Earth Day is April 22!
Note: I wrote this post in April 2021, but I’m sharing again with updated events at the bottom for 2022!
This time last spring, we were in the stage of the pandemic where I was looking for absolutely anything to do/celebrate with the kids. Each weekend, I’d look online for ALL of those National Holidays that might seem silly, but hey – if it gave me some type of theme that I could play up for a day of activities, I was all in. So when Earth Day came around, I knew we had to do something beyond our daily walks. (Seriously, in the 7 years I’ve lived in my neighborhood, I’ve never walked it as many times as I did in Spring 2020.) And since baking is up there in my favorite things to do … we made cookies!
If you read my previous cookie post, this recipe will look familiar! These truly are my go-to when it comes to cookie cutter cookies. Same basic recipe but with a little food coloring and heart sprinkles made for a perfect Earth Day treat. Read on for the cookies we made last year, plus some more Earth Day activities.
Earth Day Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Blue and green food coloring (I prefer gel)
- (Optional) Heart Sprinkles, or you could even draw on hearts with red frosting or red melting wafers
Instructions:
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl and add the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat to incorporate.
- Turn the mixer down the low and slowly add the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Mix just until it’s combined. Do not overmix.
- Remove half of the dough and place in a second bowl. Add blue food coloring to half of the dough and green to the other. Add just a little bit at a time as you really want just enough to give it a nice color. No one likes eating a lot of food coloring!
- Take a piece of parchment paper and place half the dough on top. Cover with another piece of parchment paper, and use a roller to roll the portion to about 1/4″ thickness. Repeat with the other portion. Then stack the rolled out dough and parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place a large piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Pull pieces of dough from each color and randomly place them next to each other until you have a large rectangle. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll over top just enough to combine the pieces into a seamless piece of dough.
- Then, use a round cookie cutter or even a glass to cut out circles.
- Transfer cookies one at a time to your prepared baking sheets. Re-roll remaining dough and continue cutting until you’ve used all of the dough.
- Optional: If you’re adding heart sprinkles (I was lucky enough to have them in my cabinet from Valentine’s Day), add the heart sprinkle now.
- Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway.
- Place the baking sheets on a wire rack and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Then transfer from the baking sheet to a cooling rack to cool completely.
More Activities to Celebrate Earth Day:
Explore an Outdoor Destination
It’s the perfect time of year to get outside, and there are so many beautiful places to visit in the Bucks County (and nearby area). Besides the many parks and walking trails, one of our very favorite places to go is Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey. I have a post about it along with a printable scavenger hunt HERE. Other favorites I’d recommend are Morris Arboretum, Silver Lake Nature Center and Churchville Nature Center.
Churchville Nature Center even has a play area that’s made with recycled items like tires!
Attend a Local Event
Clean-up events, festivals, farmers markets, and more. Here’s a list of some of the events I found for this week that are perfect for celebrating Earth Day.
Earth Day Storytime at the Academy of Natural Sciences
When: Wednesday, April 20 from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Where: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Calling curious kiddos! Grab your favorite little dinosaur, stuffed animal or toy bug and head to the Academy of Natural Sciences. Have some fun with Academy experts and other young natural history fans for a very special science story time and craft activity. Learn why water is an important resource and how to keep it clean. Listen to a reading of “Over and Under the Pond” and then craft a special finger-painted pond to learn how animals and plants need water to survive.
Museum admission is included for one adult per registered child. This event is $12 for nonmembers and $8 for members. Recommended for children ages 3-5.
Earth Day Craft at Playpad Bucks
When: Friday, April 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Where: 860 Town Center Drive, Langhorne
Playpad offers a free craft every Friday during open play. This week, the craft will be planting a complimentary flower pot! No reservations are required. Just show up and pay for open play. Stay as long as you like.
Earth Day Community Garden Kick-Off at Parkside Place
When: Friday, April 22 starting at 1 p.m.
Where: 1 Parkside Place, North Wales
In 2021, Upper Gwynedd’s very first Community Garden was created. They’re looking to make it even bigger and better in 2022 so are asking for colunteers to help plant vegetables and flowers (that the staff has purchased.) To register, email Sarah at sprebis@uppergwynedd.org. All ages are welcome.
Earth Day Festival at the Academy of Natural Sciences
When: Friday, April 22 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Hands-on activities, demonstrations, food, drink, and more! Get all the details HERE.
Earth Day at Snipes Farm
When: Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon
Where: 890 W. Bridge Street, Morrisville
Help plant potatoes along with other projects on the nature trail and in the herb and children’s gardens. Children can also meet the barnyard animals and play on the playgrounds. There will also be a farmers market at the same time. You can register HERE. The event is free to attend.
Naturepalooza at The Schuykill Center for Environmental Education
When: Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road, Philadelphia
Live music, activity tables, nature hikes, foods trucks and more. Registration is required.
Spring FunFest at Peddler’s Village
When: Saturday and Sunday, April 23-34 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 2400 Street Road, New Hope
While it’s not specifically Earth Day focused, Peddler’s Village is always beautiful this time of year, and it’s a great spot to enjoy some fresh air, look at the flowers and spend a day mostly outside. During the festival this weekend, there will be live music, a petting zoo, crafts, and more! See all the details HERE.
Middletown Earth Day Celebration
When: Saturday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Core Creek Park, 901 Bridgetown Pike, Langhorne
Learn about sustainable and eco friendly practices through demonstrations by local businesses and organizations. And pick up a free tree sapling. There will also be live music, an inflatable slide, children’s activities, Jay’s Food truck and more!
Tamanend Park Earth Day Clean Up Event
When: Saturday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: 2nd Street Pike, Southampton
Join the park staff and help clean up the park for spring!
Perkasie Borough Earth Day Celebration
When: Saturday, April 23 from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Perkasie Town Center
Learn all about the watershed, why it’s important and how you can help support a clean and healthy watershed. See inventive ways to upcycle and reuse household and thrifted items. Create a musical instrument, and more!
Briar Bush Nature Center EarthFest 2022
When: Saturday, April 23 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 1212 Edge Hill Road, Abington
Everyone is invited to a festival of fun for all ages including games, activities, crafts, and more! (Registration is NOT required.)
Activities include:
Museum Tours & Animal Encounters
BBNC’s City Nature Challenge Kick-Off Event
Seasonal Guided Hikes
Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt
Earth Day Craft
Special thanks to BLBB Charitable for supporting Nature Playscape renovations, scholarships, and numerous BBNC programs and FOBB events.
Special EarthFest 2022 events include:
The Nature Playscape Grand Reopening
Abington Bird Town’s Native Plant Sale/Swap
Abington EAC’s Rain Barrel Workshop
Wyncote Audubon’s Backyard Bird Initiative
Philadelphia Bee Co.’s Honey
Green Mountain Energy
BBNC Books for Donations
Rain Date: Sunday, April 24, 2022
Go On a Nature Scavenger Hunt
Make one yourself or there are tons of printable scavenger hunts on Pinterest. In addition to completing a scavenger hunt on paper, you could also bring along two bags. One for collecting pretty pieces of nature to make some type of craft at home. And a second bag (along with gloves) for collecting litter to throw away at home.
Read Books About Nature and/or Protecting Our Planet
Here are some Amazon links to a few books you might want to consider. (Though I’m pretty sure Earth Day will be the theme of our library trip this week!)
How to Help the Earth – by the Lorax
Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.)
Do a Craft/Art Project
You can find tons of nature-inspired/Earth crafts on Pinterest, but last year, I kept it simple with our take on the cherry blossom trees that are so beautiful this time of year. I cut out a rough tree trunk and branches out of brown construction paper. The kids then glued their tree base to a piece of blue construction paper. Then, they dipped cotton balls into pink, white and red paint and dabbed it on their paper to make little cherry blossoms.
Plant Something Together!
Visit your local garden center (Fairless Hills Garden Center is one of our favorites) and pick out some flowers, bushes or other greenery for your yard. Then have your kids help with the planting!
Sweet Mini Moments 