This year’s Earth Day theme, Invest In Our Planet will give you plenty to talk about with your child. But there’s no need to wait until Earth Day on April 22 to acknowledge the environment; you can celebrate Earth Month throughout April and beyond with activities that are fun, interactive, and educational. 

Earth Month is a great opportunity to get your toddler or preschooler excited about nature, the environment, wildlife, and the people who make this planet unique with rich learning experiences. Here’s some Earth Month activities to help your children be stewards of our planet. 

6 Earth Month Activities for Young Children

Are you looking for some inspiration for exciting Earth Month activities suitable for toddlers and preschoolers? If so, you’re in luck. Here are some of Vivvi’s favorite games and activities.

1. Plant Flowers and Seeds

This Earth Month activity is fun for all the family – and the best thing is you don’t have to own a backyard to do it. All you need are a few plant pots, seeds, water, and soil. Herbs like basil or chives are great for this purpose. 

While planting your chosen seeds or flowers, ask your child questions like “where do you think flowers come from?” or “how long do you think it will take the plant to grow?” You and your child can take care and nurture your seeds every day, noticing when they start to grow. 

2. Make an Earth Day Collage

Arts and crafts are an excellent way to capture your child’s attention, and offer learning benefits for your children as well. If you want to add an Earth Day collage as part of your Earth month activities, you can use colored paper and glue to make a collage of our planet. Or, maybe get a little more creative with your art supplies and go collect leaves as a family to use in the collage. It’s an opportunity to explore the Earth, then make art about your experience.

3. Go Birdwatching

Birdwatching is a perfect Earth Day activity for kids. Nature is wonderful, and there’s no better way to celebrate it than by learning about the animals that make Earth their home. You don’t need any fancy equipment to do this activity either. 

Plan a trip to your local park and see how many different kinds of birds you can spot. Bring paper and coloring materials with you, and ask your child to draw a picture of their favorite bird. Make observations such as “that bird has vibrant red feathers and black markings on its face.” You can use an app like the Merlin Bird ID to identify the birds you see.

4. Watch a Nature Documentary

There are plenty of nature documentaries that you can watch with young children. One of our favorites here at Vivvi is the Life of Mammals series, which focuses on warm-blooded animals that are familiar to kids.

Another classic is the March of the Penguins, narrated by Morgan Freeman. This nature documentary which follows the lives of emperor penguins in Antarctica, is not only educational but also teaches us about the importance of family. 

5. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

A great way to get your kids to actually enjoy the Earth during Earth Month is to plan a nature scavenger hunt. Whether in your backyard or on a nature trail, this is a great way to get your child learning about the world around them. Make a checklist before you go and get your children to find items such as pine cones, leaves, rocks, and flowers. 

You can also use this as an opportunity to help your child develop their gross motor skills by adding in some physical challenges along the way.Check out our list of the best outdoor activities for kids to help develop their gross motor skills for more fun ideas.  

6. Learn About Recycling 

Recycling is an essential part of keeping our environment clean. As parents, we can get our children involved in recycling from a young age. Recycling can be a fun learning activity if you make it exciting by turning it into a game. For example, you can ask your child to sort different objects such as cardboard or berry containers into recycling piles. Or teach them how to repurpose old objects instead of throwing them away. Try using a shoebox or an egg carton for a fun art project and show your child that everything old can be new again!

Earth Day Celebrations: How to Get Your Child Interested in Nature

Concepts such as climate change policies or the need for reducing our carbon footprint might be too advanced for young children to understand. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t teach children how important nature is. 

Often, a conversation about caring for the Earth can be built into everyday activities. With their naturally inquisitive minds and love for exploration, children are often celebrating nature without even realizing it!. Next time they jump in puddles on a rainy day or pick daisies in the park, use it as an opportunity to start a conversation about the environment.. 

(You can check out our blog on the top 5 Earth Day facts for preschoolers and toddlers for more conversation-starters).

Earth Day activities for kids are a great way to help your children learn more about the world that they live in. Whatever activities you choose, we can guarantee that they will allow your children to see nature in a whole new light.

Vivvi provides child care and early learning for children ages 0-5, with unrivaled flexibility that works for today’s families. Our inquiry-based curriculum is facilitated by warm, experienced teachers in bright, open spaces that let children make big connections to the growing world around them. Find your nearest Vivvi here.