20+ SIMPLE Earth Day Activities for Kids and Families

Earth Day (on April 22) provides a wonderful opportunity to teach children about recycling, respecting our planet, and enjoying nature. It is also a wonderful excuse to get outside. Today I am sharing a fantastic collection of 20+ {easy and inexpensive} Earth Day crafts and activities that are fun for children of all ages.

Here is a list of some of my favourite Earth Day crafts and activities. Click on the links / titles for more information and full tutorials.

1)  Make a cereal box notebook.

2)  Recycle an old jar into an earth day tealight.

3)  Decorate with a DIY earth day banner.

4)  Transform an old box into a beautiful tree full of butterflies.

5)  Read The Lorax, and enjoy a "tree-themed" snack.

6)  Use an empty egg carton to learn about how caterpillars turn into butterflies.

7)  Use empty jars and cans to create some adorable "grass-haired" friends.

8)  Enjoy some backyard bird-watching.

9)  Raid the recycling bin, and try creating some homemade toy boats.

10)  Craft some paper bag kites and head outside.

11) Make a matching game by recycling milk jug lids.

12) Make a tooth taxi out of an old film canister... or another amsll container.

13) Plant something.

14) Make something out of a cardboard box. You can find 5 ideas here.

15) Make homemade birdfeeders.

16) Make a bird house from a milk carton.

17) Craft a bucket from recycled materials to take on a nature walk.

18) Make a nature collage.

19) Build an outdoor obstacle course.

20) Make (and play with) eco-friendly sidewalk paint.

21) Go on an outdoor scavenger hunt.

How are you planning on celebrating Earth Day with your little ones?  I hope you take some time to craft, play, and get outside with kids to enjoy everything that nature has to offer. Happy Earth Day!!!

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Holiday Celebrations (Ideas, Recipes and Activities for Every Holiday)

Below, you will find a collection of my holiday celebration posts... including: New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, St.Patrick's Day, Easter, April Fool's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. There are many ideas for easy and inexpensive ways to make every holiday special. Scroll down and click on the links for additional info, ideas, and recipes.

Click on the links (below) to access the holiday collection you are interested in.

NEW YEAR'S EVE FOR KIDS

SILVER AND GOLD NEW YEAR'S EVE

VALENTINE'S DAY 

ST.PATRICK'S DAY 

EASTER  

APRIL FOOL'S DAY

EARTH DAY

MOTHER'S DAY

FATHER'S DAY

CANADA DAY

THANKSGIVING

HALLOWEEN

CHRISTMAS

20 Earth Day Crafts and Activities

April 22 is Earth Day, and it is a great opportunity to teach children about recycling and respecting our planet. It is also a wonderful excuse to get outside and enjoy nature. Today I am sharing a fantastic collection of 20 {easy and inexpensive} Earth Day crafts and activities.

{Click on the links/titles below for full tutorials.}

1)  Make a cereal box notebook.

2)  Turn a babyfood jar into an earth day tealight.

3)  Decorate with a DIY earth day banner.

4)  Transform an old box into a beautiful tree full of butterflies.

5)  Read The Lorax, and enjoy a "tree-themed" snack.

6)  Use an empty egg carton to learn about how caterpillars turn into butterflies.

7)  Use empty jars and cans to create some adorable "grass-haired" friends.

8)  Enjoy some backyard bird-watching.

9)  Raid the recycling bin, and try creating some homemade toy boats.

10)  Craft some paper bag kites and head outside.

11-20)  Click here to check out the collection I posted last year (which includes:  

• a recycling matching game 
• how to make tooth taxis from old film canisters 
• planting for beginners 
• 5 things to make out of a cardboard box 
• 3 types of DIY birdfeeders 
• milk carton birdhouses 
• nature walk buckets 
• nature collages
• a recipe for homemade sidewalk paint). 

I hope you have a great Earth Day with your family!   

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

{Babyfood Jar} Tealight Holders

We made these tealight holders for Earth Day, but they are a perfect use for old babyfood jar any time of the year.  Cute, right?

All you need is a babyfood jar (cleaned out), some blue and green tissue paper, and some glue.  (You'll need to thin out the glue to the consistency of paint -- approximately 3 tbsp glue for each 1 tbsp water.)

Here's how easy it is to make one of these adorable tealights with your little one:

First, cut the tissue paper into little squares.  They don't have to be uniform or a certain size because they are going to be layered onto the jar.

Then, using a paintbrush, apply glue to a small section of the babyfood jar, and attach a piece of tissue paper.  Continue to apply glue and tissue paper until the entire jar is covered.

Finally, wait for the glue to dry, and then apply a thin coat of glue over the top of the tissue paper. 

My boys love making these, and you can change the colors to suit any occasion.  

Just make sure to never leave a child alone with a burning candle.  Battery operated tealights might be a safer choice.

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy on facebook)

*Originally posted at Okanagan4Kids.com on April 17, 2012.