Preschool Activities for Earth Day

April 22nd is a great day to engage in preschool activities for Earth Day. What better audience to show the importance of keeping our planet clean and healthy than the people who will be most affected in the future? Teaching preschoolers the importance of taking care of the Earth increases the chance that this youngest generation will make this world a better place.

Earth Day Activities

Of course, the best activities for Earth Day include getting outside. Cleaning up school grounds and neighborhoods is an excellent start to earth-friendly activities. These ideas from Earth 911 are great to consider not only around Earth Day but all year long:

• Get outside
• Make art from recycled materials
• Plant a tree
• Pick up trash from around the neighborhood
• Make a composting bin
• Read books like “The Earth Book” by Todd Parr and “Why Should I Recycle?” by Jen Green
• Talk about how to conserve energy by turning off the water while brushing teeth and turning off unused lights

Outdoor Activities for Earth Day!

Help students notice the world around them with this “Earth Scavenger Hunt” game. Look for birds, flowers, bugs, and more in this engaging way to start a conversation about the Earth. Print out copies of the scavenger hunt page, grab some clipboards and crayons, and get outside to look for Earth’s treasures! Once the fresh air has put everyone in a good mood, move indoors for fun activities.

Circle Time Fun

Help students learn about different power sources like wind power with this adorable “5 Little Turbines” chip clip poem found in the Earth Day Circle time unit. Students count down from 5 using the delightful counting pieces. Find many more activities in this unit to engage students in learning about water, land, plants, pollution, recycling, and energy sources!

Fun with Process Art

There are lots of ways to use recycled materials to create art. Gather some rinsed-out, clean recyclables like plastic bottles, lids, egg cartons, and cans (check for sharp edges). Add these items with glue, paint, and yarn, and watch the children’s imaginations run wild. Coffee filters with watercolors and droppers also make a great indoor Earth Day activity!

Fun With Activities for Earth Day Sensory Bins

After being outside, find more fun inside with these sensory bin Earth Day activities.

• Fill a tray with black beans, mini Earth erasers, and tongs. Students collect the mini Earth erasers and count which bowl has more
• Use creative sensory bin fillers with shape sorting cards from the Earth Day Circle Time Unit
• Channel beach vibes with sand or salt in a sensory tray with flat marbles and Earth letter cards (free link below or also found in the Earth Day Circle Time Unit)

Our planet is such an amazing place to live. Take the time to teach children about proper care and attention to our resources, and hopefully, our Earth will be around for many more generations to come.