Activities to celebrate Earth Day with kids

Apr 16, 2013 1:00 PM by SheKnows Parenting Editors

Posted in Parenting / Family Fun / Family Activities

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day (April 22) is the day to educate children — and adults — about the importance of keeping our planet clean.

Get kids excited and involved

Children are very influential and often learn new things every day. They also tend to have a heart of gold and instinctively want to help and please others. If we can educate our children about the importance of caring for our planet through family fun and play, we can only hope they will continue the cycle with future generations.

Make lifestyle changes

The best activities you can perform on Earth Day are to put active plans in place for the entire year. Use Earth Day as your starting point to educate your family and create awareness for doing good deeds. This is also a great way to conserve, cut down on your household bills and implement change and responsibility for your kids.

Reduce

Teach your children about conserving electricity, water and reducing fuel emissions by turning off house lights and appliances when not needed, turning off the faucet while brushing teeth and taking more walks or riding bikes instead of driving.

Reuse

Look for ways to reuse things around the house or use them for craft projects. Buy or accept secondhand clothing and household items when you can, and donate unused items to an organization or school in need.

Recycle

If you don't already have one, designate a waste bin for recyclable materials. For younger children, designate three smaller waste bins or stackable boxes and draw or use magazine pictures of recyclable items to the side of each bin. It's easier for younger children to grasp the concept of recycling if it's visual — and if the items are separated into categories like plastic, paper and aluminum.

Click the infographic (right) to enlarge >>

Host an Earth Day event

Beach clean-up event

Organize and host a beach, park or community clean-up event. Pick up littered public areas and/or lay grass or plant flowers and trees where the agriculture has died. Cleaning up debris helps our natural wildlife and the newly planted horticulture reduces the amount of wasted water consumption, and that helps the environment.

Throw an Earth Day party

Throw a party for your kids to cap off your Earth Day efforts. Start your day with a clean-up outdoors, watch Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, make an Earth Day jar (see below), cook a meal from organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables — then finish it off with a fun Earth Day dessert.

How to make an Earth Day jar

Earth Day jar

Create a jar full of ways your children and your family can help the Earth beyond Earth Day this year.

What you'll need:

scissors
pen
scrap paper and/or paper bags
large mason jar

What you'll do:

Cut small strips from paper bags or scrap paper.
Write down simple things you can do on a weekly or monthly basis to help the Earth.
Draw one piece of paper each weekend or once a month — depending on what you decide.

Examples of what to put in your jar:

Plant a tree.
Sew your own towels to replace paper towels.
Volunteer at a recycling center or recycling event in your community.
Make a home movie about what you do to help the Earth, and share it with friends and family.

Get involved with conservation groups or programs in your area (aquariums, the zoo, etc.)
Host a movie night showing the kid-friendly Disney movie, Earth, and invite friends.
Plant a garden in your yard.
Join your local horticulture society or club.