As parents, you spend countless hours teaching your children to say “please” and “thank you,” to look both ways before crossing the street, and to be kind to everyone. But are you teaching them to say “thank you” to the trees that give them oxygen? Or to be kinder to the planet that’s their home?
This World Environment Day, let’s add another essential lesson to your parenting toolkit: teaching kids about the importance of nature. In this blog, we will share a few World Environment Day activities that parents can do with their kids to teach them the importance of nature. But before that, let’s look at the World Environment Day Theme 2025.
What is the Theme for World Environment Day 2025?
In 2025, the theme for World Environment Day is ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution,’ emphasising the urgent need to address the growing problem of plastic waste.
For the unversed, World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5th, is a global initiative to raise awareness and encourage action to protect our environment. Established by the United Nations in 1972 and first celebrated in 1973, this day has become a platform for promoting environmental awareness and action worldwide.
4 Fascinating Facts to Share with Your Kids This World Environment Day
Engaging children with interesting facts can spark their curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of environmental issues. Here are four captivating facts you can share with your kids this World Environment Day.
- The Earth is Home to Over 2 Million Animal Species
- Plants Dominate Life on Earth
- Oceans Cover 70% of the Earth’s Surface
- Humans Account for 0.01% of the Earth’s Biomass
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are over 2 million documented animal species on Earth, including more than one million insects, 11,000 birds, 11,000 reptiles, and 6,000 mammals.
Plants, primarily trees, comprise approximately 80% or more of the Earth’s biomass. Forests cover about 31% of the global land area and are crucial in absorbing carbon dioxide, thus mitigating climate change.
Oceans cover nearly 70% of the Earth’s surface and are home to many fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. They also absorb about half of the carbon dioxide emitted and 93% of the heat trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.
The global population has grown from approximately 2.6 billion in 1950 to nearly 8 billion today. Despite this, humans account for only 0.01% of the Earth’s biomass.
World Environment Day Activities for Parents and Kids
Parents are always looking for ways to teach life lessons without boring their kids or exhausting themselves. World Environment Day is the perfect opportunity to introduce eco-awareness with joy, not lectures. These light and engaging World Environment Day activities spark meaningful conversations about caring for the planet.
- Grow a Plant Together
- Trash-to-Treasure Craft Hour
- Nature Scavenger Hunt
- Recycling Relay Game
- Make a Reusable Bag Together
- No Power Hour
- Cook a Meal Together
Planting something, even in a reused yoghurt cup, creates a sense of responsibility and wonder in children. Moreover, growing a plant together gives parents a chance to talk about where food comes from, how plants clean our air, and why forests matter. You can start with planting low-maintenance plants like basil, mint, or coriander.
With the activity, kids get to build something cool using what would have gone into the bin, like making a robot from old cartons or a pencil holder from a tin can. This is a perfect activity for parents to teach their little ones that waste isn’t always ‘waste.’ It’s a great intro to upcycling and conscious consumption.
Kids love a good challenge. Therefore, this World Environment Day, send them searching for items like a feather, a fallen leaf, or something green in your backyard or the nearby park. This activity helps children connect to their immediate environment, even in urban homes. You’ll also be surprised at how observant they can become. After the hunt, discuss the importance of each item they collected and explain how each item plays a vital role in the ecosystem.
Turn recycling into a fast-paced, fun activity this World Environment Day. Set up bins labelled ‘plastic,’ ‘paper,’ and ‘metal,’ then race to sort items. This activity playfully reinforces good habits. You’re building eco-awareness without nagging.
One of the best ways to celebrate World Environment Day with your kids is to create something useful out of the trash. So, this year, create a bag out of trash with your kids. You can simply decorate a plain cloth bag with stamps, handprints, or fabric paint. Additionally, you can slip in some conversations about plastic pollution and how small switches (like ditching single-use plastic and using reusable cloth bags) can protect nature.
It’s good to break the rules once in a while, especially when it is for the greater good. This World Environment Day, if you wish to teach the importance of preserving natural resources, start by educating them on how to use power or electricity. You can celebrate a ‘no power hour’ when all the lights and screens are switched off. You can use this time to explain that energy use affects the Earth and that this hour is your family’s gift back to the planet. Alternatively, you can play a board game, tell stories, or light candles and talk about stars.
Use local, seasonal veggies to whip up a simple dish. Kids can wash, stir, or even plate the food. It’s a great way to talk about food waste, water use, and the impact of our eating habits on the Earth. You can keep the menu simple—just stir-fried seasonal veggies, fruit salad, or no-cook wraps.
Why These Activities Matter – H2
These aren’t just fun tasks—they’re small seeds of awareness. When your child waters a plant, recycles a bottle, or switches off a light, they’re learning what it means to care. As a parent, you don’t need perfection—just intention.
The importance of World Environment Day lies in reminding each generation that the Earth is worth protecting, nurturing, and loving. These activities are gentle beginnings of that lifelong lesson.
Conclusion
Your children are environmentalists; they just don’t know it yet. They are fascinated by bugs and obsessed with how things grow, making them nature observant and lovers of nature. All you need to do is nurture that connection and show them that caring for the Earth isn’t a chore. It’s an adventure they can embark on right from their backyard, kitchen, or neighbourhood park.
We hope you can do just that and more with these World Environment Day activities. If your children love outdoor activities more than the comfort of your home, check out our blog, Preschoolers Go Wild: Outdoor Nature Activities For World Wildlife Day, for some fun outdoor activities you can do with your little ones this World Environment Day. And when you’re ready to nurture that curiosity even further, visit EuroKids Preschools for the perfect start to your child’s learning journey.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out EuroKids Blogs for more insights into your little one’s learning, development, and nutrition.
