Earth Day Activities for Kids

Celebrate Earth Day with these 5 no-prep, engaging activities for elementary students! 

Easy modifications included for all ability levels. Plus, grab a fun Earth Day craft that doubles as an interactive notebook activity:

5 No-Prep Earth Day Activities Your Students Will Love

Earth Day is one of my favorite days to celebrate in the classroom! It’s the perfect time to spark meaningful conversations about taking care of our planet, and the best part? You don’t need any extra materials or prep time to make it engaging. If you’re looking for simple, high-impact Earth Day activities that work for a range of ability levels, I’ve got you covered. Plus, I’ll share a fun Earth Day craft that doubles as an interactive notebook activity!

1. Nature Walk and Observation

Take your students outside for a short nature walk around the school grounds. Ask them to observe and discuss what they see, hear, and smell. Back in the classroom, students can write or draw their observations.

Modifications:

• Low: Pair students and have them verbally share their observations before drawing.
• Average: Have students write a few sentences about what they noticed.
• High: Challenge students to write a short paragraph explaining why it’s important to protect natural spaces.

2. Classroom Waste Audit

Without making a mess, have students look around and list items in the classroom that could be reduced, reused, or recycled. Have a quick discussion about how small actions can make a big difference.

Modifications:

• Low: Use pictures of common waste items and have students sort them into categories.
• Average: Have students write one way they can personally reduce waste at school or home.
• High: Encourage students to create a persuasive poster advocating for a waste reduction idea.

3. Earth Day Pledge

Ask students to think of one small action they can take to help the Earth (turn off lights, use less plastic, etc.). Have them write or draw their pledge on a sticky note and display it in the classroom.

Modifications:

• Low: Provide simple sentence starters ("I will...") for students to complete.
• Average: Have students write a short explanation of why their action matters.
• High: Challenge students to write a persuasive speech encouraging others to join them in their pledge.

4. Earth Day Read-Aloud & Discussion

Choose a book about protecting the environment (like The Lorax or One Plastic Bag). After reading, discuss the message and how students can make a difference.

Modifications:

• Low: Have students draw their favorite part of the story.
• Average: Ask students to write one way the story connects to their own lives.
• High: Encourage students to brainstorm and write their own Earth Day story or poem.

5. Recycle Relay Game

Turn recycling into a fun game! Write different waste items on index cards (paper, plastic bottle, banana peel, etc.), and have students “race” to sort them into the correct recycling, compost, or trash category.

Modifications:

• Low: Provide visual cues or a sorting chart.
• Average: Have students explain why they sorted each item where they did.
• High: Challenge students to create their own classroom recycling plan based on what they learned.

Bonus: Earth Day Craft and Interactive Notebook Activity

Want to extend the Earth Day fun? Check out my Earth Day Craft! This no-prep, engaging activity lets students reflect on ways to care for the Earth while creating a fun, interactive notebook piece. It’s an easy way to reinforce concepts while giving students something meaningful to take home. Grab it HERE! 🌍♻️

These activities make Earth Day meaningful without extra prep or materials. Which one are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. You may also like some popular Earth Day resources from our Amazon Associate store. Click HERE.

Click HERE to view our Teachers Pay Teachers Promoting Success store.

Click HERE to follow us on Instagram.

Click HERE to follow us on Pinterest.

Shelly Anton is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. ** This means there are Amazon affiliate links in these blog posts. This does not mean you pay a dime more when you purchase a product through the link. It just means I am trying to save you valuable teacher time by making it easier for you to find great resources for your students, and I earn a few cents for my research and time. Thank you for all you do for kids!