15 Kid-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Without Leaving the House

There’s no denying that the 50th anniversary of Earth Day is an unusual one. We’re all mostly confined to our homes due to the pandemic, and our interactions with the outside world are very limited. But that does not mean you cannot appreciate the earth. Here’s our handy list of 15 kid-friendly ways to celebrate Earth Day without having to leave the house. Make sure you also check out the 50 statistics you should know for Earth Day’s 50th anniversary.

Plant a tree

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, planting trees has been a traditional way of celebrating the holiday. Try planting one in your own backyard. In its lifetime, that single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide! Don’t forget to share these weird facts about trees.

Make a nature collage

This activity is perfect for younger kids. Get some craft paper in different colors, scissors, glue, and get to work. Try creating your own little portrait of nature by cutting out leaves, birds, animals, or anything that you want, and then sticking them together. You won’t know how fast the time passes. Try to see if you can answer these basic questions about earth.

Make a fingerprint world

This fun family activity by Busykidshappymom.org does not require too much—just a blank white canvas, acrylic paint, black sharpie, tape, and scissors. Draw out a blank world with the water and continents marked, and then give each family member a color. Each family member then fills out their designated area with fingerprints, resulting in a fingerprint world of your own family.

Plant native wildflowers

Planting flowers that are native to your community helps local wildlife populations thrive and ensures your additions will be happy and suited for its environment all year long. Discover native plants at plantnative.com, then turn the soil in the yard and plant some seeds with your kids.

Create an Earth Day jar

To help you and the kids remember that every day can be Earth Day, create a jar full of environmentally focused activities, suggests, SheKnows. Cut up scraps of paper, write an activity on each—say a nature walk, a refresher course on recycling, or a cleanup day—and put the scraps in the jar. On the last Sunday of each month (or whichever day works best), pull out a scrap and do whatever it says.

Make dirt cup treats

Everybody likes a fun treat, so why not make an Earth Day themed one with your kids? These dirt cup treats by Jugglingwithkids.com are easy to make and definitely very fun. Get some instant pudding Jell-O, crumbled Oreos, jelly worms, and get to work. Create your own little cup of dirt, decorate it with some jelly worms then get eating.

Plant an egg carton garden

Show your kids how plants grow by planting an egg carton herb garden on Earth Day. Simply pour soil into each egg crate, create a hole with your finger, and drop a pinch of seeds into each hole. Place the crates by a window and remember to water them. You should see sprouts in a few days. In early May, move the sprouts outside, where they can continue to grow.

Clean-up your backyard

When it comes to taking care of the earth, we all need to do our share. Take your kids to the backyard, and give them each a small trash bag. This way, you’ll both spend some quality time and get to clean your backyard at the same time.

Hold a trivia game night

If your family loves trivia, this activity is a match made in heaven for you. Prepare some interesting questions about the earth beforehand (maybe use these cool facts about the earth as a guideline.) Then, pick a family member to ask the questions, while the rest of you try to answer them before everyone. You’ll have a fun-filled game night and learn more about the earth as a family. Make sure you give the winner a fun prize!

Make a pledge to take action

There are always things you can do for the earth, so why not make a pledge to be more environmentally conscious as the whole family? You can have a discussion as a family about what more you can be doing for the world, and then write them down as a list to hold yourself accountable. You can use these 50 powerful photos that prove the earth still needs our help as inspiration.

Plant a seed jar

Staying home does not mean you can’t do your own little science experiment. Seed jars are simple and straightforward, and yet also very fun, especially for younger kids. Fill an empty mason jar with cotton, then plant a seed of your choice (we recommend beans) inside. Make sure you periodically water the cotton and watch the seed grow with your kids.

Have a movie night

Maybe your family loves watching documentaries, maybe you rarely ever do. Regardless, this Earth Day, celebrate by setting up a movie night at home with an educational documentary about the world. There are many wonderful options to choose from out there, and it’ll both be educational and fun. Check out what Earth Day means for this teenager.

Build a bug hotel

Not all insects are bad—in fact, some of them play a crucial role in controlling pests. This fun Earth Day activity by Parade will help keep beneficial bugs close to your garden year-round. Just find a small wooden box, and fill it with dried grasses, bark and pinecones.

Take a virtual trip to a national park

A lot of national parks are offering virtual tours right now. This Earth Day, take advantage of them by choosing one of the many virtual tours offered by the National Park Foundation. After all, not all trips have to require you to leave your living room! This will be fun for the whole family. Here are some other cool virtual day trips you can take online.

Attend a virtual community event

Show your kids it’s not just mom and dad who care about Earth Day—tons of people in the community show up for local events as well! Go to Earth Day Live and find various digital Earth Day events that you and your kids can join. No leaving the house necessary for this one! Next, check out these 25 world facts you didn’t know you wanted to know.