a healthy environment by planting trees or flowers.

3. Nature Journaling

• How to Play: Encourage kids to bring along a notebook and draw or write about the plants, flowers, trees, and animals they see in the garden. You can give them specific prompts, like “Draw a flower with five petals” or “Write about the tallest tree you see.”
• Learning Opportunity: Journaling fosters creativity while also encouraging kids to observe and record details about nature, strengthening their connection to the environment.

4. Educational Plant Tours

• How to Play: Many botanical gardens offer guided tours, either led by experts or through informational signs. Take advantage of these to learn more about the plant species and their ecological importance.
• Learning Opportunity: Use the tour to educate kids on the importance of biodiversity, how plants help the environment, and how gardens are crucial for conservation.

5. Leaf Pressing Activity

• How to Play: Collect leaves, flowers, and other plant materials from the garden. Press them between heavy books when you return home, or use clear contact paper to preserve them in a scrapbook or as bookmarks.
• Learning Opportunity: This fun craft helps children learn about plant parts and is a wonderful way to preserve memories of your Earth Day outing. It also encourages environmental awareness and conservation.

6. Earth Day Photography Walk

• How to Play: Give kids a camera (or smartphone) and ask them to take photos of their favorite plants, flowers, animals, or landscapes. Challenge them to capture the beauty of nature in different ways, such as through close-up shots or wide-angle views.
• Learning Opportunity: This activity helps children develop an appreciation for nature’s beauty and gives them a chance to reflect on how they can protect it. You can even create an “Earth Day Photography” album at home!

7. Interactive Garden Stations

• How to Play: Many botanical gardens have interactive stations or exhibits designed for children, such as sensory gardens where kids can touch, smell, and feel different plants, or “butterfly gardens” where they can observe butterflies and bees. Make sure to explore these areas for a hands-on experience.
• Learning Opportunity: These exhibits provide sensory learning experiences, which are perfect for young children, helping them understand the various ways plants support life (including food for pollinators like bees and butterflies).

8. Pollinator Exploration

• How to Play: Focus on the importance of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. See if you can spot any in the garden and discuss their roles in pollination. Some botanical gardens even offer educational programs on pollinators.
• Learning Opportunity: Teach kids about the vital role of pollinators in our ecosystems, how they contribute to food production, and why it’s important to protect them from pesticides and habitat loss.

9. Create a Nature Craft

• How to Play: Collect natural materials like leaves, pinecones, twigs, and flowers and create a nature-based craft when you return home. Kids can make collages, crowns, nature mobiles, or painted stones to remember their visit.
• Learning Opportunity: This is a creative way to show kids that nature’s beauty can be preserved and transformed into art, encouraging sustainability and the use of natural materials.

10. Garden-Themed Story Time

• How to Play: Bring along some Earth Day or nature-themed books to read with the kids in a quiet spot in the garden. Books like The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein or Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert can be great choices.
• Learning Opportunity: Storytime in nature helps children associate positive feelings with the environment and reinforces the message of caring for the Earth.

11. Tree Hugging and Meditation

• How to Play: Have the kids “hug” a tree, focusing on the texture of its bark and how it feels to be close to a living organism. Afterward, guide them in a few minutes of quiet reflection or simple nature meditation to encourage mindfulness and appreciation for the Earth.
• Learning Opportunity: This activity teaches kids to connect with nature on a deeper level and fosters a sense of responsibility for preserving the natural world.

12. Tree Planting Ceremony (If Available)

• How to Play: Some botanical gardens offer special events on Earth Day where families can plant trees together. Participating in such a ceremony can make the kids feel like they are contributing directly to improving the environment.
• Learning Opportunity: Tree planting instills a sense of stewardship and long-term responsibility, teaching kids how planting trees helps reduce carbon in the air and provides habitats for wildlife.

Visiting a botanical garden for Earth Day is not only fun but also a perfect opportunity to instill an appreciation for nature, biodiversity, and the importance of environmental conservation in young minds!

4. Green ways to celebrate Earth Day: Plant a tree

You can choose an Earth Day activity that teaches your children about combating climate change and protecting the environment, such as planting trees. In addition to producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide, trees also aid in halting erosion.

When planting trees, make sure they are natural to the region where you live. Native plants are not only more likely to thrive in the ecosystem, but they also don’t carry the risk of bringing invasive pests to the region.

You can check your local area to see if there are any tree-planting organisations where you can volunteer. Other flora that attracts natural pollinators can be planted if you don’t have the space or desire to plant trees.

You can grow sunflowers, liatris, coneflowers, and even chives to draw bees. You can plant zinnia, swallowtail nectar plants, and butterfly bushes to draw butterflies.

5. Active Earth Day ideas: a family bike ride

Many of the Earth Day activities for children and adults also double as family-bonding activities. It would be a great way to teach your children about other forms of transportation if you wanted to go on a bike ride with them on Earth Day.

In addition to teaching kids about the health and environmental advantages of biking, you may also educate them about other environmentally friendly modes of transportation, such as buses and trains.

Many American cities are making progress in making their cities more bike-friendly, but even if your city isn’t entirely bike-accessible, you might still be able to enjoy its bike paths.

You can donate your children’s outgrown bikes to a charity that distributes them to underprivileged children. If the bikes aren’t in excellent shape, you may make inventive bicycle planters out of them.

6. Earth Day crafts & indoor activities

Earth Day is the perfect time to get creative and teach kids about sustainability through fun, hands-on crafts and indoor activities. Here are some Earth Day crafts and activities that you can do indoors to celebrate and learn about the planet:

1. Recycled Paper Beads

• What You’ll Need: Old magazines, newspapers, scissors, glue, and a toothpick or skewer.
• How to Make: Cut strips from old magazines or newspapers. Roll the strips tightly around a toothpick to form beads, then glue the ends. Once dry, you can string them together to make a necklace, bracelet, or keychain.
• Learning Opportunity: This craft teaches kids about recycling and reusing materials. It’s a fun way to give new life to old paper!

2. Plantable Paper

• What You’ll Need: Scrap paper, water, a blender, seeds (flower or vegetable seeds), a screen or mesh (for pressing the paper), and a rolling pin.
• How to Make: Tear the scrap paper into small pieces, soak them in water, and blend them until you get a pulp. Spread the pulp onto a screen, then sprinkle seeds on top and gently press the paper flat with a rolling pin. Once dry, you can plant the paper in the garden and watch the seeds grow!
• Learning Opportunity: This teaches kids about paper recycling and how to grow plants from seeds.

3. Nature Collage

• What You’ll Need: Leaves, twigs, flowers, pebbles, and glue, along with paper or cardboard as the base.
• How to Make: Take a walk outside to gather natural materials (or use what you already have at home). Glue the materials onto a piece of cardboard to create a beautiful nature collage.
• Learning Opportunity: This craft connects children to nature and teaches them to appreciate natural materials. It also encourages them to see beauty in the world around them.

4. DIY Recycled Crayons

• What You’ll Need: Old, broken crayons, a muffin tin or silicone mold, and an oven.
• How to Make: Peel the wrappers off broken crayons, break them into smaller pieces, and place them in a muffin tin or silicone mold. Bake at 250°F (120°C) for about 10-15 minutes, until the crayons are melted. Let them cool before popping them out.
• Learning Opportunity: This activity encourages recycling and shows kids how to repurpose materials that would otherwise be thrown away.

5. Upcycled Plastic Bottle Planters

• What You’ll Need: Empty plastic bottles, scissors, paint, and soil.
• How to Make: Cut the plastic bottles in half. Decorate the outside with paint or markers. Fill the bottom with soil and plant a small seed or succulent in each bottle.
• Learning Opportunity: This teaches kids about repurposing plastic waste and introduces them to basic gardening.

6. Earth Day Suncatchers

• What You’ll Need: Clear contact paper, colored tissue paper, scissors, and a string for hanging.
• How to Make: Cut out various shapes from colored tissue paper (such as hearts, leaves, or Earth shapes). Stick the tissue paper onto a piece of clear contact paper to create a vibrant suncatcher. Once the design is finished, trim the edges and hang it by a window to catch the sunlight.
• Learning Opportunity: This craft is a fun way to celebrate Earth’s colors and beauty while also creating something beautiful that promotes the idea of sustainability and repurposing.

7. Earth Day Tote Bags (Fabric Paint)

• What You’ll Need: Plain fabric tote bags, fabric paint, paintbrushes, and stencils (optional).
• How to Make: Have kids paint Earth-related designs like trees, flowers, the globe, or animals on a plain canvas tote bag. You can use stencils to help with the designs or let them create their own. Once dry, they can use the tote bag as a reusable grocery bag or for everyday use.
• Learning Opportunity: This activity encourages the use of reusable bags and helps kids understand the importance of reducing single-use plastic.

8. Recycled Bottle Cap Magnets

• What You’ll Need: Plastic or metal bottle caps, magnets, glue, and colorful paints or stickers.
• How to Make: Paint the inside of the bottle caps or decorate them with stickers. Attach a magnet to the back of each cap using strong glue. Once dry, they can be used to decorate the fridge or a magnetic board.
• Learning Opportunity: This craft demonstrates how to turn everyday items into functional and fun art while promoting recycling.

9. Egg Carton Critters

• What You’ll Need: Egg cartons, paint, googly eyes, scissors, and glue.
• How to Make: Cut up the egg carton into individual cups or sections, then paint and decorate them to look like different animals (e.g., ladybugs, bees, or frogs). Add googly eyes, legs, and antennae to complete the creatures.
• Learning Opportunity: This is a creative way to reuse egg cartons and can help teach kids about animals, insects, and recycling.

10. Earth Day Greeting Cards

• What You’ll Need: Cardstock, colored markers or crayons, stamps, and stickers.
• How to Make: Have kids create greeting cards with Earth Day messages and artwork, such as pictures of trees, flowers, or the Earth. These can be sent to family and friends as part of Earth Day celebrations or kept as reminders of the importance of caring for the planet.
• Learning Opportunity: This activity allows kids to share the Earth Day message and practice kindness and creativity.

11. DIY Composting Bin (Mini Version)

• What You’ll Need: A small container with a lid (like a yogurt container or small plastic bin), soil, scraps of fruit and vegetable peels, paper, and small twigs.
• How to Make: Show kids how to start composting with a small container. Layer soil, vegetable scraps, paper, and twigs, then cover it and turn the mixture every few days to speed up decomposition.
• Learning Opportunity: This teaches kids about composting, waste reduction, and how organic matter can turn into nutrient-rich soil for plants.

12. Earth Day Sensory Bottles

• What You’ll Need: Empty plastic bottles, water, glitter, blue and green food coloring, and small Earth-themed figurines or beads.
• How to Make: Fill the bottle with water, add a few drops of blue and green food coloring, some glitter, and any small Earth-themed objects. Seal the bottle tightly and shake to create a sensory experience.
• Learning Opportunity: This helps children explore their senses while thinking about the beauty of the Earth and how small actions can make a big impact.

13. Paper Plate Earth

• What You’ll Need: Paper plates, blue and green paint, and paintbrushes.
• How to Make: Paint the paper plate blue to represent the oceans, and then paint green patches for the landmasses to create your own version of Earth.
• Learning Opportunity: This simple craft helps kids learn about the Earth’s land and water and encourages a deeper appreciation of the planet.

These Earth Day crafts and indoor activities can be both fun and educational, teaching kids important lessons about sustainability, conservation, and how to care for our planet in creative ways!

7. Crafts for Earth Day: make a mini terrarium

Check out this small terrarium technique if you want to create eco-friendly crafts for Earth Day. Because it makes use of a rotisserie chicken container that would otherwise be thrown away, it is ideal for the holiday.

This Earth Day project can spark discussions about environmentally beneficial subjects. In addition to teaching your kids to reuse things that are typically considered garbage, it would also introduce them to gardening.

By recycling the water inside, you can describe how terrariums are self-sufficient. This also enables you to discuss the water cycle with your children, highlighting the significance of water for all living things.

8. Free Earth Day activities for kids: Earth Day word search

An Earth Day word search is a fun and educational way to celebrate Earth Day while helping kids learn about important environmental terms. You can easily create your own word search or find printable versions online. Here’s a free Earth Day word search idea that includes key Earth Day-related words. You can print it out or make your own using these words:

Earth Day Word Search Words:

• Recycle
• Earth
• Trees
• Green
• Pollution
• Energy
• Save
• Wildlife
• Climate
• Ocean
• Solar
• Planet
• Nature
• Conserve
• Environment
• Recycle
• Sustain

How to Play:

1. Print or Create the Word Search: You can print out a premade Earth Day word search, or you can easily create one using an online word search generator.
2. Search for the Words: Kids search for the words listed in the word search puzzle. They can circle, highlight, or cross out each word they find.
3. Discuss the Words: After completing the word search, take a moment to talk about the words in the puzzle. For example, explain what “recycle” means, how “trees” help the planet, or what “climate” refers to.
4. Challenge: For a more challenging activity, ask kids to define the words or come up with a sentence using each word.

Educational Twist:

• Recycling Fun: After completing the word search, kids can collect items from around the house or classroom that are recyclable and learn how to properly sort them.
• Nature Walk: Take the words from the word search and go on a nature walk to find examples of things like trees, wildlife, or natural resources. You can even try to spot wildlife or plants mentioned in the puzzle.

If you’d like, I can guide you on how to make your own word search puzzle or find printable versions! Let me know if you’d like more ideas for the activity.

9. Indoor activities for Earth Day: watch a movie about the environment

Watching a film about the environment is a great indoor Earth Day activity for children. There are several kid-friendly films that emphasise the value of preserving our resources and the environment.

The Lorax, Wall-E, and FernGully are a few animated films that are suitable for children on Earth Day. They all feature environmental themes that reinforce Earth Day’s message.

Try the Nat Geo Kids YouTube channel if you want to watch entertaining and instructive animal videos online. The channel’s bio states that it is best suited for kids three years old and up.

10. Free Earth Day activities for kids: Earth Day word scramble

An Earth Day word scramble is a fun and challenging way to engage kids with important environmental terms while celebrating Earth Day. Kids will love unscrambling the words related to nature, recycling, and the planet. Here’s an Earth Day word scramble activity you can use for free!

Earth Day Word Scramble

Instructions: Unscramble the letters to find the correct Earth Day-related word.

1. lcreyeec → _______
2. arhte → _______
3. tres → _______
4. ginre → _______
5. otiulpn → _______
6. yenegr → _______
7. slaor → _______
8. nnitcemnveiro → _______
9. widlfei → _______
10. taipenl → _______
11. eoan → _______
12. tnuacsis → _______
13. rgoetclor → _______
14. tiednsu → _______

---

Answers:

1. recycle
2. Earth
3. trees
4. green
5. pollution
6. energy
7. solar
8. environment
9. wildlife
10. planet
11. ocean
12. sustain
13. recyclor (this could be used as a fun alternate word for a “recycling coordinator”)
14. student (bonus word idea!)

How to Play:

1. Print the Activity: Print the word scramble for the kids or simply read out the scrambled words if you’re doing it in a group or classroom setting.
2. Unscramble: Have the kids try to unscramble each word. To make it more challenging, you can time them or give them a set amount of time to finish the whole list.
3. Review the Words: After the kids have unscrambled the words, go through each one and explain what it means (e.g., “recycle” refers to reusing materials instead of throwing them away, and “ocean” refers to large bodies of water that cover much of our planet).
4. Earth Day Discussion: As you go over the answers, you can also discuss the importance of each word and how it relates to taking care of the Earth. For example, “solar” could lead to a discussion about renewable energy, while “wildlife” could spark a conversation about animal conservation.

Bonus Challenge:

You can add a twist by challenging the kids to come up with their own Earth Day-related scrambled words for the group to solve!