Earth Month Activities for Kids of all Ages!

Earth Day has come and gone but Earth month continues (and to be honest- shouldn’t Earth Day be every day?). One of the best things we can do to celebrate Earth month is inspire future generations to take care of our planet. Educating our littles is crucial, since the future of the Earth is in their hands. Here are several ideas to get started:

1. Read an Earth Day book

There are tons of good children’s resources out there, including books. Here is a list of Earth Day books I highly recommend!

2. Teach your child about composting

Food scraps are organic and biodegradable, but food scraps that we put in the trash go to landfills where they release gases that harm the planet. One of the best ways to promote environmental awareness is by teaching kids about composting. Don’t have a composting bin? You can make your own!

3. Plant a tree or garden

There are endless reasons why trees are so important. It’s also fun to plant a tree when your child is little and watch with them each year. If you don’t have room to plant trees in your yard, gardening is also a great Earth month activity. Gardening promotes responsibility and helps children learn about ecosystems. (Plus kids just love getting their hands dirty).

4. Shop at a thrift store

Clothes, toys, and home goods are a few things that take up the most room in our landfills. By visiting a thrift store you can show your child the importance of reusing items and giving them new life.

5. Visit a farm

Kids love visiting the farm and it’s important that they learn where their food comes from and the importance of supporting local farmers.

6. Teach your child how to sew or knit

Sewing used to be a skill passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, with the rise of fast fashion people opt for cheaper clothes and don’t take care of them, which means more clothing in landfills. Teaching your child to sew or knit teaches them to be responsible and is good for hand-eye coordination. You might also be creating a life long hobby!

7. Take a hike

One of the best ways to celebrate our Earth is to simply enjoy the outdoors. Go for a hike or nature walk and point out the wonders of nature to your child. You can also motivate kids with a nature scavenger hunt!

8. Beach or Lake clean up

Millions of tons of plastic is discarded into our oceans each year. A beach clean up is a great hands-on way to help out. Can’t make it to the beach? A lake clean up is also important. Did you know the Great Lakes get more than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution each year? Take your child to a local lake and help the wild life by picking out trash.

9. Go to a natural science museum

Can’t spend time outdoors? Visiting a science museum is a great way to spend a rainy day and learn about different habitats and animals. Museums will often have hands-on Earth Day activities for kids.

10. Create a recyclable creature!

If you’re looking for another indoor activity, try creating a robot, animal, or other creature out of recyclable materials. Cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, and bottle caps can all be used to get creative minds going. You can help your child make something, or simply give materials to an older child for a great STEM project.

Hope you enjoy trying some of these ideas with your littles!