Check out some family-friendly ideas to celebrate Earth Day:

1. Plant Trees or a Garden

• Planting trees or starting a garden is one of the most direct ways to give back to the Earth. Kids will love the hands-on experience of planting seeds and watching them grow over time.

2. Clean Up a Local Park or Beach

• Organize a family clean-up in your local park, beach, or neighborhood. It’s a great way to help keep the environment clean and instill a sense of responsibility in kids.

3. Recycling Crafts

• Get creative by using recycled materials to make crafts! Old bottles, cans, cardboard, and other items can be turned into art projects, toys, or useful items for the house.

4. Learn About the Environment

• Take the day to teach your kids about the planet, animals, and ecosystems. You can watch documentaries, read books, or visit a museum or zoo that focuses on environmental conservation.

5. Nature Walk or Hike

• Spend time outside, observing the beauty of nature. Take a walk, hike, or even go for a bike ride, and talk about the different plants and animals you see.

6. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Challenge

• Have a family challenge to reduce waste and reuse items in new ways. For example, you could turn old clothes into rags or repurpose glass jars as storage containers.

7. Go Paperless or Use Eco-Friendly Products

• Use Earth Day to kickstart habits like going paperless at home, switching to reusable shopping bags, or choosing eco-friendly cleaning products.

8. Earth Day Storytime

• Read books with your kids that focus on the importance of nature and taking care of the planet. There are many children’s books about Earth Day and conservation, such as The Earth Book by Todd Parr.

9. Build a Birdhouse or Create a Wildlife Habitat

• Building a birdhouse or creating a small wildlife habitat in your backyard (with plants, food, and water sources) is a fun way to support local wildlife.

10. Sustainable Eating

• Celebrate by having a meal with locally grown, organic, or plant-based ingredients. Talk about how sustainable eating helps the planet.