Earth Day Activities For Preschoolers
Preschoolers are hands-on learners, so when it comes to Earth Day activities, real-life experiences are the best teachers. And if you’ve been with Green Child long, you’ve heard me stress how we protect what we love, and that’s why it’s so important to get kids outside to fall in love with nature.
Celebrating Earth Day as a family is a fun tradition for all ages. Getting your preschool-aged child engaged in these activities may take extra planning, but an early start to loving the earth will instill that long term desire to protect it.
Taking time to celebrate Earth Day and teach through action can be the beginning of better year-round and lifelong habits. Let this day be an opportunity each year to plan and make sustainable resolutions for you and your family – no matter how small they are.
The best way to engage your preschooler in Earth Day is to provide sensory-rich, hands-on activities, and outdoor experiences that will foster a genuine love of the benefits of a healthy earth. There is no replacement for fresh air, a wooded path to hike on, and thriving wildlife that supports a healthy ecosystem. Your child will know this through and through as long as they grow up with nature’s benefits as part of their daily life.
Teach your preschoolers to hug a tree, look for owls, and let them play in the mud. If kids grow up loving the earth, they’ll protect it with all their hearts. Preschoolers are just the right age to assert independence and feel the positive effects of making sustainable changes!
Outdoor Earth Day Activities For Preschoolers
It’s been shown that spending time outside helps depression and builds family and community bonds. Time in nature can also help reduce physical pain, build neurological sensory pathways, and build a child’s immune system. Plus, it makes them happier adults!
Earth Day is all about protecting the natural world around us, and there is no better way to show that to a preschooler than to get them outside for some Earth Day (and everyday) activities! Even if it’s still a little cold and rainy in your area in April, there are still ways to go outside to celebrate the Earth.
Go On a Nature Walk
Simple is good – especially with small children. Try a brief kid-friendly hike or one of these activities to enjoy Mother Nature today.
Make A Nature Scavenger Hunt
Preschool-aged kids must keep busy, so plan a walk or hang out at a park and take them on a nature-themed scavenger hunt. For younger kids, keeping it from 5 to 8 items is best. Keep it simple and safe, and treat it like a treasure hunt to get them excited!
Go Owling
Owls have magic and wisdom that speaks to many young children. Putting up an owl box in or near your yard is a great way to have young kids observe them. Packing snacks and taking a family walk at dusk is also great for owling with young kids.
Observe Animals
In fact, preschool is a perfect age to teach your kids to observe animals in their natural habitats, even bugs, safely! Your kiddo will undoubtedly be fascinated and engaged as they learn about wildlife and the ecosystem they rely on. They will, in turn, develop a deeper understanding of and appreciation for preserving the Earth.
Hug a Tree
Hug a tree! Even preschool-age kids will get grounding benefits from hugging a tree. The feel of the bark on their cheek and hands, the strong, steady nature of trees, and the energy passed from ground to tree to child make tree hugging an easy grounding activity for kids. Plus, it teaches them to show empathy and kindness toward Earth’s living beauty.
Spend the Day in the Garden
Most gardens are really coming to life by April 22, so it’s a great day to get kids involved. Even if you’ve already got plants in beds or the ground, small children can tend to them or plant flowers that attract pollinators.
Get Your Kids Gardening
Gardening has so many benefits for young kids and the Earth! The fresh air, hands in the dirt, pinching tiny seeds, and science. As your kids dig, you can talk about how home gardening and small farms are the most sustainable way to eat their veggies.
Try Garden Projects
Garden projects are another perfect route for young kids to be engaged in outside activities. Backyard gardens provide a simple and safe space to bring your family outdoors at a moment’s notice. When I had a preschooler and an infant, I found my yard the easiest place to get my preschooler’s energy out!
Plants for Bees and Butterflies
Plant a pollinator garden to support your local bees. You can even get free milkweed seeds since they’re butterfly-friendly. Your preschooler will love planting the seeds, using a small shovel, and watching the bees and butterflies come when the flowers bloom.
Plant a Tree
Get a tree start at your local nursery and have your preschooler help you plant it. Seeds work, too, but starts tend to be sturdier and are more enticing for a preschooler to want to plant.
Play Outside
You don’t need a prescribed activity. Let them run free and be creative outside. Or if you need ideas to keep them engaged, try one of these…
Play in The Mud
Playing in the mud was not just for kids before technology! Mud play has tons of benefits and is still tons of fun! Katy from our team is from the Pacific Northwest and says there was never a shortage of mud to play in when she was little.
Mud is the ultimate sensory exploration and helps build kids’ immune systems. The more messy fun they have with their mud kitchens and more, the more they’ll grow up remembering how much they love the outdoors.
Play in The Rain
If April is rainy in your area, don’t worry! Preschool-aged kids LOVE playing in the rain. Most kids in this age group would spend an hour splashing in puddles or digging a tiny creek over any indoor activity.
Feed The Birds
Making a DIY bird feeder is a super fun craft for preschoolers, and it only takes a few minutes. They’ll love getting their hands dirty making it and watching the birds snack on this treat made just for them!
Make Seed Balls
Put together some quick and easy seed balls for you and your preschooler to plant in your backyard. This simple recipe uses natural clay, compost, and wildflower seeds. Your kiddo will love getting their hands into this project! These are great to give to friends and teachers to spread the Earth’s love, too!
Build A Bug Hotel
This build your own bug hotel project will be loved by ladybugs, beetles, spiders, and other bug friends! It’s a great addition to a pollinator garden.
In The Community
There’s probably an outdoor Earth Day celebration in your community. Check local guides to see what might be preschooler friendly. Beware of tricky business tactics that are just meant to get you in their doors to shop. This is the day to choose anti-consumerism.
Go To a Farmer’s Market
Bring your little one to a farmer’s market and let them choose their own veggies and flowers. This is a great way to support local farms, eat healthy foods, and get outside. They can help make a salad when you get home!
Pick Up Trash
If you have a favorite walking path or local playground, grab a bag and gloves and take your preschooler on an easy trash pickup. It can be like a scavenger hunt but for food wrappers and other garbage that doesn’t belong.
Indoor Earth Day Activities For Preschoolers
Preschool ages provide a wealth of opportunities for hands-on activities that will soak into their brains as they build neural pathways, work on fine motor skills, and learn about protecting the environment simultaneously.
There’s no replacement for the outdoors, of course, but these tasks will keep your preschooler engaged and learning from the comfort of your home if needed. Predicting the weather, nap schedules, or a 3-year-old’s mood is complex, so options are necessary!
Make Healthy Treats
Make some Earth Day cookies or Gluten Free Dirt Cups with your preschooler as the assistant to get into the spirit of loving Mother Earth.
Coffee Filter Earth Craft
Keep your kiddo engaged and practice fine motor skills with this super fun coffee filter earth craft. Use food coloring to make blue and green water for them to use a dropper to color the coffee filter. Alternatively, they can use markers to color the coffee filter first and drop plain water drops on it.
Sensory Sorting Bins
Create sensory bins for sorting or playing with. I love this tutorial that shows your kiddo how to sort in recycling, trash, or compost!
Foam Rain Cloud
Teach your preschooler Earth Science by making this shaving cream rain cloud in a jar. This is a simple model of how it actually rains, but it gives young children a great visual and hands-on project. You can add a water cycle, learn about cloud formation, and more.
Upcycle Crafts
Upcycling activities are a great way for preschoolers to learn about sustainability and reducing trash in the landfill. Some fun upcycled crafts can be made from everyday items at your house!
Winding Down On Earth Day
Science clearly shows that spending time outside improves sleep by regulating the circadian rhythm. So, your child will probably sleep great tonight. However, calming activities are always a good idea to have on hand – especially the meditation below.
Coloring Pages
Earth Day themed coloring pages are a nice way to chill out with your preschooler. Maybe you’ve been out and about all day and need some quiet time, or perhaps it’s something to do to reinforce loving the Earth while the baby is napping.
Meditation Script
Calm the day down and process with this Earth Day meditation script. I generally like to teach my kids to meditate before bed, especially for a busybody preschooler. However, this script is great to do outside, too.
Bedtime Stories
Earth Day books are great any day of the year, but especially on this day. Incorporate some earth and nature themes into bedtime stories for a recap of the day’s lessons.
Watch the Sunset
Watching the sunset and appreciating Mother Earth’s beauty is the best way to say goodnight to Earth Day with your preschooler.
More Earth Day Fun for Kids
Find ideas to enjoy Earth Day with bigger kids here: 22 Ways to Observe Earth Day Outside.
Visit your library for one of these Earth Day themed books and read it outside with your child.
Share some fun Earth Day facts for kids.
Get creative together with these Earth Day coloring pages.