Create Craft
Here are free, fun, and easy Earth Day crafts for kids—perfect for classrooms, home, or community activities. All use simple, inexpensive, or recycled materials!
🌎 Free Earth Day Crafts for Kids
Fun, Easy, and Eco-Friendly Activities
⭐ 1. Tissue Paper Earth
Materials: Blue/green tissue paper, glue, white paper
How to make: Tear tissue paper into pieces, scrunch into balls, and glue onto a circle to create land and water.
Skill focus: Fine motor skills, color recognition.
⭐ 2. Recycled Bottle Planters
Materials: Plastic bottles, paint, scissors, soil, seeds
How to make: Cut bottles in half, decorate with paint or markers, fill with soil and plant seeds.
Skill focus: Gardening basics, responsibility.
⭐ 3. Newspaper Earth Collage
Materials: Old newspapers, watercolor paint, scissors, glue
How to make: Paint newspaper pieces blue and green, cut into shapes, assemble into a textured Earth collage.
Skill focus: Creativity, recycling awareness.
⭐ 4. Cardboard Tube Binoculars
Materials: Toilet paper rolls, yarn, markers, tape
How to make: Tape two tubes together, decorate, and add yarn as a neck strap.
Use for: Nature walks and bird spotting.
⭐ 5. Egg Carton Seed Starters
Materials: Egg cartons, soil, small seeds
How to make: Fill each cup with soil, plant seeds, spray lightly with water.
Skill focus: Plant care, sustainability.
⭐ 6. Bottle Cap Earth Necklace
Materials: Bottle caps, string, markers or paint
How to make: Paint or color small Earth designs inside caps, punch a hole, and add string.
Skill focus: Upcycling, wearable art.
⭐ 7. Rock Painting: Save the Earth Rocks
Materials: Smooth rocks, paint, markers
How to make: Paint Earth, trees, oceans, or “Save the Planet” messages.
Use for: Garden decoration or kindness rock swap.
⭐ 8. Paper Plate Earth Suncatcher
Materials: Paper plate, tissue paper, contact paper
How to make: Cut out a circle, stick tissue paper pieces on contact paper, seal, and hang in sunlight.
⭐ 9. Recycled Cardboard Sun
Materials: Cardboard scraps, markers/paint
How to make: Cut into a sun shape, color, and add Earth Day messages like “Shine for the Planet!”
⭐ 10. Upcycled Plastic Egg Music Shakers
Materials: Plastic Easter eggs, rice/beans, tape, markers
How to make: Fill with small items, tape shut, decorate, and shake!
Talk about: Reusing plastic instead of throwing it away.
🌱 Want more?
I can create:
✅ Printable Earth Day activity sheets
✅ Step-by-step instructions with images
✅ Crafts sorted by age (preschool, elementary, etc.)
✅ A full Earth Day lesson plan for teachers
Just tell me what you need!
- Our Class Cares – Earth Day Activities
Il est facile de parler d’apporter un changement, mais s’engager pour la Terre demande aux étudiants de prendre des responsabilités et d’agir. Nous adorons la façon dont Jessica a donné une touche amusante au sujet d’écriture traditionnel, en invitant les élèves à rédiger sur comment ils feraient « briller la Terre » ! Les incitations à l’artisanat/l’écriture se sont avérées si belles qu’elles feraient une exposition en classe idéale pour la Journée de la Terre !
2. Paper Mache Globes for Earth Day!
Here’s a fun, kid-friendly guide to making Paper Mâché Globes for Earth Day—messy, creative, and educational!
🌍 Paper Mâché Globes for Earth Day
A hands-on craft that teaches geography, recycling, and care for the planet.
✅ Materials Needed
- A balloon (round ones work best)
- Newspaper (torn into strips)
- Flour (or white glue)
- Water
- Bowl
- Paint (blue & green)
- Paintbrushes
- Optional: string (to hang the globe), markers for details
🧪 Make the Paper Mâché Paste
Two easy options:
1. Flour Paste
Mix:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup water
Stir until smooth. Add a little more water if too thick.
2. Glue Paste
Mix:
- ½ cup white glue
- ½ cup water
Both work great!
🎈 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Blow up the balloon
Tie it tightly. This becomes the base shape of your Earth.
2. Dip strips of newspaper
Coat each strip in the paste, removing extra paste by sliding fingers down the strip.
3. Layer the balloon
Cover the entire balloon with strips—3 layers recommended for a sturdy globe.
Leave a small open area at the bottom (where the balloon knot is).
4. Let it dry
Place on a cup or hang it.
Best drying time: overnight or 6–8 hours.
5. Add more layers (optional)
For extra strength, add 1–2 more layers and let dry again.
6. Pop the balloon
Once fully dry, poke the balloon through the hole. Remove it from inside.
🎨 Paint the Earth
- Paint the whole globe blue (oceans).
- Add green shapes for continents.
- Use markers for details: clouds, animals, labels, or recycling symbols.
🌱 Optional Enhancements
- Add a string loop on top to hang your globe from the ceiling.
- Add a fact tag: “I made this for Earth Day!”
- Create multiple globes to show climate zones, oceans, or world landmarks.
- Cover the final coat with Mod Podge for a shiny, durable finish.
👧👦 Perfect for:
- Classrooms or homeschool
- Earth Day fairs
- Geography lessons
- Eco-themed art projects
Want me to create a printable step-by-step instruction sheet, a teacher’s lesson plan, or an illustrated kids version?
3. Recycled Bottle Cap Mural – Collaborative Art P…
How amazing is this?! Holly de Lines, Dots et Doodles a imaginé ce formidable projet artistique collaboratif qui permet à vos enfants d’apprendre à travailler en équipe tout en découvrant le recyclage !
4. Beautiful Earth Day Classroom Bulletin Board Idea
Here’s a beautiful, eye-catching Earth Day classroom bulletin board idea that’s easy to make and perfect for students of all ages!
🌎 “We Can Change the World” Earth Day Bulletin Board
A bright, meaningful display celebrating creativity, teamwork, and caring for the planet.
🌟 Main Concept
Create a large central Earth surrounded by student-made artwork that represents ways they can help protect the planet. Add inspiring Earth Day messages and vibrant recycled-material decorations.
🖼️ What the Board Looks Like
Centerpiece:
- A large 3D Earth made from tissue paper, paper mâché, or torn-paper collage.
- Optional: Add clouds made from cotton balls for texture.
Student Work Around the Earth:
- Handprints labeled “Helping Hands for the Planet.”
- Mini Earth drawings, leaf cutouts, or hearts with eco-promises.
- Recycled-art creations like bottle-cap flowers or newspaper butterflies.
Borders:
- Twisted brown paper to look like tree bark.
- Green leaves cut from recycled paper.
- A border made of painted cardboard strips.
Title Ideas (Choose One):
✨ “We Can Change the World”
✨ “Our Planet, Our Responsibility”
✨ “Small Hands, Big Impact”
✨ “Every Day is Earth Day”
✨ “Growing a Greener Future”
🎨 Step-by-Step Setup
1. Make the Big Earth
Options:
- Tissue Paper Earth: Blue and green tissue scrunched and glued to a circle.
- Paper Mâché Globe: Hang it from the board or mount inside a cut-out window.
- Collage Earth: Kids glue torn magazine scraps (greens/blues).
2. Add Student Contributions
Let each child create one of the following:
🌱 Eco-Promise Leaves
Kids write promises like “I will plant seeds,” “I will save water,” etc.
💙 Heart Earth Art
Students draw or paint their own mini Earth with a positive message.
✋ Helping Hands
Trace hands on colorful paper. Write one action on each hand:
- “Reuse plastic bottles”
- “Turn off lights”
- “Recycle paper”
Scatter these around the big Earth!
3. Add Texture & Recycled Elements
- Bottle cap flowers
- Yarn scraps for vines
- Newspaper butterflies
- Cardboard sun rays
These make the board visually stunning and eco-friendly.
🌞 Optional: Interactive Element
Add a pocket titled “Earth Day Challenges” with cards kids can draw, such as:
- “Pick up 3 pieces of litter today”
- “Turn off the tap while brushing”
- “Reuse something at home”
🎉 Want a Printable?
I can make:
📄 A printable title banner
✂️ Cut-ready templates for Earth, leaves, hands, butterflies
📚 A teacher’s setup guide with photos
🎨 A student worksheet to go with the board
Just tell me what you’d like!
5. Coffee Filter ‘Stained Glass’ Craft for Earth Day
Concevez une vitrine magnifique pour la Journée de la Terre avec cette idée créative de « vitrail » mise en avant par Molly sur Lessons with Laughter. Il est probable que vous disposez déjà de tous les outils nécessaires pour réaliser l’artisanat avec votre classe !
6. Litter Bugs for Earth Day
Here’s a super fun and kid-friendly “Litter Bugs” Earth Day activity—perfect for classrooms, libraries, or home learning! Kids love it because it mixes creativity, humor, and an important message about keeping Earth clean.
🐞🌎 “Litter Bugs” Earth Day Craft & Lesson Idea
A playful project where kids create silly “litter bugs” out of recycled materials—then learn why real littering is harmful and why we must protect the planet.
🎨 Craft: Make Your Own Litter Bug!
Materials
- Bottle caps
- Recycled cardboard
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes (or paper cutouts)
- Scraps of paper, foil, or fabric
- Glue / tape
- Markers or paint
- Optional: discarded snack wrappers (cleaned!) to decorate the wings
🧩 How to Make Them
1. Create the Bug Body
Use a bottle cap or crumpled scrap paper wrapped in recycled paper.
2. Add Wings
Cut wing shapes from:
- Old cereal boxes
- Magazine pages
- Snack wrappers
- Cardboard painted with bright colors
Attach them to the body with glue or tape.
3. Add Legs & Antennae
Made from:
- Pipe cleaners
- Rolled paper
- Cardboard strips
Bend them into fun shapes—zigzags, spirals, curls.
4. Bring It to Life
Add:
- Googly eyes
- Funny expressions
- Dots & stripes
Kids LOVE making these little creatures silly and colorful.
🌱 Optional: Turn It Into a Learning Activity
🗣️ 1. “Don’t Be a Litter Bug” Talk
Have students discuss:
- What is litter?
- Why do people litter?
- How does it hurt animals and nature?
- What simple things can we do to keep Earth clean?
🧪 2. Litter Bug Sorting Game
Create “litter bugs” that hold fake trash items (paper, plastic, metal).
Kids sort them into the correct recycling bins.
📌 3. Bulletin Board Idea
Title: “Don’t Be a Litter Bug!”
Students attach their litter bugs around a big Earth or recycling bin.
Add speech bubbles like:
- “Pick up trash!”
- “Recycle me!”
- “Keep Earth clean!”
This makes an adorable Earth Day display.
🧹 4. Litter Bug Hunt (Classroom Cleanup Game)
Scatter small pieces of colored paper around the room or playground.
Kids collect them using “bug grabbers” (clothespins) to clean up their habitat.
Fun + teamwork + eco-awareness!
💬 Want Printables?
I can make:
- Cut-out templates for litter bug shapes
- A “Don’t Be a Litter Bug” bulletin board set
- A coloring page
- A worksheet on keeping Earth clean
Just tell me what you’d like!
7. Earth Day Craft – Handprints Around the World
Jill de Meet the Dubiens a partagé cette superbe activité qu’elle a réalisée avec ses enfants pour la Journée de la Terre. Compte tenu de son message inspirant, nous avons pensé que cela compléterait agréablement vos cours. Bien que la Journée de la Terre soit le moment idéal pour aborder les sujets de la pollution, du recyclage et de nos efforts individuels pour préserverEn prenant soin de notre planète, nous partageons l’avis de Jill selon lequel cela offre une excellente occasion d’aborder la diversité – « enseigner à nos enfants qu’il existe des personnes de différentes couleurs, races et religions à travers le monde, mais que nous sommes tous semblables et que nous devons traiter chacun avec bonté et respect ».
8. Earth Day Cherry Blossom Tree – Craft for Kids
Here’s a sweet, spring-themed Earth Day craft that kids absolutely love — an Earth Day Cherry Blossom Tree! It’s colorful, symbolic, easy to prep, and perfect for celebrating nature on Earth Day.
🌸🌍 Earth Day Cherry Blossom Tree Craft for Kids
A beautiful craft where kids create a cherry blossom tree using recycled materials and add a mini Earth or Earth Day message to celebrate caring for our planet.
✅ Materials Needed
- Recycled cardboard or brown construction paper (tree trunk)
- Pink tissue paper OR paper scraps from old magazines
- Recycled paper circle (for the Earth)
- Blue & green crayons or paint
- Glue
- Scissors
- Optional: buttons or pom-poms for blossoms
- Optional: cotton for clouds or background decoration
🎨 How to Make the Craft
1. Make the Tree Trunk
- Either draw and cut out a trunk + branches, OR
- Tear brown cardboard scraps to make a textured trunk
- Glue it onto a background sheet (blue or white paper)
2. Create the Cherry Blossoms
Kids can make blossoms using:
🌸 Tissue Paper Blossoms:
- Tear or cut small pink pieces
- Scrunch gently into tiny balls
- Glue onto the branches
🌸 Magazine Blossoms:
- Find pink/red pages in old magazines
- Tear into small circles
- Glue for a colorful “recycled blossoms” look
🌸 Painted Fingerprint Blossoms:
- Dip fingertips in pink paint
- Add blossoms all over the branches
- Great for preschool and sensory play
3. Add the Earth
Make a small Earth circle using:
- Blue/green crayons
- Watercolor
- Tissue paper collage
- Or pre-cut printed Earth circles
Glue it at the base of the tree, in the branches, or above the tree like a symbol of caring for the Earth.
🍃 Earth Day Message Ideas
Add a simple message such as:
- “Love Our Earth”
- “Let the Earth Bloom”
- “Grow a Greener Future”
- “Earth Blossoms with Kindness”
- “Plant Kindness, Watch the Earth Bloom”
Kids can write their name or eco pledge on their tree.
🌈 Variations for Different Age Groups
Preschool
- Fingerprint blossoms
- Pre-cut trunk shapes
- Larger Earth circles
Elementary
- Detailed tissue paper blossoms
- Hand-drawn branches
- Earth with labeled continents
Upper Grades
- Watercolor cherry blossoms
- Add facts about cherry trees or Earth Day
- Use newspaper to show reuse & recycle
🎉 Display Idea: “Let the Earth Bloom!” Bulletin Board
Create a class cherry blossom forest!
Students’ trees go around a big Earth in the middle with blossoms falling like confetti.
If you want, I can create:
📄 A printable trunk template
🌸 Cherry blossom cut-outs
🎨 A step-by-step instruction sheet
🖨️ Coloring pages
Just tell me!
9. Paper Plate Spin-Art Earth Craft
Isn’t this craft really cool? C’est comme de l’art tournant, mais sans la centrifugeuse ! Deborah de Teach Preschool a récemment réalisé cette activité manuelle avec ses petits pour la Journée de la Terre et le résultat était magnifique. Nous sommes convaincus que vos petits s’amuseront énormément avec cela !
10. Earth Day Litter Collage
Here’s a fun, meaningful, and super-easy Earth Day Litter Collage activity for kids! It teaches recycling, sorting, and environmental responsibility—while letting kids be creative with real materials.
🌎🗑️ Earth Day Litter Collage Craft for Kids
A hands-on art project where kids use clean recyclable “litter” to build a collage that shows how trash affects our planet—and how we can help!
✅ Materials Needed
- Clean recyclables:
- bottle caps
- snack wrappers
- foil pieces
- cardboard scraps
- magazine clippings
- newspaper
- plastic bottle labels
- paper scraps
- A large sheet of cardboard or construction paper
- Glue
- Markers or crayons
- Optional: blue/green paint for an Earth background
🎨 How to Make the Litter Collage
1. Prepare the Background
Choose a theme:
- Earth Shape: Paint or color a big circle blue + green
- Park scene: Draw grass, sky, a pond
- City street: Draw buildings, sidewalk
- Ocean scene: Blue background with sea animals
This gives kids a place to add the litter.
2. Sort the “Litter” First (Optional Mini-Lesson)
Have kids sort their clean recyclables into:
- Paper
- Plastic
- Metal
- Mixed materials
A great way to teach recycling basics before the art starts!
3. Create the Litter Collage
Kids glue different items onto the background to show:
- What litter looks like in the environment
- How much waste we create
- Why recycling and cleanup matter
Encourage them to:
- Use bottle caps as “trash piles”
- Use wrappers as “pollution” in the scene
- Use cardboard pieces as recycling bins or signs
4. Add Labels or Messages
Kids can write:
- “Pick Up Litter!”
- “Keep Our Earth Clean”
- “Recycle Me!”
- “Don’t Be a Litter Bug!”
- “We Love a Clean Planet”
This builds language and environmental awareness.
🌼 Extension Activities
🌱 1. Turn It Into an Earth Day Display
Add a title:
- “Don’t Litter—Love the Earth!”
- “Trash to Treasure: Our Litter Collage”
- “We Clean Up Our Planet!”
Hang the collages together as a big wall mural.
🧹 2. Litter Clean-Up Challenge
Take kids on a safe mini cleanup outdoors (with gloves and supervision).
Collect real litter → clean it → use some in the collage.
🔍 3. Litter Hunt Sort & Stick
Hide recyclable scraps around the room.
Kids hunt, sort, then glue to their collage.
🔵 Easier Version (Preschool)
- Use only paper scraps and magazine pieces
- Pre-draw an Earth or park scene
- Kids glue “litter pieces” randomly to show pollution
🎨 Advanced Version (Older Kids)
- Divide the collage into “Before Cleanup” and “After Cleanup”
- Add facts about pollution
- Create a recycling legend or key
If you want, I can make:
📄 A printable Earth background
🖼️ A “Don’t Litter” title for bulletin boards
✂️ Sorting labels (paper, plastic, metal)
🎨 A step-by-step instruction sheet for teachers
Just tell me!
11. Earth Day Collaboration Collage
À la recherche d’un projet simple et peu coûteux pour célébrer le Jour de la Terre avec votre classe ? Ensuite, jetez un œil à ce collage collaboratif pour la Journée de la Terre présenté par Debbie sur RainbowsWithinReach !