Looking for fun activities to teach your toddler about Earth Day? Below are 16 meaningful and fun ways to explore the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling. (Don’t miss the cutest little fairy house at #13!)
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1. Seek-and-Find Nature Walk
Earth Day is a great excuse to spend the day outdoors! Weather permitting, a short hike could be the perfect way to get your toddler to connect with nature. (This is my son’s favorite thing to do on any day.)
I love the idea of making our Earth Day nature hike extra special by using this Seek-and-Find style counting sheet to really pay attention and explore our surroundings.
Help your kiddo count the birds, trees, squirrels, etc. (It’s also a great way to practice nature vocabulary!)
Get the free printable at NoTimeForFlashCards.com and bring it to the park… or your backyard!
2. Read An Earth Day Book
These two books are short and sweet enough for toddlers to pay attention, include BEAUTIFUL artwork, and teach respect for the planet earth. It’s a great lesson for the little guys and it makes a great Earth Day gift.
3. Giant Recycled Coloring Page
Printed on recycled paper, your toddler will have so much fun coloring in this nature scene! Hang it on the wall for extra fun and discuss how recycling takes care of our rainforest animals.
4. Plant Seeds
Whether you want to create a vegetable garden in the yard or make a recycled flower pot, your toddler will love digging in the dirt and seeing their seedlings grow over the next few weeks.
Watering their new plant daily is also a great way to teach responsibility and continue the Earth Day conversation.
If you’re looking for an indoor activity (that’s much less messy) try reusing an egg carton and “planting” these adorable popsicle stick flowers.
This is an excellent fine motor activity and your toddler can color the flowers too! Get the printable flowers at teach-me-mommy.com.
5. Pollution Clean-Up Sensory Bin
Mrs. Plemons’ Kindergarten is such a great resource for toddler activities that teach valuable skills. She had this great idea for a pollution cleanup activity.
All you need to create this sensory bin is a large tub or water table, water, bits of trash (coffee filters, banana peels, plastic, paper, etc.), and a slotted spoon or strainer. If your toddler is anything like mine, he or she will LOVE splashing and fishing for the “pollution” …while improving their fine motor skills!
See more of Mrs. Plemons’ Earth Day Activities here.
6. Color Sort Bottle Caps
What toddler doesn’t love sorting by color? Practice saying the color out loud and use the free printable worksheet below to help sort them. When you’re finished, recycle those caps (and the paper)!
7. Earth Day Handprint Craft
If you’re looking for a fun art project, you and your toddler will love this cute printable handprint craft. (Made by yours truly!)
You don’t have to be a “Pinterest Mom” to make super cute handprint crafts with your little one. Simply print at home (on recycled paper) and stamp your child’s handprints.
(Click below and use the Etsy code HOLAMAMA for 15% off!)
8. Recycling Sort Activity
Reuse toilet paper rolls to create mini recycling and trash bins. Then, look for things around the house to sort out into each bin.
In this example on ChalkAcademy.com, they used bits of plastic wrap, cardboard, paper, bottle caps, aluminum foil, leaves, flowers, twigs, cloth, and napkins.
Read the instructions here on how to create this sorting craft with your toddler. (This activity pairs well with the Cocomelon song below!)
9. Cocomelon Video
Cocomelon coming in clutch for Earth Day with their “Clean Up Trash” Song. It’s only 3 minutes long, you KNOW your toddler will love it, and it’s all about recycling.
(If you don’t want to encourage screen time, play this song on a speaker while you do the sorting activity above!)
10. Learn The 3 R’s
Here’s a free printable activity to learn the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Download this coloring and sorting activity at SimplyKinder.com.
11. Practice Reducing (Gift Basket)
Focus on the first R: Reducing. Practice good habits with your toddler on Earth Day to make your family’s everyday routine better for the planet.
Some Habit Ideas Include:
- Turning off the water while brushing your teeth or washing your hands.
- Counting out and using only 4 toilet paper squares during potty training.
- Coloring on both sides of a paper to use less.
- Walking (or stroller rides) to locations that are walking distance.
You may want to create a gift basket with reusable products to help your toddler reduce their daily plastic use.
Gift Basket Ideas Include:
- Bamboo Toothbrush
- Bamboo Dishes
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Recycled Coloring Book
- Beeswax Crayons
- Beeswax Bath Crayons
- Reusable Face Mask (My son’s aunt got these Paw Patrol masks from Target that were a HUGE hit)
12. Recycled Bird Feeder
Think of crafts you can make by recycling things you already have at home!
Your toddler can help make this bird feeder out of a toilet paper roll, string, shortening, and bird seed. It’s fun to make and exciting to see what colorful birds show up at your window!
Get the full video instruction at FireFliesAndMudPies.com.
13. Recycled Fairy House
For the fairy-loving toddler. Aren’t these fairy house night lights adorable?! I almost couldn’t tell that they’re made from recycled bottles! This would be a great craft to work on together.
Find the instructions at CraftsByAmanda.com.
14. Recycled Bug Motel
For the little explorers, this Bug Motel made from a milk jug, toilet paper rolls, sticks, and pinecones is such a fun project! I love that it teaches kids to be curious and take care of all creatures- big and small!
Find the instructions at RedTedArt.com.
15. Earth Day Kids Yoga
This Earth Day Yoga bundle is a great gross motor skills activity to get your toddler’s energy out! These cards show examples and give instructions for each Earth Day inspired yoga pose.
They were created by a school-based physical therapist and are available for just $5.50 on TeachersPayTeachers.com.
16. Earth Day Skittles Experiment
Here’s a super fun (and edible) indoor Earth Day activity for your toddler.
For the experiment, this crafty mom used a white plate, blue and green Skittles, and some warm water. Your toddler can help you arrange the Skittles on the plate, then pour very warm water in the center and watch the Skittles melt into a picture of planet Earth.
Find her detailed instructions for this experiment at CraftyMorning.com.
So what are you and your toddler planning for Earth Day this year? I’d love to hear if your favorite activity is missing from this list!
