Earth Day Activities for Kids

The second theme for this year’s Storybook Science series was Science for the Future – ideas to inspire saving the planet. We shared conservation activities, environmental science lessons, Earth Day activities for kids, and talked about ways kids can make a difference. Each of the activities was inspired by a children’s book. I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

Earth Day is April 22nd. That makes April the perfect month for focusing on conservation efforts and teaching environmental education. Reading books that teach conservation lessons can have a lasting impact on our children. They are our future. Let’s help give them the tools they need to protect our Earth.

Pollution and Recycling Activities

Learn about the importance of recycling and waste management as well as the impact of pollution on the environment with these activity ideas.

Use these Lorax Writing Prompts as a springboard for facilitating a discussion on pollution and habitat loss (topics that are prominent in The Lorax).

Read The Lorax and then use my Lorax Cause and Effect Matching Game to talk about what happens in the story. The game highlights the environmental message in The Lorax.

Begin a discussion on recycling with the question: How Long Does It Last? This idea from Smart Tinker was inspired by The Lorax.

Learn about sea pollution with this activity inspired by The Lorax from Science Sparks.

Set up an easy decomposition experiment to see what will break down first. This idea from Science Sparks was also inspired by The Lorax.

Here Comes the Garbage Barge will start the discussion about what happens to our trash. Make a Landfill Model after reading the book. Share it! Science shows us how.

Read Here Comes the Garbage Barge and evaluate your own waste management efforts. Learn How to Have a Home Waste Audit with this activity from Kitchen Counter Chronicles.

Make seed balls (and airplanes) from recycled paper. Buggy and Buddy has this cool activity inspired by The Great Paper Caper.

Learn about conserving trees and make your own recycled paper after reading The Great Paper Caper. Line Upon Line Learning shows us how.

Reading The Great Paper Caper will encourage your child to make paper airplanes. However, it also brings about the point that we shouldn’t waste paper in the name of paper airplane making. Use paper from the recycling bin or better yet turn your artwork into paper airplanes. Then try this STEAM paper airplane experiment at Rainy Day Mum.

Investigate the impact of humans on ocean animals by making a plastic bag jelly fish model. This activity from Rainy Day Mum is inspired by Follow the Moon Home – a powerful story that showcases the effect children can have as advocates for the environment.

Use The Water Hole to teaching kids about water conservation and the water cycle. Edventures with Kids has the lesson details.

Try this oil spill clean up experiment inspired by Oil Spill! from Teach Beside Me

Or try this oil spill clean up experiment from Kitchen Counter Chronicles. It’s the perfect follow up to Harriet’s Home at Sea, a book about a little girl’s home on the Great Barrier Reef and the devastating effects an oil spill has there.

Make a recycled planter on a string after reading The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle. JDaniel4’s Mom has the instructions.

Repurpose your recycled materials and learn how to make a boat. JDaniel4’s Mom was inspired by Toy Boat for their creation.

Animal Conservation and Habitat Exploration

One of the best ways for people to care about the environment is for them to connect to it. Reading books about specific animals and habitats and actually getting out and experiencing nature helps people want to protect the animals, plants, and ecosystems they’ve come to know and love.

Great Family Reads shows us how to explore conservation through books. Over by the Harbour is given as an example.

Head out to your own backyard and take a survey of what you find. Learn about biodiversity for kids with this activity from Edventures with Kids. Many and Out of School and Into Nature are recommended books in this post.

Read Into the Sea and be inspired to learn about sea turtle conservation with kids. Rainy Day Mum shares several activity ideas in this post.

Kitchen Counter Chronicles shares a polar bear activity to learn about melting sea ice. Two non-fiction books about polar bears are recommended.

Go on a Bee and Pollinator Scavenger Hunt after reading Flight of the Honey Bee. Also learn about ways to help pollinators in this post from To be a Kid Again.

Making a bee bath for your garden would be another great activity for Flight of the Honey Bee. Kitchen Counter Chronicles has the instructions.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a wonderful introduction to conservation for young kids. Let them connect with the caterpillar and be excited as he changes into a butterfly. Learn more about Butterfly Conservation for Kids.

On Meadowview Street will inspire you to explore your backyard. Go on a wildflower photo safari and create your own field guide. Books and Giggles has the instructions.

Mama Smiles shares three simple ways children can help with conservation. This post recommends reading Over in the Meadow and several other books as well.

You’ll also want to check out this list of awesome Earth Day books for kids.

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