Earth Day doesn’t have Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, but it can still be a ton of fun to celebrate Earth Day with kids.
History
The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, to bring awareness to environmental issues that were becoming increasingly problematic. It was spearheaded by Senator Nelson of Wisconsin, who mobilized more than 20 million people to participate in rallies across the U.S. to support the Earth. That first Earth Day was so successful that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created later that year, and Earth Day is now celebrated in 192 countries.
Kids and the Earth
My kids love to be outside. They love to play sports, dig in the dirt, just generally run amok. My kids also love nature. They are fascinated by animals, plants, and the weather. Kids are drawn to the earth, so it follows that they will thoroughly enjoy celebrating Earth Day.
It is more important now than ever before that we take extra steps to keep our kids connected to the Earth. We must teach our kids to keep their innate connection to the Earth, to take care of it, and to respect it. Instilling respect and love for the Earth in our kids is way more likely to succeed if we make it fun. So let’s celebrate Earth Day with our kids this week!
Activities to Celebrate Earth Day with Kids
Clean up litter
Unfortunately, anywhere you live, you can find some litter to clean up. Grab some rubber gloves and a trash bag and head to a nearby beach, park, or trail. Wherever you and your kids like to spend time outside, clean it up on Earth Day!
Visit the zoo
One of my kids’ favorite parts of the natural world is the animals that walk the Earth. They love all animals from the smallest mouse to the biggest elephant. To appreciate the whole spectrum of the Earth’s animals in one fell swoop, head to your local zoo. Watch the animals in their habitats and read the informational signs about a few of your favorites. You might learn something new yourself!
Take a walk
Strap on those sneakers, load up the stroller, and get out for a walk in nature. You don’t have to find a national park or exotic location to enjoy a walk in nature. Your neighborhood has plenty of nature to soak up. You can even turn an everyday walk into an Earth Day celebration with your kids by making it a scavenger hunt. Have your kids point out things like worms, leaves, birds, and mushrooms. The options are endless!
Plant a tree
A classic Earth Day activity is to plant something. Trees typically get the most press, but don’t feel like you have to expend that much effort. If you don’t have space or time to plant a big ol’ tree with your kids on Earth Day, set your sights on something smaller to plant.
Pick out some flowers at your local nursery and add some color to your front walkway or plant fruits and vegetables in your backyard garden. As you plant whatever you have selected, talk to your kids about the wonderful things that plants do for us. You can make this conversation apply to any age group – talk to babies about yummy fruits and vegetables that come from plants or get a bit more technical with a discussion about the carbon cycle with older kids.
Watch a wildlife documentary
I love me some Planet Earth! The video footage that humans have been able to get of the natural world with today’s technology is mind-blowing. Share some of those gorgeous images with your kids by dialing up a wildlife documentary on the streaming service of your choice. There are beautiful options wherever you stream.
Head to a recycling center
Another great way to teach your kids about good stewardship is to head to a recycling center this Earth Day. It’s so great that so many of us are blessed with curbside pick-up for so many categories of recyclable materials. But it’s pretty fun for kids to actually take a trip to a recycling center or drop-off location.
My son loves to take our glass recycling to the drop-off location. He gets excited to load the bin in the car and dump it in the big container parked in front of the liquor store (I have no idea how they selected this location, but it makes a lot of sense). The crunching and smashing sounds make his 4-year-old heart sing!
Go to a farm
Kids love farms. They love animal farms and food farms. And a trip to either is a great way to celebrate Earth Day with kids. Go pet some goats or pick some strawberries if you can. If you don’t have a farm nearby, find a farmer’s market. You can stroll through the booths and have your kids pick out the fruit or vegetable that most calls to them.
Shop at a thrift store
The thrift store is hands down my favorite place to buy clothes for my kids. I won’t lie, I mostly love the prices at the thrift store, but I also love that I’m giving more life to clothes that haven’t yet given up the ghost. If this idea intrigues you too, show your kids how they can help the Earth by taking them on a little shopping trip to the thrift store.
As you peruse the aisles, talk to them about how you’re helping the Earth by keeping these clothes out of the landfill and on their bums. They’ll love picking out a fun outfit, you’ll love the money you save, and the Earth will love your choice to reuse!
Have fun celebrating Earth Day with your kids this year. What other fun Earth Day activities do you have planned with your kids?