Here are easy, kid-friendly crafts to celebrate Earth Day 🌍♻️—most use recycled or natural materials and need very little prep:
🌱 1. Recycled Bottle Planters
Materials: Empty plastic bottles, soil, seeds or small plants, scissors, markers
How:
- Cut bottles in half
- Decorate the outside
- Fill with soil and plant seeds
Lesson: Reusing plastic + caring for plants
🌍 2. Earth Collage
Materials: Old magazines, newspapers, glue, paper plates or cardboard
How:
- Cut blue and green pieces
- Arrange into an Earth shape
Lesson: Recycling paper & creativity
🌸 3. Seed Paper Art
Materials: Scrap paper, water, blender (adult help), seeds
How:
- Blend soaked paper into pulp
- Mix in seeds
- Shape and let dry
Bonus: Plant the art later!
🐝 4. Nature Bracelets
Materials: Masking tape or paper strips, leaves, flowers
How:
- Wrap tape (sticky side out) around wrist
- Stick natural items on
Lesson: Appreciating nature
🌎 5. Paper Plate Earth
Materials: Paper plates, blue & green paint
How:
- Paint plate blue
- Add green land shapes
Variation: Use torn recycled paper instead of paint
🐦 6. Pinecone Bird Feeders
Materials: Pinecones, peanut butter (or sunflower butter), birdseed, string
How:
- Spread butter on pinecone
- Roll in birdseed
- Hang outside
Lesson: Helping wildlife
🧻 7. Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars
Materials: Empty rolls, string, markers
How:
- Decorate rolls
- Tape together
- Add string
Use: Nature observation walk
🌼 8. Egg Carton Flowers
Materials: Egg cartons, paint, glue, pipe cleaners
How:
- Cut cups from carton
- Paint and attach stems
Lesson: Reusing packaging
If you’d like, I can:
- Tailor crafts for toddlers, preschool, or elementary ages
- Create a one-day Earth Day craft schedule
- Focus on classroom-friendly or mess-free options
- Coffee Filter Earth Craft
Earth Craft: Coffee Filter (from I Heart Crafty Things)
To inspire your children to consider how they might contribute to the betterment of the planet, create a unique coffee filter solar system along with a lovely writing prompt.
2. Paper Trees
Here’s a simple and fun Paper Trees craft 🌳—perfect for Earth Day and easy for kids of all ages:
🌳 Paper Trees Craft
Materials
- Green construction paper (or recycled paper)
- Brown paper or cardboard
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Crayons/markers (optional)
Instructions (Easy Version)
- Cut the Trunk:
Cut a long rectangle from brown paper. - Make Leaves:
Cut green paper into circles, ovals, or tear it into pieces. - Assemble:
Glue the trunk onto a sheet of paper.
Glue the green pieces on top to form the tree canopy. - Decorate (Optional):
Add birds, apples, or a sun.
🌱 3D Paper Tree (Still Easy!)
- Cut several green circles.
- Fold each circle in half.
- Glue folded edges together to create a 3D canopy.
- Attach to a paper trunk.
♻️ Earth Day Twist
- Use newspaper or scrap paper
- Write ways to help the Earth on the leaves
- Label: “Trees help us breathe!”
👶 Toddler-Friendly Option
- Pre-cut shapes
- Use glue sticks or double-sided tape
- Let kids tear paper instead of cutting
Would you like a printable template, classroom instructions, or a version using paper plates or toilet paper rolls? 🌍🌱
3. Egg Carton Earth
Carrots Are Orange’s Egg Carton Earth For an easy and entertaining hands-on activity that kids will enjoy creating, recycle egg cartons and paint them the colors of the Earth.
4. Mosaic Earth
Here’s a simple Mosaic Earth craft 🌍—perfect for Earth Day and easy for kids or classrooms:
🌍 Mosaic Earth Craft
Materials
- White paper or cardboard
- Blue & green paper (construction paper, magazines, or scrap paper)
- Glue stick
- Pencil (optional)
Instructions
- Draw the Earth:
Lightly draw a large circle on the paper. - Prepare the Mosaic Pieces:
Tear blue paper into small pieces (oceans).
Tear green paper into smaller pieces (land). - Glue:
Fill the circle with blue pieces first.
Add green pieces for continents. - Let Dry:
Press gently and allow to dry.
♻️ Earth Day Learning Ideas
- Talk about recycling paper
- Discuss how Earth is mostly water
- Add a caption: “Protect Our Planet”
👶 Toddler-Friendly Version
- Use larger paper pieces
- Outline the circle boldly
- Assist with glue placement
🎨 Creative Variations
- Use tissue paper for a stained-glass look
- Add cotton clouds around Earth
- Write Earth-friendly actions on green pieces
If you want, I can make this into a printable instruction card, bulletin board idea, or lesson plan 🌱
5. Stained Glass Globe
Stained Glass Globe (from Kinder-Craze) With just squares of tissue paper, the kids can easily create this stained glass globe, which is a great decoration to hang up once you’re done.
6. DIY Globe
Here are easy DIY Globe craft ideas 🌍—perfect for Earth Day, classrooms, or at-home fun:
🌍 DIY Globe (Paper Plate Version)
Materials
- 2 paper plates
- Blue & green paint or markers
- Glue or stapler
- String or yarn (optional)
Instructions
- Paint both plates blue and let dry.
- Paint or draw green continents on one plate.
- Glue or staple plates together (paint sides out).
- Add string to hang your globe.
🌎 DIY Globe (Balloon Version – 3D)
Materials
- Balloon
- Blue & green paper or paint
- Glue
- String
Instructions
- Inflate balloon.
- Cover with blue paper or paint blue.
- Add green land shapes.
- Let dry and hang or display.
♻️ Recycled Globe (Newspaper)
Materials
- Old newspapers
- Glue or tape
- Cardboard circle
Instructions
- Crumple newspaper into a ball.
- Wrap with tape.
- Cover with blue paper.
- Add green continents.
👶 Toddler-Friendly Option
- Pre-cut continents
- Use stickers instead of paint
- Focus on colors, not accuracy
🌱 Earth Day Learning Tie-In
- Talk about land vs. water
- Discuss how we can protect Earth
- Add label: “Our Home”
Would you like a printable globe template, a mess-free version, or a classroom display idea?
7. Hand Prints Around the World
Global Hand Prints (via Meet the Dubiens) Earth Day can also serve as an opportunity to teach children about the diversity of cultures found throughout the world. This simple project demonstrates the idea in an artistic manner.