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15 Earth Day Activities for Kids of All Ages
The greatest opportunity to honour planet Earth and teach children of all ages about the value of environmental protection is on April 22nd, Earth Day.
What is Earth Day?
In order to annually honour the beginning of the environmental movement, the first Earth Day was established in 1970. More than a billion people will celebrate Earth Day in 2023 as a day of action to alter human behaviour and bring about local, national, and international policy improvements. There is ample evidence of Earth Day’s success. How can you use this motivational day to incorporate Earth Day concepts into your lesson planning and classroom?
Earth Day Activities
1. Discussion around carbon footprint
Attempting to influence governmental policy changes to enhance environmental protections is a major focus of Earth Day. But it’s crucial to consider how each of us leads our own life. We’ve gathered some suggestions for how we might better ourselves for the planet Earth. The following could also be brought up with your students:
- The process of composting is how nature recycles. A composting system may already exist in the homes of some children. Others would profit from knowing about a simple do-it-yourself recycling system that, if they have a yard, they might be able to construct. This is an excellent opportunity to talk about the science of composting and how it enhances soil health while reducing waste transported to landfills. You can create your own compost to be utilised for future planting.
- The Five Rs are Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Rot, and Recycle
1. Rejecting everything we don’t need is an option.
2. Reduce your use so that we can preserve the raw materials that would have been required to create those items.
3. Reusing items allows us to avoid placing them in the garbage and allows us to use them during their whole lifespan.
4. We allow food waste to decompose and allow mother Earth to recycle materials by composting in small bins.
5. Recycling ultimately decreases the strain on the Earth if none of the other solutions are practical. Unwanted goods can be reused through upcycling, and recycled materials can even be used to create brand-new products. For the purpose of teaching children what can and cannot be recycled, you may set up a recycling container in the classroom. Play this game to add some additional enjoyment to this lesson.
You can reduce your carbon footprint by planting trees. This is a chance to talk about deforestation and the harm it does, especially in the Amazon.
Ask the children to complete Kami’s worksheet on what they can accomplish on their own and talk about what they can change in your school together after the discussion.
2. Scavenger hunt
What better way to honour Earth Day than to spend time in the outdoors? Bring the children to a nearby park and give them worksheets with items to locate to identify the natural world. This is excellent for younger children’s sensory play and for older children’s analytical skill development. If doing this in person isn’t an option, try doing it online. On Earth Day, some of the best national parks provide free virtual tours for children to enjoy.
3. Check out the Smithsonian
A variety of free activities and materials are available on The Learning Lab to create some creative Earth Day ideas.
4. Grow your own
Grow some potatoes to show the kids where food comes from and how careful you must be not to squander it. The children will be able to watch the roots and the entire development thanks to these window bags. They will hopefully no longer take fresh food for granted and will be mindful not to squander it after going through the entire process.
5. Choose a book
Earth Day novels would be fantastic, but even the most reluctant readers can find inspiration in a wide variety of publications. Take the chance to learn why indigenous tribes are the keepers of biodiversity while learning about how crucial it is to maintain the environment.
6. Earth Day craft
Ask the youngsters to create an art project using some recycled materials (such as cereal boxes, plastic bottles, old magazines, egg cartons, etc.). Giving children the opportunity to create art using recyclable materials is a wonderful way to teach them that they can reuse anything. For this Earth Day art project, remember to reuse, recycle, and decrease waste.
7. Coloring
Pre-k children may learn about environmental protection while using their creativity to colour an Earth Day colouring page, which is both entertaining and instructive. It offers a fun way to spread knowledge about environmental issues and motivate people to take action. Another choice is to use this blank template that illustrates a few straightforward methods kids can practise environmental awareness. A little writing space is provided below the activity for students to record their own suggestions for ways they can protect the environment.
8. Learn about the Earth’s structure
Use this scientific experiment to teach your children about the structure of the earth.
9. Build an insect hotel
Find out why and how insects are important for biodiversity. Get the youngsters outside to construct a hotel to guard the vital animals. Pay special attention to pine cones, dead leaves, and moss.
10. Inspire some community action
This booklet includes a number of service-learning activities that concentrate on several facets of secure solid waste management, like recycling, composting, and lowering household hazardous waste.
11. Donate
Ask the children to consider any goods they no longer need and see if they can donate them to nearby charities. Encourage the youngsters to realise that going there and buying can assist them in reducing, recycling, and reusing!
12. Do a quiz
All of these printable, free tests were developed by Earth Day with your needs in mind. Check them out to see if any would work for you and your lesson ideas.
13. Make a bird feede
Kids’ crafts are a good Earth Day activity. Students will appreciate the craft and art activity if you use the time to teach them about appropriate bird food to feed (not bread!).
14. Make a suncatcher
This tutorial will demonstrate an earth-friendly method for creating an artwork for Earth Day. Discuss the significance of the materials you choose for Earth Day crafts and keep it in mind for subsequent art projects all year long.
15. Make a seed ball
Seed bombs have received a lot of attention, but seed balls might be more suitable for young children. You can put these seed balls under a layer of dirt and watch the plants grow all year long if you make them. The fact that they’re made of recyclable materials (paper) and teach youngsters about reducing, reusing, and recycling is an added plus!