Earth Day is April 22! If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the holiday with your kids, here’s a list of activities and events. Plus, a recipe for Earth cookies that I made with my kids a few years ago!
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 Themed Event with Lolly Hoopwood at Willow Grove Mall
When: Wednesday, April 19 from 10:30 a.m. to noon
Where: Willow Grove Mall, 2500 Moreland Road, Willow Grove (1st Level, Macy’s Court)
Fun and interactive kid’s music and movement concert with an Earth Day twist. There will also be a craft that kids can take home. The first 25 kids will receive a special surprise!
Earth Day Craft at Playpad Bucks
When: Friday, April 21 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: Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Parkside Place Pavilion, 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 2023 so are asking for colunteers to help plant vegetables and flowers (that the staff has purchased.) To volunteer, please contact the Upper Gwynedd Township Park and Recreation at 215-699-7777.
Earth Weekend at the Academy of Natural Sciences
When: Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Celebrate Earth Day with a weekend full of activities for naturalists of all ages.
During Earth Weekend, visitors can:
- Watch Live Bee Presentations with Don Shump of Philadelphia Bee Company
- Meet some of the Academy’s animal ambassadors at our Live Animal Shows
- Enjoy a Science Story Time
- Participate in the Bird Beak Challenge Family Workshop
- Attend a Bird-Puppet Making Workshop and Parade with artists Yvonne Lung and Eurhi Jones
- Hear climate-related original songs at Anthems for the Anthropocene
- Make a unique upcycled make and take at What was THAT?
- Get up close to live invertebrates
- and more!
Get tickets HERE.
Earth Day at Snipes Farm
When: Saturday, April 22 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 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road, Philadelphia
Live music, activity tables, nature hikes, face painting, identify animal tracks, make native seed balls, foods trucks and more. Registration is required. This event is free and rain or shine.
Spring FunFest at Peddler’s Village
When: Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23 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. IT’s also your last chance to see the PEEPS displays.
Tamanend Park Earth Day Clean Up Event
When: Saturday, April 22 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! All supplies, snacks and water are provided. Register HERE.
Earth Day Event at the Shops at Valley Square
When: Saturday, April 22 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 1501 Main Street, Warrington
Presentations by Barn Nature Center, outdoor yoga (for kids and adults at 4 p.m.), shredding and recycling and face painting.
Perkasie Borough Earth Day Celebration
When: Sunday, April 23 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Perkasie Town Center
Themed exhibitors, vegan & healthy food, Master Gardeners, live music from Brake for Turtles, community art, crafts. Special guest, the Pennsylvania Woodmobile. Information on waste reduction and recycling, composting & more.
Briar Bush Nature Center EarthFest 2023
When: Saturday, April 22 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:
- Briar Bush Animal Encounters
- Seasonal Guided Hikes
- Earth Day Craft
- Recycling and Composting Activities
- Feathered Friendly Bird-Safe Windows Workshop (Presented by Bird Safe Philly)
- BBNC’s City Nature Challenge Kick-Off
- Activities from the Abington Township Public Library
- Nature Playdate & Workshop (Sponsored by BLBB Charitable)
- And more!
Middletown Earth Day Celebration
When: Saturday, April 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Core Creek Park, 901 Bridgetown Pike, Langhorne
With a wide array of vendors and activities, there’s something for everyone in the family. Get ready to learn all about sustainability, connect with local businesses, and engage in some earth-friendly activities. This is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote the adoption of sustainable practices that will help protect our planet.
Hungry? No worries! Pita Chip, a local Mediterranean restaurant, will be serving up some tasty food and refreshments for purchase.
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 