In a world where environmental issues are beginning to become much more noticeable, instilling a sense of environmental awareness in children is more important than ever.
Environmental activities help parents teach their kids about the importance of caring for the planet—not only by promoting a love for nature, but also by developing responsible habits that can last a lifetime.
Here are 20 examples of fun, educational activities designed to inspire climate awareness in children.
20 Environmental Activities For Kids:
1. Nature Scavenger Hunts
Who doesn’t love scavenger hunts? Play along with your kids and have fun! Nature scavenger hunts provide an exciting way for kids to explore the outdoors while learning about the environment. Create a list of items for them to find, such as different types of leaves, rocks, or animal tracks. This activity not only connects children with nature but also encourages observation and curiosity. Plus it’s fun for adults, too!
2. Recycling Relay Race
Trick the kids into helping you to take out the recycling on trash day! Transform the concept of recycling into a fun and active game. Set up recycling bins with different categories (paper, plastic, glass) and have a relay race where children sort recyclables into the correct bins. This interactive activity not only educates them about recycling but also promotes teamwork and physical activity.
3. Planting Adventures
This is a great activity to keep the kids busy while you’re gardening. Engage them in the wonder of growing plants by organizing a planting adventure. Provide seeds, soil, and small pots, allowing each child to plant their own seeds. As they witness the growth of their plants, they develop an understanding of the life cycle and the importance of nurturing the environment.
4. Upcycled Art
Encourage creativity while teaching the principles of upcycling by organizing art projects using recycled materials. Take the kids on a walk to look for interesting items being thrown away in your neighborhood. This will create an even stronger correlation between what was once trash and what is now something useful or beautiful. Talk to them about the state of our landfills or garbage in the ocean while you work on the projects.
5. Earth Day Pledges
Celebrate Earth Day by having children create personalized pledges to care for the planet. Provide them with sample papers outlining simple actions like reducing water usage, recycling, or picking up litter. Allow them to decorate their pledges using images cut out of magazines, markers, colored pencils, stickers, etc. This makes the pledge more special to them as it is uniquely their own. Hang them somewhere as a reminder to them.
6. Trash to Treasure Fashion Show
Turn environmental education into a creative event with a trash to treasure fashion show. Have children design and create outfits using recycled materials such as newspapers, plastic bags, and cardboard. This activity not only emphasizes the importance of reusing materials but it is a fun time for everyone. Have them walk the runway as if they were in a real fashion show. Take pictures of the kids wearing their creations so you never forget the memories you made that day!
7. Animal Habitat Dioramas
Deepen children’s understanding of ecosystems by having them create dioramas of animal habitats. This hands-on activity allows them to explore the unique environments different animals call home. Prior to creating the dioramas, take the kids for a walk through the woods to point out the habitats of different animals (holes in the ground created by groundhogs, bird nests in the trees, a dam in a stream created by beavers, etc.). As they are creating the dioramas talk to them about how things we do can impact animal’s homes and that we’re responsible for protecting species from going extinct.
8. Environmental Story Time
Libraries aren’t as busy as they used to be, but they still have events for kids. Check your local library for any climate change events and take the kids to pick out the environmental books they’re most interested in reading and/or learning from. This activity combines literacy with valuable lessons about our planet.
9. Water Conservation Challenge
Teach children about the importance of water conservation through a hands-on challenge. This activity empowers children to take direct action toward sustainability and helps them understand the finite nature of resources.
One way to go about this would be to show them how much water is used when washing dishes or point out how much water is being wasted when they have the sink running while they brush their teeth. Keep in mind that you don’t want to scare them by talking about not having enough water in the future or by telling them about the predicted “Water Wars” of the future. (That scares me!)
10. Waste Audit
Provide each child with a small waste basket for their room and then on trash day, go through them together and point out things that should be recycled vs. thrown away. This activity is meant to teach them about what items should be recycled, but it can also help them to see how much waste is generated by just one person each week.
Discussing ways to reduce waste and promote recycling can help kids develop a sense of responsibility when it comes to what they throw away.
11. Bird Watching Excursions
Introduce children to the world of birdwatching by organizing a trip to a local park or nature reserve. Provide binoculars and bird guides, encouraging them to observe and document the bird species they find. Connecting with nature on a personal level sparks an appreciation for biodiversity.
One way to turn it into a game is to have the kids mark each bird they see in their guidebooks and make it a challenge to see who will be the first to find every type of bird. Obviously you’ll want a guide specific to your country and location. Set aside a month over the Summer and visit a new location each weekend.
12. Energy-Saving Home Challenge
Educate children about energy conservation by organizing a challenge. If they have a habit of leaving bedroom or bathroom lights on, explain why it is important to turn lights off when leaving a room and award little prizes for anyone who remembers to turn the lights off for an entire week.
13. Environmental Science Experiments
Make learning about the environment exciting with hands-on science experiments. There are many different science kits you can purchase for kids that make learning fun with experiments. Check out Amazon for the widest selection of kits (not an affiliate or sponsor!).
14. Community Clean-Up
Contact the local government to see if any public spaces nearby are in desperate need of clean-up. If you live near the beach, that is an excellent place to start. There is garbage washing up on shore from the ocean as well as trash left behind by beach visitors. Take this time to talk about the dangers certain types of trash pose to wildlife—from seagulls to sea life.
15. Eco-Friendly Cooking Classes
Teach children about sustainable food choices, such as using locally sourced ingredients or reducing food waste. Cooking activities not only instill a sense of responsibility but also teach practical life skills. Instead of organizing formal classes, you can also find a selection of recipes for the kids to choose from so they are motivated to make the food because they actually want to eat it afterwards!
16. Eco-Friendly Crafting Workshops
Make craft projects focused on eco-friendly materials and sustainable practices. Using items like recycled paper, fabric scraps, and natural dyes, children can create artwork while learning about the environmental impact of different materials.
17. Nature Tours
You can take the kids on virtual journies to learn about ecosystems all over the world online. However, I would anticipate better engagement if you take them outdoors on a hike, or to the local aquarium to see underwater species. Kids will enjoy being there in person more than watching it on a computer screen.
18. Environmental Awareness Games
Turn learning about the environment into a play time with educational games. Whether it’s a board game focusing on conservation or interactive online quizzes, incorporating gamified elements makes environmental education enjoyable and memorable for children.
19. Eco-Friendly Fashion Design Challenge
Inspire eco-conscious thinking in the realm of fashion by organizing a design challenge. Have children create outfits using sustainable and recycled materials, emphasizing the importance of making environmentally friendly choices in the fashion industry. Have them put on a fashion show where they walk the “runway.” Afterwards, ask them to pose like models as you take photos.
20. Earth Guardians Club
If you have a lot of free time and you’re ambitious, you can create something for all of the kids in your community. Establish an Earth Guardians Club where children actively participate in environmental projects and initiatives. This club provides a platform for collaboration, idea-sharing, and taking collective action to make a positive impact on the environment.
Nurturing Tomorrow’s Environmental Activists
Kids will enjoy these environmental activities. They will teach them about the state of our planet while also preparing them to take care of it in the future. The younger generations are more passionate about climate change, gun reform, and world peace. They are activists at heart and each generation that follows will be more educated about saving our planet and acting responsibly—unlike the generations that came before them.
There are now extreme weather events and wildfires occurring earlier in the season, and increasing in number. The 20 environmental activities on this list will prepare kids for the tough road that lies ahead. Especially when dealing with the inaction of our government!
Are your kids too old for these environmental activities?
That’s okay! You can have conversations with them instead. Be prepared to have a difficult conversation with older children when they ask why we continued to use fossil fuels when scientists warned us that we were damaging our only home. There is no planet B. If they are old enough to understand, you can explain how each country’s government is the party responsible for regulation and use of fossil fuels. As individuals we can do our part to protect the planet and protest/demonstrate to push the government to do the right thing.
Encouraging environmental awareness in children goes beyond imparting knowledge; it involves fostering a deep connection and sense of responsibility toward the planet. By engaging kids in hands-on environmental activities that blend education with creativity and fun, we sow the seeds for a future generation of environmental activists. These activities empower children to understand their role in caring for the Earth and inspire a lifelong commitment to sustainability.
As we nurture their love for nature, we equip them with the tools to become advocates for a healthier and more sustainable world. We must try to think positively about the state of the planet and the government policies that may or may not have changed for the better by the time they are adults. As children ourselves we would envision what the world looked like in the future. Most of us imagined flying cars and a more technologically advanced world by the year 2000 and we’re now in 2024. Society did not move forward and embrace change— which is a requirement for progress.
If you have ideas for other environmental activities not included in this list, please leave your ideas in the comments below!
