14 Earth Day Activities to Make Saving the Planet Totally Fun (and Kid-Approved!)

Earth Day rolls around every year, and honestly, we’re always searching for hands-on earth day ideas to promote environmental awareness and celebrate nature and earth day theme and make it special with our crew.

Rain or shine, with toddlers or grumpy teens, we’ve tried just about everything to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote environmental stewardship by giving the students, community and planet a little extra love.

We’ve rounded up 14 easy and meaningful earth day activities and kids science experiments that include art project activities to help us connect with our kids through hands on activity, get outside, and actually enjoy doing some good for the planet—no perfection required.

Because if we’re going to celebrate nature, we might as well have a little fun (and maybe get our hands dirty together).

1) Plant a pollinator garden with colorful flowers

Let’s get our hands dirty, besties! We can grab seeds like marigold, butterfly bush, lavender, or even basil and turn a tiny patch of yard into a bright pollinator paradise.

Bees and butterflies are going to absolutely love us for this. We’ll mix in flowers that bloom at different times so there’s always something pretty going on.

If you want inspo, check out this list of favorite pollinator plants and get planting!

2) Make salt dough Earth Day medallions to wear

Let’s get a little messy! We can mix up some salt dough together—just flour, salt, and water.

If our kitchen looks like a flour explosion, we’re definitely doing it right. Shape the dough into little Earth medallions, poke a hole at the top (necklace crew, this step is for you), and bake or let them air dry.

Once they’re ready, we can decorate them with paints or food coloring. Seriously, this is one of those easy crafts where everyone can join, no matter the age.

Check out more inspiration at Little Bins for Little Hands.

3) Create a bug hotel from recycled materials

Let’s get a little wild and build a home for bugs! We can grab stuff like plastic bottles, cardboard tubes, pine cones, and old plant stems.

Honestly, it’s just a big messy craft project—our favorite kind. Stack everything together, pop it in a quiet corner, and watch the bugs move in like it’s a five-star resort.

For some easy inspo, including art activities check out these simple bug hotel ideas that use things we already have lying around.

4) Host a trash collage or mural art session

Let’s grab some old magazines, bottle caps, or even clean wrappers and turn “trash” into treasure!

We can work as a team to create a big Earth Day collage or mural right on the wall (or, let’s be real, just the kitchen table).

No fancy art skills needed—just a love for glue, mess, and seeing what we come up with together.

For more inspo, check out these Earth Day art activities!

5) Build seed bombs to toss in empty spaces

Let’s get our hands messy and make seed bombs! It’s as easy as ripping up old paper, blending it with water, and squishing in some wildflower seeds.

We just roll them into little balls, let them dry, and then—our favorite part—head outside and toss them into bare patches of dirt.

If you want a step-by-step writing prompt, check out this simple seed bomb tutorial.

6) Try a paperless challenge for a day

Can we talk about how much paper we use without even thinking? Let’s shake things up and go paperless for a whole day together!

We can snap pics of our notes, use apps for lists, and even send “I love you” notes by text (way faster, right?).

There are cool activities and STEM challenges that are totally paper-free. Let’s see if we can make it—who’s with us?

7) Go on a virtual tour of a national park

Okay, let’s be real—sometimes dragging everyone outside just doesn’t happen. Good news! We can check out epic places like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon right from our couch.

Pajamas totally welcome. There are awesome virtual tours of national parks that let us explore caves, watch geysers, and even peek at cool animals.

No hiking boots required! It’s a chill way to see beautiful views, learn cool facts, and maybe get the kids dreaming about a real trip someday.

8) Make veggie stick hummus ‘plants’ snack cups

Let’s grab those mason jars and fill the bottoms with hummus—seriously, it’s so easy. Then we can pop in carrot, celery, and bell pepper sticks.

They look like little edible gardens, and our kids get a kick out of it. Snack time just got an upgrade, and cleanup is a breeze.

Check out these veggie hummus cup ideas if we need some creative inspo!

9) Upcycle old clothes into reusable bags

Let’s be real—we all have that pile of old t-shirts or jeans just taking up space. Why not turn them into cute, reusable bags?

No sewing degree required, promise! We can use some simple DIY tips to whip these up together.

Cotton and denim are sturdy faves and perfect for hauling groceries or library books. Bonus: We get to brag about our upcycle skills!

10) Set up a mini compost bin at home

Let’s be real—composting sounds fancy, but we can totally rock it with stuff we already have around the house to teach environmental responsibility through our lesson plans , as encouraged by the environmental protection agency. Grab a plastic container or an old jar and let the mini science magic begin!

All we do is toss in food scraps, like veggie peels and coffee grounds, and give it a mix every now and then to help reduce our carbon footprint . Decorating our bins is half the fun—stickers, anyone?

Composting is a cool way to help the planet and keep things a little less messy in the kitchen, too. For more DIY compost ideas, check out this guide to composting with kids.

11) Organize a neighborhood litter cleanup

Let’s round up the crew—kids, neighbors, even that dog who just likes to watch—and take on the trash together. We just need some gloves, garbage bags, and maybe a playlist for good vibes.

We’ll pick a spot, like the playground or our block, and get cleaning. Don’t forget to snap those before-and-after pics and maybe reward ourselves with ice cream after!

Check out this cleanup checklist to make it super easy.

12) Create Earth Day themed slime with natural ingredients

Let’s be real—kids plus earth day slime equals instant happiness. For Earth Day, let’s whip up some awesome slime using natural or safer ingredients like baking soda, cornstarch, and a splash of safe dye to connect with the natural world .

It keeps things eco-friendly and maybe just a little less messy (okay, probably not… but we can hope). Toss in some glitter or food coloring for those blue and green planet vibes.

If you want more slime inspo for students , check out this great activity: Earth Day baking soda slime idea. Letting kids mix and squish their way to a cleaner Earth just feels right.

13) Start a simple herb garden with the kids

How cute is the idea of planting a little herb garden together? No need to be gardening experts—just grab some small pots, a sunny windowsill, and a few easy herbs like mint or basil.

Watching those tiny green sprouts pop up is way more fun than scrolling our phones. It’s science mixed with feel-good vibes, and honestly, the kids will love checking for new growth every day.

For extra easy tips and book suggestions , peek at these herb garden activities for children. There’s something about fresh herbs that makes the whole place smell better, too.

14) Make recycled paper using household scraps

Let’s turn kitchen chaos into cool new paper. Who doesn’t love a little crafty mess?

Grab those old magazines, homework fails, or yesterday’s grocery list—anything headed for the recycling bin is fair game. Tear it up, soak the scraps, and blend with water until it’s mush.

Then press it, let it dry, and boom—it’s homemade paper! Kids adore getting hands-on and, honestly, so do we.

Boosting Fun While Being Green

Eco-friendly activities can be just as fun (sometimes even more) than anything else on our planner. We’re all about clever ways to teach green lessons that create a big impact and making sure every kiddo joins the fun.

Sneaky Ways to Make Eco-Lessons Engaging

If it doesn’t feel fun, most kids run the other way. So, let’s make going green sneaky-cool.

Try scavenger hunts where kids spot different types of pollution or wildlife. Give kiddos a checklist for the backyard or park and celebrate every discovery with high-fives and maybe a silly sticker.

Crafts work like magic. Hand everyone a coffee filter, blue and green markers, and a squirt of water—suddenly, they’re artists making a mini Earth masterpiece.

This simple activity mixing art and science is fun and so easy. It’s inspired by awesome ideas like the coffee filter Earth craft that gets both their brains and hands busy.

Cooking together is another win! Try making snacks with fruits or veggies and talk about how we can reduce food waste by composting the scraps to help our environment with this writing freebie .

Turning a snack into a planet-friendly chat feels way less “lesson-y” and way more like a party.

Tips for Including All Kids (Even the Reluctant Ones!)

We all know those kids who’d rather do anything else. Try offering tiny choices to bring them in.

Let them pick between drawing, making art from old boxes, or just being the “Spray Bottle Holder” for water crafts. Sometimes, a small role is all they need to feel included.

For kids who don’t want to get messy, hand out special jobs. They could be the “Animal Spotter” during a nature walk.

That’s a pretty important gig, right? Doing these things together shakes up the routine and helps everyone feel like they belong.

For more ideas, peek at these Earth Day activities for little ones.

Honestly, making a mess is kind of the point in our lesson plans . We laugh at the goof-ups and try not to stress about perfection.

Any effort counts—even if it’s just showing up. That’s really what matters most.