Need quick and easy Earth Day activities for kids? You’ve come to the right place. The truth is, I was trying to get a multitude of ideas your way, but they had me all thinking. – Are these Earth Day ideas taking care of the Earth?
Allow me to simplify things for you and your family.
RELATED: And if you love going outdoors as we do, check out these summer activities for toddlers.
What can kids do on Earth Day?
The other morning, my five-year-old grabbed A Little Bit of Dirt and flung himself onto the sofa.
Mom, I am going to find us something to do today.
Early learners need to explore. No worksheets.
NOW is the time we want hands-on learning. So as he skimmed through the pages, I knew he was a boy on a mission, and I was going to follow his lead.
RELATED: How did Earth Day get started? You’ll want to read this educational article about the history of Earth Day.
Earth Day Activities for Kids that are Actually Good for the Earth!
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 1 minute
- ▶️ Play Time: 31 minutes
- ✏️ Supplies: In your backyard!
- 💬 Conversation Starter: I wonder why sticks are important. What do you think?
- 😁 Language to Use: Keep the conversation natural. You do not need to force teachable moments. Kids will learn as they go just by seeing, touching, and using their senses.
- 💡 Pro Tip: Break this Earth Day activity up and explore for multiple days!
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Supplies
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Most of the supplies you will find in your yard! Here are a few supplies that work well with Earth Day Activities.
A Little Bit of Dirt
This is such a great book that helps families explore the outdoors.
Handheld Microscope
Take an even closer look and spend more time outdoors with this handheld microscope!
Magnifier and Tweezer
Learning Resources has such great tools for littles. We love this magnifier.
What to do first
His job was to go outside and collect items from the Earth. Look, as a mom of three boys, this is a great opportunity for you to bring out your chair with some hot coffee. Let this collection live on as long as possible. Nature Sticky Hunt is another fun way to collect items in your yard.
Sounds simple because it is! My son headed outdoors to see, touch, listen, and engage with every element of the outdoors. If it comes up naturally, I lean into open-ended questions (ones that don’t have a yes-or-no answer).
- I wonder why sticks are important. What do you think?
- You found a rock. Is it smooth or rough?
- Yikes! That pinecone is sharp! Why do you think a pinecone is sharp? Is there anything on it that makes it sharp?
RELATED: Want to get your sensory play outside ready? Take a look at our outdoor sensory bin.
Next, do this
Bring your Earth Day activity back inside to classify.
Why Sort and Classify? (Former teacher here!) By Kindergarten, children using the common core standards will practice classifying objects into given categories.
You can sort the objects by:
- Type
- Texture
- Color
- And truly, what comes naturally to your child. Allow them to take the lead.
We can begin doing this now in ways that naturally interest our children and are playful.
Finally, let’s make art!
You can extend this nature collection into art! Add some glue and make a nature collage. You can find even more nature art ideas in my post on spring crafts for kids.
RELATED: Spring is here! Check out this list of 51+ Spring Activities for Kids!
Why explore the outdoors on Earth Day?
- Sensory
- Fine motor
- Independence
- Vitamin D
- Problem-solving
- Screen-free
- Gross motor
- Creative thinking
- Predictions
- Exploring textures
- Exploring sounds
