Our Earth Day activities for toddlers provide several awesome and easy Earth Day ideas for celebrating our wonderful planet. We’re a bit obsessed with nature and the way our lives leave a footprint on our world, now and for future generations.

Earth Day falls on the same day every year. It first began in the USA on 22 April 1970, and the next one falls on 22 April too—it’s on the same date each year. Over 190 countries now recognise and celebrate Earth Day.

Not to be confused with Earth Hour, which encourages everyone to switch off their lights for an hour on the last Saturday in March, Earth Day celebrates the birth of the modern environmental movement.

Earth Day is more than just showing our appreciation for a planet that provides us with life. It’s about protecting and sustaining it for future generations.

When children connect and contribute to their world, it broadens their experiences and awareness of the world around them. Community programs like Earth Day promote social responsibility and encourage children to show respect, care and appreciation for their natural environment.

Earth Day activities enable your child to learn more about the world and themselves. It also helps to build their identity and sense of belonging.

Earth Day tips for families and children

Promote sustainability and encourage positive change with these meaningful Earth Day tips.

Involve your children in Earth Day activities for reducing waste around your home. They will have fun and come up with creative ways to make your home more sustainable. Listen to their ideas and questions, and discover the solutions for reducing your environmental impact together.

1. Plastic bottles take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill. Rather than throwing them out, set up a special collection place at home for plastic bottles. Will you recycle or repurpose them? You could use them for fun art and craft ideas.
2. Some Australian states and local councils have refund collection stations for plastic bottles and lids. Collecting and recycling plastic bottles encourages children to learn about sustainability while earning some pocket money.
3. When you take your toddler shopping this Earth Day, pledge to use reusable grocery bags. Jute, hessian, canvas and calico are ideal alternatives to single-use plastics. It’s easy to forget your reusable bags, so enlist your child’s help to remind you.
4. Turn the lights off at home when they’re not required. Parents have been asking children for years to turn the lights off to save money. Now, it’s more than just the electricity bill, it’s about protecting the earth. Use natural light and switch lights off if no one is using them.
5. Food waste is a big problem in modern society. Instead of throwing out unused food from the fridge into the bin, start collecting it for compost. You can make your own composting bin or find a company that collects food waste. 
6. Plant a tree. Some local governments give away native trees to local residents every year. Contact your council and ask if there are any tree planting programs in your area. Perhaps there’s room for one more tree in your yard or a nearby nature strip.
7. Volunteer to pick up trash at a local park or beach. Go for a picnic or bike ride at a local park or lookout, and while you’re there, commit to a 10-minute trash collection challenge. Put on gloves and discover how many pieces of rubbish you can find.
8. Use less energy for the day. Turn off all appliances around the home that don’t need to be on. Switch them off and unplug them from the wall. That includes smartphones, tablets, TVs and gaming devices. Then head outdoors for a picnic.
9. Create a new nature experience. Head out to the country for an overnight camp. Watch the sunset or wake up super early before the sun rises. Venture into the outdoors, keeping hold of tiny hands, and find a tree to hug as dawn approaches. Listening to nature’s music as the world awakes is a magical experience.
10. Make a family promise to save on water as one of your Earth Day activities. While you can make changes such as installing a rainwater tank, you can also conserve water by making sure water taps are turned off properly after showering, washing hands or brushing teeth.

Sustainability and recycling aren’t new concepts. But as we become more aware globally of our impact on the earth and the need to create a sustainable future, we must encourage children to embrace sustainable practices like recycling.

11. Create a worm farm to turn leftovers into food for the garden. You can build your own worm farm as a family and discover the types of scraps worms eat and the foods they avoid. Children love collecting scraps to feed the worms.
12. Go through your cupboards and collect clothing and books you no longer use. Donate these to a charity or a secondhand exchange. Instead of always buying new clothes or books for your family, give preloved clothes and books a new home this Earth Day. You may also find other ways to repurpose old items for your child’s art and craft activities.
13. Say ‘no to waste’ as a family. Create a photo album of pledges on how you will help protect the environment. Petit Early Learning Journey recently did this fun activity for Clean Up Australia Day with Educators and children making personal pledges.
14. Go for a walk on a beach or to a park and collect natural loose items for your child’s play and learning resources. Let them be curious explorers! Make a fairy wand with the things you find, such as a stick, twine, feathers, flowers and leaves. Natural materials also help to stimulate your child’s senses.
15. Make a vegetable plot in the back garden or give your child the resources to make a baby succulent pot plant. Succulents are easy and fun to grow. They encourage children to connect with their natural world both inside your home or outside on the patio.

As a mum of 3 and a small business owner, The Curated Parcel has always been on a mission to promote an eco-mindful way of life through the products we stock, minimise waste by recycling our packaging materials and of also to give back to Earth whenever we can. We believe in reducing our ecological footprints and we strongly embrace sustainability.