17 FUN Earth Day Crafts (2023)

Looking for Earth Day crafts?

I have 17 easy and fun Earth Day crafts that are perfect to make at home or in the classroom. Creating crafts for Earth Day is a great way to educate children about our Earth.

Let’s get started with some Earth Day crafts!

#1: Plate Earth Craft

This Earth Day craft is fun and easy for kids to make!

I love simple paper plate crafts. It’s amazing how you can turn a plate into something so fun.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

paper plate
acrylic paint
paintbrush
construction paper
scissors
pencil
glue

B. Set-up

Trace your child’s hands-on colored paper. Then, grab your paint and tray!

C. Activity

Paint a paper plate blue and green. Explain that the blue parts represent water, and the green parts are for the land.

You can draw a heart in the center when the plate is dry, then have the kids fill it in with red paint.

Paste your child’s hands on either side of the paper plate so they can hold the world in their hands!

#2: Fingerprint Earth

I love this simple Earth Day craft to make with the kids.

Grab this freebie printable to make this keepsake Earth Day craft.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

free printable
paint

Click here for your free Earth printable

B. Set-up

Print off the printable and get your paint ready!

C. Activity

Have your kids make fingerprints for the water and the land of the Earth.

They should fill in as much white space as they can with their fingerprints.

What a cute and simple keepsake for this year’s Earth Day!

#3: Puffy Paint Earth

Make your own puffy paint with just a few simple steps.

This Earth Day craft is so fun for kids to make. They will love the process of making the puffy paint and how it feels.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

shaving foam
food coloring
Elmer’s glue
bowls
paintbrushes
free Earth printable

Click here for your free Earth Printable

B. Set-up

Make puffy paint by mixing equal parts of foam shaving cream and glue together in a bowl.

Do this twice and add food coloring to make blue and green colors.

C. Activity

Print off the Earth shape. Then, have the kids scoop the puffy paint out and spread it on the Earth using a paintbrush.

Once the kids are done with painting, leave it to dry. It takes about 3 hours for it to dry! It feels squishy! This is such a fun art project.

RELATED: Sensory Activities for Kids

#4: Walking Dinosaur Paper Plates

I love crafts that the kids can play with after making them. It makes the activity more exciting for them!

This is a great Earth Day craft because you can use paper plates and toilet paper rolls to create this fun craft!

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

View Amazon’s Price

B. Set-up

Cut a paper plate in half and paint them the colors you want! Also, cut a TP roll in half and paint them the same colors as the dinosaurs.

Create a head and tail for the dinosaurs! If you make a stegosaurus, you’ll make the head small, and the brachiosaurs neck will be long!

C. Activity

Make small boney plates for the stegosaurs using white card stock. Then, have the kids create dinosaur prints using their toy dinosaurs with paint on the plates!

You can also have the kids make prints on the dinosaur’s body to add extra color!

Make two small cuts on both sides of the TP roll so they can fit on the paper plate to walk!

#5: Earth Sponge Craft

I love using sponges to create crafts with the kids. They are the perfect little tool for the kids to hold and use.

This Earth Day craft is easy and fun for kids to see the prints they can make with sponges.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

sponges
scissors
Sharpie
blue and green paint
cardstock paper

B. Set-up

Create a circle shape on a sponge using a Sharpie marker. Then, cut it out.

C. Activity

Paint the sponge green and blue to make an Earth.

Have the kids flip over the sponge and make prints on white or black paper. They may have to repaint parts of the sponge for the prints to show up well each time.

They will love this simple Earth Day craft!

#6: Recycled Robot Craft

These little robots are the perfect Earth Day craft! I love all the recycled pieces we used to make this craft happen.

The kids loved playing with their robots, too, after they made them!

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

View Amazon’s Price

B. Set-up

Wrap the toilet paper roll in aluminum foil! Then, create a face for it using acrylic paint and googly eyes!

C. Activity

Add on gems, Fruit Loops, buttons or any other craft supply you’d like for the robots “buttons” on the front.

Paint some bottle caps using acrylic paint. Then, once they are dry, glue them on using hot glue.

To create the arms, create a hole using scissors or a box cutter slide the pipe cleaner through the tube and curl them up!

Lastly, we added on a pipe cleaner at the top of the robots and a pom. Use hot-glue to paste the pipe cleaner to the inside of the toilet paper roll.

Now you are ready to play! I love creating crafts that the kids can play with after! They enjoy it so much more too!

#7: Free Earth Day Color by Code

Grab my FREE Earth Day color-by-code worksheets! The kids will love coloring the pictures to see the images be revealed!

This is an easy Earth Day craft to do with your kids this year.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

Earth Day color by codes
crayons
markers

Click here for your FREE Earth Day color by codes

B. Set-up

Print off the worksheets that you want the kids to work on.

C. Activity

The kids will look at the key of each of the color-by-code worksheets and match up the colors with the numbers in the image.

See if they can complete the entire worksheet! These are a great addition to your Earth Day unit.

#8: Cardboard Rainbow Craft

Scavenger hunts are the best outdoor activities! Kids just love being the first to find something!

This rainbow craft is a great outdoor Earth Day craft and activity for kids.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

cardboard
paint/markers
clothespins
paintbrush

View Amazon’s Price

B. Set-up

Create a rainbow shape from cardboard and paint it the colors of the rainbow or the colors of the objects that you’ll see outside. We don’t have anything blue in our yard, so I added pink and brown instead.

C. Activity

Go outside and start searching for some different colors! Have the kids clip the items that they find in the matching color strip on the rainbow!

If you don’t have colorful items in your yard, you can always have the kids look around at the park!

RELATED: Outdoor Activities for Kids

#9: Toilet Paper Roll Ladybugs

This Earth Day craft is adorable for springtime! Reusing toilet paper rolls to create crafts is perfect.

This ladybug craft is adorable! It’s amazing how you can turn a simple toilet paper roll into the cutest crafts.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

toilet paper rolls
black paint
paintbrush
googly eyes
glue
red paper
scissors

B. Set-up

Paint the toilet paper rolls black! We like to use acrylic paint because it turns out bolder.

C. Activity

Create two semi-circles for the wings of the ladybug out of red paper. Have the kids create spots on the ladybug by fingerprinting!

Use a glue stick to paste them on or to make sure it stays on hot glue them on.

Glue the googly eyes and use pipe cleaners for the antennae. Cut small pieces of pipe cleaner and roll the tops a little to look like an antenna.

RELATED: Ladybug Crafts

#10: Bubble Wrap Art

Got some bubble wrap from packages you received? Use it to create an Earth Day project!

It’s easy to create bubble wrap stamps. Kids will love making this simple Earth art project.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

bubble wrap
scissors
paint
toilet paper rolls (optional)
rubberbands (optional)

B. Set-up

Draw a circle shape using a Sharpie marker on the bubble wrap and cut it out using scissors.

C. Activity

You can choose to make this into a stamper by wrapping the bubble wrap to the bottom of a toilet paper roll. Make it stay by wrapping a rubber band around it.

Watch the video above to see how this is done.

Then, paint the bubble rap to look like the Earth and make prints!

RELATED: Spring Crafts

#11: Bottle Cap Fish Craft

Looking for ways to reuse bottle caps? This ocean aquarium paper plate is adorable and fun to recycle and create.

The aquarium paper plate is a more detailed paper plate for kids, so if your kids love crafting, this one is for them!

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

paper plate
acrylic paint
sand
glue
shells
blue rocks
pipe cleaners
bottle caps
googly eyes
cardstock paper
hot glue

B. Set-up

Paint a paper plate blue and paint some bottle caps in different colors for the fish! Then, create the fins for the fish by cutting colored triangles from cardstock paper.

Once the caps are dry, add a googly eye. Then, attach the fin using hot glue.

C. Activity

Now it’s time to decorate the paper plate! You can use supplies like sand, rocks, shells, pipe cleaners, and fake coral.

All of these items can be glued on using regular glue other than the pipe cleaners. The pipe cleaners should be glued on using hot glue.

Lastly, hot glue the fish to the plate!

#12: Wine Cork Flowers

I have the easiest Earth Day craft for you to try! I love being able to reuse items that we have at home to create art!

Wine corks make the perfect stamper to create many different shapes and objects!

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

View Amazons Price

B. Set-up

Place some paint on an art tray.

C. Activity

* The kids will dip some wine corks into the paint colors they want to use! They will first create the middle of each flower. Stamp a bunch of yellow dots around the paper.

* Have the kids dip the corks in other colors and create circles around each middle to create a flower!

* Create single-colored flowers, make patterns, or multi-colored flowers!

RELATED: Flower Crafts for Kids

#13: Spring Flower Pots

Create these beautiful flower planters to have your kids plant flowers this year as an Earth Day craft and activity.

This also makes a great gift for Mother’s Day, teachers, or someone special. It’s the perfect spring craft for kids to make.

Want 20% off your order at KiwiCo? Use the code abcdeelearning off a $50 purchase. Click HERE

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

flower pots
flowers
acrylic paint
paintbrushes- KiwiCo product
kids art apron- KiwiCo product
acrylic paint markers- KiwiCo product
clear sealer

B. Set-up

Before painting your flower pot, make sure to spray it with a clear sealer outdoors. We did this a day before we did the project because it tends to have a smell to it, and I wanted it to be all dry and ready to go for them the next day!

C. Activity

The kids will paint the pots using acrylic paint. To ensure the kids won’t get stains on their clothes, we used our apron from KiwiCo. I really recommend this product for this activity and any other art activity!

Wait for your flower pots to dry (this will take about 30 minutes to dry completely).

Then, use acrylic paint markers to draw designs on them! We used our KiwiCo acrylic paint markers (my new favorite supply). I love the fact that they have the look of acrylic paint, they are easy for the kids to use, and it dries quickly!

We made a watermelon pot, a teacher’s gift (thanks for helping me grow), and we did some fingerprint flowers!

When the kids are all done making their designs, use the sealer one more time to coat the paint so it won’t wash off when it rains outside! Then, add your flowers in the pot!

This is such a beautiful craft and a great way to teach children how to garden and take care of plants!

RELATED: Mother’s Day Crafts

#14: Recycled Bird Feeders

We have a major love for birds in our family. There is a giant bird feeder set up in our backyard, and my husband actually has his own website dedicated to bird-watching!

Teaching the kids about the different kinds of birds that we see where we live is so fun. They really enjoy learning about what food birds like. So, we decided to create a DIY birdfeeder!

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

View Amazon’s Price

B. Set-up

Cut large rectangle holes on each side of the carton with a box cutter and scissors. You can draw it out on there first before cutting, or just go for it. Paint it using acrylic paint.

We chose to just do different colors around it, but you can paint different designs! You will have two do at least 2 coats of paint.

C. Activity

Once the paint dries, poke a hole using a box cutter, then make it bigger using a screwdriver. Thread a piece of twine through the opening of the carton and the hole you created. Make a tie at the top!

Fill it with your favorite birdseed and hang it outside for the birds to enjoy!

RELATED: Birdwatching HQ

#15: Magic Milk Earth Experiment

The magic milk experiment is one of my favorites! If you have expired milk, don’t toss it out! Use it for an Earth Day craft and activity.

You just need a few simple ingredients to do this right at home.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

whole milk
liquid food coloring
dish soap
Q-tip
tray

B. Set-up

Pour some milk into a tray. We use whole milk for this activity. Other types of milk can be used, but I found this whole milk shows the best results.

C. Activity

Add some drops of blue and green food coloring all around the milk.

Then, dip a Q-tip into dish soap and touch the food coloring with the soap.

Watch how the food coloring spreads out! It actually ends up looking like the Earth!

RELATED: Science Experiments for Kids

#16: Free Earth Day Activity Pack

I have a giant FREE Earth Day craft and activity pack for you.

This is a wonderful resource for you to use on Earth Day with your kids at home or at school.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

free packet
scissors
glue stick
crayons
pencil

Click HERE for your Free Earth Day Packet

B. Set-up

Print off the pages that you want the kids to use.

C. Activity

Inside this packet, you’ll find some cut-and-paste waste sorting activities, color by codes, counting activities, and an I can help the Earth worksheet.

Have the kids complete the worksheets and have fun!

RELATED: Holiday FREE Printables

#18: Nature Scavanger Hunt

One of the best things to do on Earth Day is to go outside and enjoy the outdoors.

This Earth Day activity helps kids see all the different insects and items outside in nature.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

free scavenger hunt printable
pencil/crayon
clipboard

Click HERE for your free outdoor scavenger hunt printable

B. Set-up

Print off your freebie outdoor scavenger hunt printables. Attach them to a clipboard to make it easy to carry around.

C. Activity

There are two free printables that come in your scavenger hunt! Take these two sheets outside and have the kids search for the items.

We have even taken this with us to the park when we go on hikes. This gives the kids something fun to do to help keep them entertained!

RELATED: Seasonal Printables

#17: Earth Day Lava Lamp Experiment

Here is a great visual experiment to see how pollution can affect our Earth.

This is a great Earth Day craft and activity to try with the kids to educate them about the importance of keeping our Earth clean.

How to do this activity

A. Materials you need

clear jar
baby oil
blue and green acrylic paint
water
brown food coloring
Alka Seltzer tablet

B. Set-up

Fill a jar up 3/4 of the way full with baby oil.

In smaller bowls, mix together a few squirts of acrylic paint and a little bit of water. Mix with a spoon.

C. Activity

Dump the acrylic paint mix into the jar. Add an Alka Seltzer tablet and watch the reaction!

Once it’s going for a minute, add in some brown food coloring to represent pollution.

Notice the change in the beautiful colors mixing that it turned to a brownish color. If you need to add another tablet to keep the experiment going.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Earth Day crafts are a great way to educate our kids about the importance of keeping our Earth clean.

I hope you have found some Earth Day crafts that you can do with your kids.

I’d love to hear what your favorite craft/activity was in the article. Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Crafting!

Deena