April 22nd is Earth Day, giving us an ideal opportunity to talk with children about nature and the importance of caring for our planet. Children are curious about the natural world, and they often ask questions about the environment. You can build upon this interest by celebrating Earth Day with nature-themed art, recycling, or storytime activities.
Below are ten ideas to inspire your curriculum planning for Earth Day!
1. Enjoy some Earth Day process painting. The earth is beautiful! The blues and greens of our planet lend themselves to lovely art projects. You might set out blue and green tempera paints and invite children to finger paint, or offer paintbrushes with green and blue watercolors to make a beautiful pastel masterpiece. .
For a unique activity, try painting on coffee filters instead of paper, or use pipettes instead of paint brushes. The website, How Wee Learn, shares these and other great Earth Day ideas.
2. Take art outside. We often think of art as an activity that we do with children indoors, but allowing art materials to be brought outdoors provides a fun change of scenery and a new perspective. Tape paper to a fence or a tree for children to use as a canvas. Or try one of the ideas from Tinkerlab’s article, 6 Ways to Take Art Outdoors.
Image from A Pinch of Kinder
3. Create art with recycled materials. There are many ways that children can help take care of our planet, but one of the easiest places to start is by recycling! Talk to children about the importance of reducing our waste and show children how we can reuse materials that we often get rid of. Paper towel or toilet paper rolls, plastic water bottles, egg cartons, tin cans, and even scraps of paper are materials that are easy to collect and easy to use as art materials.
Not sure how to get started? Visit The Art Bar Blog for some great ideas about what to make and different materials to use. Or visit the site, Hands On As We Grow, to see how tin cans can be transformed into homemade drums!
4. Sort recyclable materials. Another way to get children excited about recycling is by offering them an opportunity to practice sorting materials in the classroom. Bring recycled and recyclable materials, such as paper, plastic, and metals, and set out a bin or container to hold each category of recyclables. Yukari, author of the blog, A Pinch of Kinder, describes the way she set up this activity in her classroom.
5. Use natural materials as a paint canvas. Have you ever tried to paint on sticks or rocks? Take children outside or go for a walk to collect natural materials that can be painted. You’ll probably want to protect your table with some paper before placing paint, paint brushes, and all of the sticks and rocks you collected outside on top. Once the paint on the rocks and sticks has dried, you might save some of them to decorate the area near your front door or garden. Sixth Bloom’s article, Ultimate Guide to Rock Painting for Preschoolers, is a great resource to help you get started.
Image from Pre-K Pages
6. Create an Earth Day sensory bin. Toddlers and young preschoolers love sensory experiences. Exploring different textures and materials with all five senses is both enjoyable and supportive of cognitive development. Sensory bins can also help children to learn about new concepts on a small scale. Visit Pre-K Pages to learn how to assemble a simple nature-themed sensory bin with shaving cream and play animals.
7. Make bird feeders. Have you ever tried to make bird feeders? They are very simple to make, with only a few required materials! Building bird feeders is a creative activity that sparks conversations about different types of birds and what they eat. There are several ways to make bird feeders using various recycled materials. For ideas, visit the website, Growing a Jeweled Rose, to see how to make a bird feeder from recycled toilet paper rolls and peanut butter; or visit The Creative Cubby to see a clever project that uses a recycled egg carton!
8. Make seed paper. Making seed paper is a fun art project and learning experience that requires only a few simple materials. The seed paper can be planted in your center, or children can bring the finished product to be planted at home. Visit Pre-K Pages to learn more about this fun and practical project.
Image from Little Bins for Little Hands
9. Make Earth Day discovery bottles. Infants and toddlers can join in the Earth Day celebration by exploring discovery bottles! Discovery bottles are easy to make using recycled water bottles and can be filled with a variety of different items! Visit Little Bins for Little Hands for ideas about how to make these and what to put inside!
10. Earth Day Books: You might already have some books handy that discuss themes and concepts related to Earth Day and the environment. If you have a collection of different stories, offer them to children in a basket for independent reading and exploration. If you are interested in finding new stories to add to your collection, review the list below. You can purchase these online, or pick them up at your local library!
For year-round Earth Day inspiration, these two Good2Know articles offer lots of ideas for incorporating nature into your play-based curriculum:
The Power of Nature: Outdoor Play that Supports Learning & Development
Nature-based Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers to Enjoy Outdoors
Buzzin’ Exploration! Activities to Pair with Children’s Books about Bees 
Spring Activities and Art Projects for Infants and Toddlers
