25 Creative Earth Day Activities For Toddlers

These earth day activities for toddlers will keep your toddlers entertained while teaching them about the wonders of our planet!

Earth Day activities can be fun and educational! From planting a garden to going on a nature walk, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Earth Day with your little ones.

Earth Day is on April 22nd and is way we can learn more about planet earth together. There are plenty of fun activities for toddlers and little hands to teach them about mother earth.

Teaching a toddler about Earth Day can be a fun and engaging way to introduce them to the importance of taking care of our planet. Here are some simple hands-on activities and age-appropriate ways to get started:

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25 Earth Day Activities For Toddlers

1. Explain the Concept of Earth Day

Start by explaining what Earth Day is all about in simple terms.

You can say something like, “Earth Day is a special day when we celebrate the Earth and all the things that make it special, like the plants, animals, and clean air we breathe.“

2. Read Books about Earth Day:

Reading age-appropriate books about the environment and nature can be a great way to introduce your toddler to the importance of taking care of the planet.

Look for books with bright, colorful pictures and simple text that your child can understand.

This is a fun way to introduce concepts like climate change, how our planet is interconnected, and what a carbon footprint is, for example.

3. Planting a Garden

Planting a garden is a great way to teach toddlers about the environment and how important it is to take care of our planet.

Go outside and let them pick out plants or seeds they want to grow. As they help you water the plants, talk about how the plants need the water to stay healthy and thrive.

You only need a little patch of earth to impart this lesson.

5. Plant a Tree

Planting a tree is a great way to celebrate Earth Day with your toddler. Plus, it’s a wonderful way for them to learn about the importance of trees and how they help clean the air.

Go outside together and pick out a spot to plant the tree. Talk about how special it is to be able to care for something that will outlive us.

6. Going on a Nature Walk

Going on a nature walk is another great way to explore and appreciate our planet. Pack up a picnic lunch and head out for a day of discovery.

Let your little one lead the way as you look for birds, bugs, and plants. Discuss why it’s important to take care of our planet as you go along. Bring along a magnifying glass or binoculars to make it even more of an event.

You’ll have a great time together exploring mother nature. You can even talk about environmental issues you read about in books as you walk through the the forest.

7. Going on a Trash Hunt

On Earth Day, help your child learn about the importance of keeping our environment clean by going on a trash hunt.

Bring a bag with you and have your little one pick up any litter they see as you go.

Ask questions like, “What can we do to help keep our planet clean?” and “Where should we put this trash so it doesn’t end up in the ocean or on the ground?”

8. Recycled Bird Feeder

Making a bird feeder out of recycled objects can be a fun and rewarding project.

Essentially, you will cut the bottom off of a clean, empty milk or juice carton, punch two holes in the top and thread a piece of string through them. Fill the carton with birdseed, then hang it outside for the birds to enjoy.

Here are some steps you can follow:

Materials:

• A clean plastic bottle or milk carton
• Two wooden spoons or sticks
• Fishing line or twine
• Scissors
• Birdseed

Instructions:

1. Cut the plastic bottle in half, making sure the top half is slightly larger than the bottom half.
2. Make two small holes opposite each other near the top of the bottle, and two more holes near the bottom.
3. Thread a piece of string or twine through the top holes and tie the ends together to make a loop for hanging.
4. Poke the wooden spoons or sticks through the bottom holes, making sure they are securely in place.
5. Fill the bottom half of the bottle with birdseed.
6. Place the top half of the bottle upside down on the bottom half, so that the spoons or sticks act as perches for the birds to stand on while they eat.
7. Hang the feeder in a tree or other location where birds can easily access it.

Your bird feeder is now ready to use! Enjoy watching the birds come to feed on the food you have provided for them.

9. Nature Collage:

Take a walk outside with your toddler and collect leaves, twigs, flowers, and other natural materials. Glue them onto a piece of white paper to make a beautiful nature collage.

It’s the simple things that most often make the best activities for young children!

10. Egg Carton Caterpillar:

This is a cute craft to teach them about life cycles!

Cut an empty egg carton into individual cups, then have your toddler paint or color each one a different color. Glue them together in a row to create a caterpillar, then add pipe cleaners for antennae and eyes.

A caterpillar craft kit is also fun if you don’t have these supplies on hand.

11. Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars:

They can take their binoculars with them on a nature walk or while playing in the backyard.

Take two empty toilet paper rolls and glue them together side by side. Decorate them with paint or markers, then punch a hole in each side and tie a piece of string through them to create a strap.

This is a fun project and an easy way to capture their attention. Play some fun games with your binoculars like eye spy.

12. Upcycled Wind Chime:

Wind chimes illustrate the power of the wind. Plus, they make a beautiful sound!

Use a sturdy stick or branch as the base, then tie a variety of items to it using string or twine.

You can use old keys, bottle caps, plastic bottles, seashells, or anything else you have lying around the house.

Hang it outdoors to create a unique and beautiful wind chime.

Pro tip: Check out your recycling bin for materials! Older kids can get even ore creative and intricate.

13. DIY Birdhouse:

Gather old milk or juice cartons, cardboard tubes, or even paper towel rolls and let your toddler decorate them with paint or other craft materials. Once they’re decorated, hang them outside for the birds to enjoy.

You can also make one from a birdhouse craft kit. We had a great time doing this!

14. Handprint Earth:

Paint your toddler’s hand blue and green, then help them press it onto a piece of paper to create a handprint Earth. You can add some biodegradable glitter or stickers to make it extra special.

15. Recycled Flowerpot:

Take an empty plastic container, like a yogurt cup or plastic bottle, and have your toddler decorate it with stickers or paint.

Then, fill it with soil and plant a small flower or herb. This is one of those easy peasy art projects that is so much fun, even for toddlers with short attention spans!

16. Egg Carton Seed Starters:

Egg carton seed starters are a great way to introduce your toddler to plants and stages of growth.

Here are the steps to make egg carton seed starters:

Materials:

• Empty egg carton
• Potting soil
• Seeds
• Water
• Spray bottle (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut off the lid of the egg carton and set it aside.
2. Fill each egg cup with potting soil, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top.
3. Make a small hole in the center of each cup using your finger or a pencil.
4. Place one or two seeds into each hole, then cover the seeds with soil.
5. Lightly water each cup using a spray bottle or by pouring water into each cup. Make sure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
6. Cover the egg carton with the lid and place it in a warm, sunny spot.
7. Check on your seed starters regularly and water them as needed to keep the soil moist.

Once your seedlings have grown big enough, you can carefully separate the cups and transplant the seedlings into larger pots or directly into your garden.

Using an egg carton as a seed starter is a great way to up-cycle a common household item and promote sustainability. It’s also a fun and easy project for kids to help with and learn about gardening.

17. Earth Day Sensory Bin:

Fill a bin with items that represent the Earth, like rocks, leaves, and sticks. You could place different materials in little bins or mix them all together.

You can also add in some blue and green sensory materials, like large beads, shredded paper, or green dyed rice. Use caution if your child still puts things in their mouths. You can also buy a pre-made sensory bin to make it easy on yourself.

Let your toddler explore and play with the materials, and talk to them about how each item is important for the planet.

Pro-tip: Gather materials from a local park or nearby wooded area for your sensory bin. Then you can reuse these materials in art projects and earth crafts.

18. Paper Plate Sun:

A paper plate sun is a sun made out of a paper plate that you can hang up like a mobile or display in a window. Talk to your toddler about the importance that the sun plays in keeping our planet healthy and thriving.

Here are the steps to make a paper plate sun:

Materials:

• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Tissue paper in orange and yellow
• Glue
• String or ribbon
• Paintbrush (optional)
• Markers (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut the center of the paper plate out, leaving only the outer rim.
2. Cut the yellow and orange tissue paper into small pieces or strips.
3. Apply glue to the entire surface of the paper plate rim. You can use a paintbrush to spread the glue evenly.
4. Arrange the tissue paper pieces on the glue-covered rim, alternating between yellow and orange pieces to create a sunburst effect. Make sure to cover the entire rim with tissue paper.
5. Once you have covered the rim with tissue paper, let it dry completely.
6. Optional: use a marker to draw a face or add other details to your sun.

Your paper plate sun is now ready to be displayed! You can hang it up in a window to catch the sunlight or attach a piece of string to the back of the sun and hang it on a wall. This is a fun and easy craft that kids of all ages can enjoy making.

19. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Make a list of natural items your toddler can search for on your walk, like different types of trees, leaves, rocks and more. Once they find each item, have them put a sticker or check mark next to it on the list.

You can use this free printable on your nature scavenger hunt:

20. Flower Pot Painting:

Get some small pots and soil and let your toddler help you pot a few flowers or herbs. Talk to them about the importance of plants and how they can make our planet healthier.

Your toddler can also decorate and paint the flower pots. You can even choose to gift these to friends and family along with a packet of flower seeds!

21. Upcycled Robot:

Make a robot (or other animal/creature) together from materials you would otherwise throw away.

Here are the steps to make an upcycled robot:

Materials:

• Recyclable items such as cardboard boxes, empty cans, plastic containers, and bottle caps
• Scissors
• Glue or double-sided tape
• Paint or markers (optional)
• Pipe cleaners or other materials for arms and legs (optional)

Instructions:

1. Gather your recyclable materials and decide on the basic shape of your robot. For example, a cardboard box could be the body, a tin can could be the head, and plastic containers could be the arms and legs.
2. Cut the items to the desired size and shape using scissors. For example, you could cut the cardboard box in half and use one half as the body.
3. Glue or tape the pieces together to create your robot. You can add details like bottle cap buttons or pipe cleaner arms and legs.
4. Optional: decorate your robot with paint or markers to make it unique and fun.

By upcycling materials that might otherwise be thrown away, you’re not only creating a fun toy for your child, but you’re also helping to reduce waste and promote sustainability. Plus, making a robot from recycled materials is a great way to encourage creativity and imagination in kids.

22. Earth Sun Catcher

Make a beautiful sun catcher together to hang in your window. Talk about the colors and what the light does to them.

Here are the steps to make a paper plate sun catcher:

Materials:

• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Tissue paper in different colors
• Glue
• String or ribbon

Instructions:

1. Cut out the center of the paper plate, leaving only the outer rim.
2. Cut the tissue paper into small pieces in different shapes and colors.
3. Apply glue around the inner edge of the paper plate rim, then place the tissue paper pieces onto the glue in a random pattern.
4. Once you have filled the rim with tissue paper, let it dry completely.
5. Cut a piece of string or ribbon and loop it through a hole in the top of the sun catcher. You can make a hole by punching a small hole with a hole punch or piercing it with a sharp object.
6. Hang your sun catcher in a sunny window and enjoy the beautiful colors!

The tissue paper creates a stained glass effect when the sun shines through the sun catcher, making it a colorful and fun addition to any room.

This is a great craft for kids of all ages and can be adapted for different holidays or themes by using different colors of tissue paper.

23. Trash Monster Craft:

Gather items from around the house like cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, and other recyclable materials.

Help your toddler create a fun trash monster by cutting out eyes, ears, and other details from the items. You can even add some yarn for hair and pom poms or glitter to make it extra special.

24. Mud Sensory Bin

Here are the steps to make a mud sensory bin:

Materials:

• Large plastic bin or tray
• Organic potting soil
• Water
• Mixing tools (spoons, cups, etc.)
• Optional: toy trucks, shovels, and other digging tools

Instructions:

1. Fill the plastic bin or tray with potting soil, leaving a few inches of space at the top.
2. Add water to the soil, mixing it in with your hands or mixing tools until the soil is damp and muddy. Add more water if needed to achieve the desired texture.
3. Optional: add in toy trucks, shovels, and other digging tools to make it a more interactive experience for your child.
4. Encourage your child to play and explore in the mud sensory bin, using their hands and tools to dig, scoop, and create. You can also add natural materials like rocks or leaves to provide different textures and sensory experiences.
5. When finished, clean up by using a sieve to strain out any large debris, and discard any used soil.

A mud sensory bin is a great way for kids to explore and learn about nature while engaging their senses. It can also promote creativity, imaginative play, and fine motor skills. Just be sure to supervise your child while they play, and clean up any messes or debris afterwards.

25. Nature Watercolor Painting

Watercolor painting can be a fun and engaging activity for toddlers to explore their creativity while also learning about the natural world around them.

Here are some steps to help you and your toddler create a nature-inspired watercolor painting:

• Set up your workspace: Find a clean, flat surface and cover it with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to protect it from paint spills. Have your toddler wear a smock or old clothes to prevent stains.
• Gather materials: You will need watercolor paints, watercolor paper or thick drawing paper, brushes, water cups, and a pencil or marker to sketch out ideas.
• Choose a nature subject: Encourage your toddler to pick something from nature that they like, such as flowers, trees, or animals. Alternatively, you can suggest some nature-inspired themes such as the ocean, the forest, or a garden.
• Sketch the subject: Use a pencil or marker to lightly sketch out the subject on the paper. Keep the lines simple and avoid intricate details.
• Paint with watercolors: Show your toddler how to wet the brush in water and then dip it into the paint. Encourage them to experiment with different brushstrokes and colors to bring their nature subject to life. We love this watercolor set.
• Let it dry: Once your toddler is finished painting, let the painting dry completely before displaying it. You can also use a hairdryer to speed up the drying process.
• Display the artwork: Hang your toddler’s masterpiece on the fridge, frame it, or use it as a decoration in their room.

Remember to have fun and encourage your toddler’s creativity throughout the process!

In Summary: Earth Day Activities For Toddlers

By doing these Earth Day activities for toddlers, you and your little one will learn about the planet and have fun at the same time!

With a little creativity and imagination, you can create wonderful memories that both you and your toddler will cherish for years to come.

You could even round out your earth day activities by making earth day cupcakes together!

Happy Earth Day!

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