Earth Day STEM Activities for K-12, Including Printable Worksheets

Celebrate With Earth Day STEM Activities

You can celebrate at home, co-op, school, or at a community event with these awesome Earth Day STEM activities. They are perfect for getting kids thinking about how our actions affect the health of the Earth and what changes we can make. Through these fun, hands-on activities, your kids will see first-hand the importance of protecting our planet. They will learn about recycling, composting, plant growth, weather, and more.

Earth Day is celebrated April 22 each year. It is a day set aside to bring awareness to the importance of protecting our planet. The first official Earth Day was in 1970 in response to increasing oil spills, smog, and water pollution. All across the United States, there were protests and public gatherings with the intention of educating the public about the problems facing the environment.

Since 1970, Earth Day has grown into a global even with an estimated 1 billion people now participating around the world. Here in the US, Earth Day is observed with public events with speakers, activities, and work days. Schools and organizations teach children and the public the importance of caring for the Earth.

Help your kids learn how to care for healthy soil, clean air, fresh water, and thriving plants with these Earth Day STEM activities.

You can also add an art element to your Earth Day study with this Earth paper roll painting project. This creative activity encourages the reuse of everyday materials and pairs perfectly with a recycling book by one of our favorite preschool and elementary science authors, Gail Gibbons.

Below are more Earth Day resources. Most of these can be used with a range of ages, make great family or group activities.

2 Earth Day Unplugged Coding Activities

Make an Animal Tracks Viewer and Identifier

Earth Day math activities for preschool – 2nd grade

earth day printable ornament printables 1080

What type of soil and moisture level is ideal for earthworms? Make a soil model and test it out. This earthworm stem activity is our original activity that the kids LOVED. Includes a free printable all about earthworms.

Learn All About Plants – photosynthesis, plant life cycle, capillary action, and more. Free 50+ page printable

Learn about composting and make a mini-composter

Starting Seeds Using Recycled Materials

Make compost cups to help start a garden.

Learn About the Water Cycle (free printable) and make a water cycle model with simple household materials.

Make a water cycle bracelet.

Study clouds and make a cloud viewer

A nice tie-in to the cloud study are our free rainfall charts. Measure rainfall in your area, then use it to find out if your geographic area is in a drought. In our state, NC, in 2026, we are still in a drought. Discuss ways to conserve water.

Then, Discuss ways to conserve water (from the EPA)

Build a Square Foot Garden

Make a bird feeder from repurposed materials

Incorporate some poetry into your Earth Day science with a short poem on Earth Day. LittleLearningCorners shares this fun resource!

Image credit: Littlelearningcorner.com

A quick, easy, and fun coffee filter Earth craft from Rock Your Homeschool to use for Earth Day or when studying the solar system.

In addition to hands-on activities, enrich your Earth Day recognition and celebration with books. Spark a lifelong love for our planet by cozying up with some truly engaging Earth Day picture books that celebrate the beauty and wonder of Earth, from forests and oceans to tiny critters and big ideas about caring for our world. Reading together not only makes memories, it also plants seeds of curiosity and stewardship in young hearts

Image credit: Heart and Soul Homeschooling

Here’s a super-easy project for all ages. It’s ideal if you have limited space or want to give your youngest gardeners their own little mini-garden area to plant and harvest. Turn plastic bottles into a beautiful vertical garden from Castle View Academy.

A Vertical garden is a great way for kids to have their own responsibilities

This seed bombs Earth Day project from Parenting Chaos is super-easy and a great way to recycle paper while adding pollinator-attracting and colorful flowers to any garden or planting bed.