Earth Day is on April 22. You can thank former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson — a pioneer in environmental causes throughout his career — for kicking it off over fifty years ago. Upon serving his term as governor, Nelson was elected to the United States Senate where he served three consecutive terms; he even convinced John F. Kennedy to tour the United States to address environmental issues. Nelson founded Earth Day in 1970. At the time, he encouraged Americans to speak up and act on air and pollution issues with the same fervency they had toward protesting the war. Share Nelson’s passion for the environment with these 7 homeschooling lessons for Earth Day
What is Earth Day about?
Earth Day kid activities and crafts
If you have multiple children, it may be difficult to find age-appropriate things to do that appeal to everyone. The following Earth Day art lesson ideas work for kids of all ages. Hands-on activities make learning fun and engaging.
5. Introduce upcycling through art
The challenge when working with young children on art projects is that often the products used, like popsicle sticks and glitter, do more harm than good. Choose art activities that incorporate nature — make homemade bird feeders with peanut butter and pinecones. For an eco-friendly Earth Day art lesson, these ideas from No Time for Flash Cards help kids get creative while having fun and the bonus is that everything can be recycled once the fun is done.
Earth Day celebrations and kid-friendly activities
6. Help clean up the community
Brandi Jordan, a homeschooling mom of three older teens, provides printables and coloring pages for kids on her website, That Kids Craft Site, which includes these free Earth Day coloring pages. When it comes to celebrating Earth Day this year, “We’ll be participating in a local community clean-up,” Brandi told Mom.com.
Clean-up events occur year-round throughout the country. Visit The Great Global Cleanup for a list of events or locate the Department of Natural Resources in your state.
7. Go virtual if you’re not ready to get outside
We are still in the middle of a global pandemic, so it’s understandable if you’d rather forgo community cleanup efforts. Attend the three-day educational initiative, Earth Day Live instead, beginning April 20th. Opportunities exist every day to make better choices about the products you use in your home. Discuss your family’s habits with your kids and figure out together, where you can make changes and do better.
