40 Simple Earth Day Crafts for Kids and Adults
Celebrate Mother Nature with these easy and unique projects, including recycled DIY ideas.
While we love the Earth every day, Earth Day itself comes around just once a year on April 22. This global holiday celebrates environmental protection and sustainability, encouraging people to get outside, upcycle everyday items, connect with nature, and appreciate the world around them.
If you’re looking for ways to spend the day—or teach little ones why it matters—Earth Day crafts are a great place to start. In the spirit of repurposing, many of these kid-friendly DIYs use items you likely already have on hand, like tissue paper, balloons, cardboard, and more. All it takes is a bit of imagination to transform them into handmade suncatchers, planters, and beyond.
Stained Glass Butterflies
Level up your stained-glass craft with this butterfly idea that calls for Liquid Sculpey, a bakeable clay used to make window clings and more. Add mica powder and flaky glitter to the mix for extra shimmer.
Felt Flower Bouquet
Spend an afternoon crafting flowers that never wilt. This bunch is made of felt, buttons, ribbon, and skewers. Adhere elements together with felt glue or hot glue (if you're crafting with older kids).
Tie-Dye Tote Bag
For slightly older kids, this tie-dye tote bag craft encourages them to use reusable bags instead of plastic when shopping. To create shapes in the undyed areas, use PVA washable glue. Make sure the tote is fully dry before using.
Paper Bag Kite
The beauty of this craft is that it leaves room for decoration. After adding string and streamers to the paper bag base, they can go to town with paints, washi tape, stickers, and more to make their kite uniquely their own.
Earth Watercolor Art
Use shades of green and blue watercolor paint to create a dimensional earth. Start by printing the blogger's free template, then work from there.
Craft Stick Flower Pots
These flower pots make for a colorful spring project (and a gift for a loved one). The only materials you'll need are colored craft sticks, rubber bands, clean tin cans, and ribbon. Don't forget the soil and flowers!
Planet Paper Plate
Only a few materials are needed to make this planet paper plate. Younger kids will enjoy painting the Earth's colors onto the plate and displaying it in their room.
Recycled Cardboard Sun
Collect cardboard delivery boxes and transform them into a big (or small) sun. This craft not only upcycles cardboard but also leaves you with a colorful art piece at the end.
Floral Painted Globe
Head to your local thrift store and pick up a globe, then transform it into a floral masterpiece with acrylic paint. Stick to a light blue background for a water-like base.
Pressed Flowers
For this craft, let your kids gather wilted flowers to create a framed piece of art to hang in your home. It's a simple way to teach them the beauty of nature.
Handprint Earth Design
Trace your child’s handprint on green cardstock to celebrate their connection to the Earth. Add a sweet note on the back for a meaningful keepsake or gift.
Watercolor Terrarium Pillow
Teach your kids how to paint and appreciate Mother Nature by DIYing a watercolor terrarium pillow. It'll make a great display for the living room couch or their bedroom (and remind them of their Earth Day activity).
Mr. Earth Plushie
Kids will love carrying around this friendly Earth stuffed toy—and you don't need to be an experienced sewer to give it a try. Use your felt scraps as stuffing, so nothing goes to waste.
Bird Bookends
Earth is home to millions of living things—birds included. Invite your kids to join in on making bird bookends to store their favorite novels or journals.
Swirled Stamped Earth
Squirt blue and green paint onto a paper plate, then let kids use a balloon or small rubber ball to stamp the paint onto the paper. It's an easy craft with little mess.
Milk Carton Birdhouse
Blogger Heidi and her young sons created these bird feeders out of recycled milk and juice cartons. First, she spray-painted the cartons white to hide the packaging, then she let her kids decorate them with tissue paper squares.
Mosaic Earth
For a lesson on waste, this adorable mosaic Earth can be created using construction paper or old magazines. Use cardboard as the base for your circle shape.
Pebble Art
For this unique project, collecting the materials is half the fun! Once you've gathered an assortment of pebbles, a picture frame, white card stock, and a twig, sketch out your idea. Then use Krazy Glue to attach the pebbles to cardstock.
Earth Day Garland
Show kids how to DIY a colorful paper garland that represents the beauty of Earth itself. Use colorful cardstock for your human and earth shapes, along with string or yarn for hanging.
Floral Pop-Up Card
Pop-up cards are fun to make, especially when you have extra hands to help! This floral design is the perfect craft for spring and an easy way to celebrate Earth's beauty.
Kate (she/her) is the associate editor of The Pioneer Woman Magazine. She writes features, commerce, and travel content. Kate brings nearly five years of home, food, and lifestyle experience to the role, including time as editorial assistant at Good Housekeeping. Her bylines have appeared in Woman’s Day, Food Network Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Modern Farmhouse Style, Dream Kitchens & Baths, and more. When she’s not writing, Kate can be found lazing in the park with a sudoku in hand.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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