Earth Day Activities for Kids
Earth Day is coming and with it are great opportunities to explore the natural side of our world as well as talk about the purpose of Earth Day. Add some earth-themed sensory bottles to your science center to encourage young learners to explore.
Sensory bottles can be created with a variety of materials and lend to a multitude of learning activities. They can be used to help children calm down, to explore new materials, or to aid in the examination of small or fragile items. Sensory bottles can be open-ended, allowing children to use them as they choose. Or, like this collection, they can contain learning cues for children to follow while exploring them.
Materials Needed
- Clean, clear
- plastic bottles
- Glue
- Printer
- Laminator
- String
- Bottle
- contents (as detailed in bottle descriptions below)
Instructions:
- Clean out clear plastic bottles and caps. Let air dry.
- Gather materials to place in bottles. (See each bottle’s contents below.)
- Once bottles are filled, glue the lids in place with waterproof glue to prevent spillage and choking hazards.
- Print and laminate bottle cue cards. Attach to corresponding bottles.
- Insert earth-day-sensory-bottle-labels image
Antarctica/Arctic Sensory Bottle
Fill the bottle with plain instant potato flakes to simulate snow. You may opt to add small snowflake confetti. Add small arctic animal erasers or figurines. Attach the cue card encouraging children to see how many animals they can find in the “snow”.
Ocean Sensory Bottle
Fill the bottle with water, adding a drop of blue food coloring. (Blue glitter is optional). Place small fish erasers/figurines of two different sizes in the bottle. Attach the cue card that asks how many big and little fish there are.
Sky Sensory Bottle
Add one drop of blue food coloring in the water bottle. Fill, then overfill, the bottle until the water is light blue. Drop in white craft pom poms of various sizes to simulate clouds. Attach the cue card that encourages children to make the clouds move.
Dirt and Worms Sensory Bottle
Using dirt from at least two different places, fill the water bottle ¾ full. Add in plastic fishing worms. Attach the cue card asking children to examine the dirt up close. Place in the learning center with a handheld magnifying glass.
Tree Sensory Bottle
Fill the bottle with various tree/plant items such as sticks, leaves, small pinecones, fir tree branches, etc. Add the cue card challenging learners to use the bottle to create a rhythm (similar to a rain stick).
Recycling Sensory Bottle
Fill the bottle ¾ full of shredded paper. Add in small metal items such as screws, nails, pop can tabs, etc. You may also opt to include other items that are not metallic (wood dowels, buttons, lol). Attach the cue card asking children to find the metallic items in the bottle using a magnet. Place in the earning center with a large handheld magnet.
Setting up an Invitation to Learn
Create an inviting area for children to explore these sensory bottles by setting them up in a learning center with a magnifying glass, handheld magnet, and other earth-related items such as shells, rocks, pine cones, etc. You may also wish to include related books young learners can explore before or after sensory bottle investigation.
Earth Day for Kids
Download Earth Day Sensory Bottle Labels
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>> Download Earth Day Sensory Bottle Labels <<
Andie Jaye is a former preschool teacher turned stay-at-home mom of 3 kiddos. Her blog, Crayon Freckles, focuses on creative learning and play ideas, as well as honest parenting topics. You can follow Andie on Facebook or on Pinterest.
