Eco-Friendly Earth Day Crafts You Can Make With Your Toddler or Preschooler

When it comes to Earth Day celebrations, nobody is more excited about getting to spend some time making meaningful crafts than toddlers and preschool-aged children. That's because this age group absolutely loves to get to spend one-on-one time with the special grownups in their lives, whether it's their parents or teachers, while getting to make things with their hands! What's even better is that this list of Earth Day crafts doesn't require much in the way of supplies. In fact, you probably already have most of what you need at home or in your classroom.

That's because these six crafts can be put together to celebrate Earth Day using recycled and upcycled items from around the house or school, making this a great way to reduce waste while also creating a really good example for your creative toddler or preschooler. Take a peek at the list and decide which of these Earth Day crafts you're going to add to your to-do list!

You're going to want to run and grab your safety scissors and glue sticks, because you're going to need to have them close when you get started on these fun Earth Day toddler crafts.

Hit up your recycling bin and pull out some of those old toilet paper and paper towel rolls for this craft from The Resourceful Mama blog, which involves adding a little peanut butter and your favorite birdseed as a fun treat for the local birds. Hang it near an easy-to-access window so you and your toddler can watch the birds flock to this feeder together!

Keep your magazines, newspapers, and other recyclables on standby so that you can make one of these cute Earth Day collages. Follow the example from the I Heart Crafty Things blog and make a giant representation of the planet, or allow your toddler to freestyle and come up with an idea all their own!

If you have some native flower seeds, biodegradable toilet paper, and a kiddo who loves to spend time outside, you're going to want to check out this seed bomb tutorial from the How We Play and Learn blog. You don't need to be a guerrilla gardener to use these when you're done — you and your child can simply run out to your own backyard to distribute them around your landscaping!

Your slightly older kids are going to be able to do, and understand, a bit more about what Earth Day means, which is why some of these ideas are a little more advanced than what your toddlers may enjoy doing.

If you have little ones at home, chances are you already have a collection of candies and cookies and other delicious foods that can be used to create one of these soil layering cups from the Learning Resources blog. Not only can it teach your preschooler about what all lies beneath the ground they're standing on, but it won't leave you with too much cleanup if you let them polish off all the "dirt" and "worms." Use a reusable cup you already own to keep this craft sustainable!

Nothing grabs a preschooler's attention more than a snack, unless of course, it's a snack that includes yummy treats like chocolate and marshmallow. This solar oven idea from the Teachers Are Terrific blog is clever because it's so much fun, they won't even realize they're learning about how the sun works while they're making it!

If you have a glass jar, a paper towel, and a seed (peanuts, beans, and sunflowers all work well for this one) you can teach your preschooler about the lifecycle of a plant, giving them a chance to actually watch new life unfold as the seeds germinate and begin to grow. Little Bins for Little Hands has all the information you need to know about pulling off this cool Earth Day project.

With all these good ideas, it's going to be hard to pick just one, so feel free to pull a few of these together to make your Earth Day celebration that much more fun for your little ones!