Ecofriendly Earth Month Crafts for Kids
March 24, 2022
Looking for engaging art activities to celebrate Earth Month? Columbia Art Center Director Liz Henzey has got you covered! Best of all, each of these craft ideas embrace recycled materials — which is a great way to show your kids what caring for the earth is truly all about.
We hope you enjoy celebrating Earth Month with some creative flair and family fun!
Suncatcher wind chimes
Supplies:
- Scissors
- Marker or pen
- Rings from mason jar lids
- String, yarn or hemp cord
- Contact paper
- Tape
- Sturdy 1’ to 2’ long stick
Steps:
- With your marker or pen, trace the mason jar lid rings on the contact paper.
- Peel off the backing of the contact paper and have the ring shapes sticky side up.
- Have fun going out into the yard or on a walk together and collecting small flowers, petals and leaves. You can make this outing fun by asking kids to pick specific colors or shapes like a scavenger hunt.
- Now it’s time to make the collage. Arrange your found nature items onto the sticky circles. You can peel apart flower blooms if they are too big.
- Next, cut out your circles.
- Tie your string, yarn or hemp (12 inches is good) to each ring.
- Push the suncatcher circles into each ring.
- Secure them in place and use tape if you need to.
- Tie 3-4 to your stick.
- Tie some string, yarn or hemp to the ends of the sticks to form a triangle and hang.
Spring wreath
Supplies:
- Strips of old t-shirts
- Natural found objects such as leaves, flowers and twigs
- Clear fishing line or hot glue gun
Steps:
- Take your child or children on a nature walk to gather interesting leaves and flowers.
- Braid together old strips of old t-shirts and form into a circle.
- Attach your found natural items into the crevices and secure them with clear fishing line or a hot glue gun. Attach a ribbon at the top to hang the wreath.
Bloomin’ egg rocks
Supplies:
- Small to medium size rocks (egg-shaped rocks are ideal, but any shape will be fine)
- Acrylic paint (assorted pastel colors)
- Paintbrushes (one medium for painting entire rock and a small one for painting details)
- Q-tips
- Paint palette for holding paints (egg carton or tiny paper plate will work)
- Mod Podge (optional)
Steps:
- Wash and dry rocks.
- Prepare your paints for using by putting a few drops of each on your palette.
- Choose one color to paint your entire rock and with your medium size brush, paint your rock one solid color. Let it dry.
- Using your small brush and Q-tips, create a design on your rock using the other pastel colors (ex: dots, zigzags, stars, initials, a positive word, someone’s name).
- Let your creation dry.
- Optional: With a clean medium brush, add Mod Podge to the outside of your rock. This sealant will weather proof your creation if it is placed outside.
- Display your rocks inside or outside, or give as a gift!
Moss (not moth) ball earths
Supplies:
- Pre-soaked sphagnum moss (can purchase sphagnum at Home Depot, Loews or Walmart)
- Blue yarn or strips of discarded blue t-shirts.
Steps:
- Squish pre-soaked sphagnum moss into a tight ball.
- Wrap it tightly with blue yarn or strips of discarded blue t-shirts.
- Layer more moss and more yarn until you’ve created a ball or rather, earth-shaped orb.
- Finish with a loop of yard.
- Hang in a sunny window and enjoy!
To keep your moss ball healthy, simply spray it with water every couple of days.
Butterfly paper towel roll project
Supplies:
- Empty paper towel roll or empty toilet paper roll
- Pipe cleaners (assorted colors)
- Scissors
- Googly eyes
- Buttons
- Black sharpie
- Construction paper or cardstock (assorted colors)
- Glue and tape
Steps:
- Cut your empty paper towel roll into two halves, or use an empty toilet paper roll for the project.
- Cut a piece of the colored construction paper or cardstock to fit around the empty roll.
- Wrap the piece of colored paper around the roll and secure it with tape or glue. Option: Paint the empty paper roll one color (several coats) and let dry.
- Cut two small hearts for the wings out of the construction paper or cardstock (you choose the colors!).
- Glue two colored buttons to the top portion of each heart. Let glue dry.
- Attach the hearts (which are the butterfly’s wings) to the back of the roll.
- Glue the two hearts together at the bottom of each heart.
- Glue googly eyes to the front of the toilet paper roll. If you don’t have googly eyes, you can use your black marker to draw a mouth and eyes or cut them out of construction paper and glue to the roll.
- Cut a pipe cleaner in half and fold in half. Curl the tops of the pipe cleaner pieces and glue or tape to the inside of the toilet paper roll for the butterfly’s antennae.
- Display your butterflies or give them as springtime gifts!
Toilet roll bird feeder
Supplies
- Toilet paper rolls
- Peanut butter
- Bird seed
- Stick
Steps:
- Cover toilet paper rolls in peanut butter.
- Roll in bird seed.
- Gently punch a hole in the bottom of the roll on opposite sides to put your stick through.
- Hang them outside and delight in watching birds flock to these tasty feeders!
For more crafting fun…
The Columbia Art Center is home to creative classes, programs and workshops for all ages!