This year marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day and there are plenty of ways you can love Mother Earth and celebrate Earth Day from home.
Take a peek at some of our favorite Earth Day activities here. Then, head outside and enjoy a little of the sweetness our little, blue planet has to offer.
Upcycle some old junk
Using toilet paper tubes or coffee filters, your kids can make a craft that you’ll cherish for years.
- Earth Day Crafts for Kids: This roundup features a stained-glass planet Earth, a turtle herb planter, recycled can bird feeder and more!
- 6 Easy Recycled Crafts to Try for Earth Day: An old egg carton gets a colorful transformation in this craft list. Tin cans and bottle caps, too.
- Fun and Quiet Spring Crafts: This craft roundup will have you reusing old corks, leftover yarn and more to make low-key creations your kids will love.
- Popsicle Stick Craft for Kids: Instead of throwing out the stick from your kiddo’s favorite after-dinner treat, use it to make a bracelet or a harmonica.
Looking for even more ideas? Turn an old shirt into a scarf or make a detergent pac container planter.
Try an Earth-inspired recipe
Earth-shaped pancakes, a fruit-filled salad, macaroni and trees – the possibilities are endless when you’re using the Earth as inspiration for your next snack. Try some of the delicious recipes in our Earth Day recipe roundup.
You can also adopt meatless Mondays or, if you’re really passionate, a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Get outside
There’s no better time to enjoy the wonders of nature than on Earth Day — plus, it’s one of the things allowed under the Stay Home, Stay Safe order. Here are some fun ideas to get your child excited about going outdoors.
- Visit a local Metropark: There are 13 of them and they’re all open for family fun – as long as you maintain six-feet between one another.
- Clean up your yard or local park: Under normal circumstances there’d be a ton of community clean-up efforts. This year, they’ve mostly been canceled but you can still clean up your community on your own.
- Go for a hike (or bike): Find a hiking trail or biking area near you and enjoy an afternoon of fresh air and exercise.
Go green
We’ve all got a bit more time to spare than usual. Use it to make your house a bit more Earth-friendly.
- Check your house for eco-friendly swaps: From the lightbulbs we use to the bags we get at the grocery store, there are plenty of ways to live greener. Check our list of the top 10 “green goofs” and our post on going zero-waste as a family for more information.
- Get your teens involved: Share your love of the planet with your older kids by getting them involved with your efforts. Not sure how? Check out our roundup of simple ways to help tweens and teens go green.
Do you have any other fun ideas on how families can celebrate Earth Day at home? Share them with us in the comments – and don’t forget to post your Earth Day fun on Instagram with the hashtag #MPMoment so we can see how you celebrate!
This post was originally published in 2020 and is updated regularly.
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