Are you looking for fun and meaningful Earth Day Activities to celebrate the beautiful planet we call home? We’ve got them!
It’s time to get excited for Earth Day (April 22) and all the fun Earth Day activities (for kids and adults) that come with it! From exploring local parks and hiking trails to hosting eco-friendly parties and picnics, there are endless ways to have fun while doing your part in protecting the environment. So, let’s get out there and show Mother Nature some love!
50 Fun Earth Day Activities to Celebrate Earth Day!
1 Start a garden! Teach kids how to plant seeds (or seed bombs) for herbs, veggies, fruit, or flowers.
2. Start a recycling bin for recyclable materials like cans, plastic bottles, and cardboard. Remember, old schoolwork, notes, and drawings can be recycled too.
3. Give kids an eco-hero writing prompt encouraging them to think about environmental issues and solutions. For instance, “Imagine you are a superhero with the power to protect the Earth. What is your superhero name, and what special powers do you have to help save the planet?”
4. Science experiments are always fun. See how plants absorb water. (Put a celery stalk in water overnight with a few drops of red or blue food coloring. Cut the stalk crosswise to see how the plant took in the water.)
5. Go on a bike ride.
6. Create an oil spill and clean-up experiment. Fill a shallow container with water and add a few drops of cooking oil to create a ‘spill.’ Then, provide the kids with materials like cotton balls, dish soap, spoons, and straws to experiment with different clean-up methods. Have them try to clean up the spill using only the materials provided and see which method is most effective.
7. Gather all of your outgrown and unused clothes and organize a swap with friends or family.
8. Check out the activities available at your local parks.
9. Fill up some containers with homemade eco-friendly cleaners.
10. Go bird watching.
11. Make a bird feeder.
12. Have a picnic with local, organic produce.
13. Cloud gaze.
14. Star gaze.
15. Learn about a newly discovered plant or animal species native to your area. (Local nature centers can be a great resource.)
16. See how rain is formed. (Tie a plastic bag around a tree branch with leaves for a few hours. The bag will fill with condensation from the water transpired by the leaves.)
17. Count the rings on a tree stump to find the tree’s age. (Wide rings show years of strong growth. Narrow rings show years with tougher conditions like drought, insect damage, lack of sunlight, etc.)
18. Make connect-the-dot diagrams to help you remember the constellation shapes.
19. Visit a planetarium.
20. Fly a kite.
21. Make a spring mural.
22. Play in the mud and make mudpies.
23. Try building a nest. (Gather up dried grass, twigs, paper scraps, trash, string, and try to form a nest with your hands by weaving everything together. Not that easy, is it? Birds are amazing.)
24. Learn your state bird, flower, and tree. Design a poster or placemat with them.
25. Make a rain gauge.
26. Examine the roots of a plant, and talk about how they absorb nutrients. What roots do people eat?
27. Grow some sprouts to eat.
28. Visit a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.
29. Look for bird feathers. (Are they contour feathers or down feathers? Talk about how the barbs of contour feathers lock together and how birds spend time preening to get them aligned properly.)
30. Make a plant press, and press some flowers.
31. Start a scrapbook of tree leaves.
32. Visit a working animal farm.
33. Explore a pond or lake. (Look for life on the water’s surface, tracks along the muddy banks, and plants and animal life in or near the water.)
34. Use a cricket as a thermometer. (Count the number of chirps in one minute. Subtract 40 from the number of chirps, divide that by four, and add 50. The answer will be the temperature measured in Fahrenheit. Did it work?)
35. Talk about ways that people use the oceans.
36. Make a mobile from beach treasures.
37. Dye some yarn with plants.
38. Use the sun to dry some foods.
39. Make solar prints.
40. Make rock rubbings.
41. Plan a meal from your garden.
42. Use an old tissue box to store plastic bags for reusing.
43. Visit a quarry or mine.
44. Make some rock candy.
45. Learn some of the cloud formations.
46. Listen for nocturnal animals.
47. Make a daisy or dandelion chain.
48. Experiment with ocean water. (Can you smell it in the air when you get close to the beach? After swimming, can you feel how it dries and tightens your skin? Lick your skin for a taste of the ocean. Save some ocean water in a clear bowl and let it evaporate for a few days, leaving only the minerals. Taste to confirm there’s salt.)
49. Watch birds fly. Some ride thermal currents and don’t flap their wings much at all, while others, like crows and robins, beat their wings twice a second. Hummingbirds beat them 70 times per second. How long can you flap your arms like a bird?)
50. Go on a scavenger hunt for mushrooms. (Don’t eat them unless you’re 100% sure they’re safe.)
Check out these Earth Day books for more Earth Day activities.
Earth Day Coloring Book for Adults: Earth Day Activity Book for Adults – Coloring Book for Adults Earth Day
Exploring Nature Activity Book for Kids: 50 Creative Projects to Spark Curiosity in the Outdoors (Exploring for Kids Activity Books and Journals)The EARTH BookThank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet: A Springtime Book For Kids
