Earth Day is Monday, April 22nd and there are plenty of events that will help us get our kids outside and involved with fun activities that give thanks to Mother Earth and all that she has to offer.
Thursday, April 18
Earth Day Celebration @ Recreation Activities Center (West Bloomfield)
Celebrate Earth Day at the Outdoor Natural Play Area and participate in fun, FREE activities: crafts, live animal interactions, guided nature walks and more. Pre-registration encouraged.
April 20 & 21
GreenFest @ The Detroit Zoo (Royal Oak)
This weekend-long festival features a sustainable vendor market, a variety of plant-based food trucks, live music, education stations and eco-friendly activities, including crafts, showcases from local environmental organizations, a scavenger hunt and much more. Come early and enjoy a “poo-sitively” exciting prize! The first 250 groups to enter the Zoo on each event date will take home a 2-gallon bucket of Zoo Poo – compost created from waste collected at the Zoo, including manure, bedding and food waste! This event is free for members and included with Detroit Zoo admission.
Saturday, April 20th
Earth Day Celebration – Mini Maestros Family Concert @ The War Memorial (Grosse Pointe Farms)
Celebrate Earth Day and the arrival of Spring with singer songwriter, Joe Reilly and friends in a program of environmental songs for kids of all ages. Move, dance, and allow yourself to become the animals, plants, and water in the music!
Earth Day Celebration @ Cranbrook Institute of Science (Bloomfield Township)
Celebrate Earth Day early at the Institute and engage in fun nature and conservation-based activities for all ages. Hands-on activities include: Design, build and test a device to help remove plastics from the Great Lakes
Craft a recycled creation to take home; Learn about the science behind soil erosion with our water sprayer
Experience a seed’s first sprout; Learn about the importance of pollinators with a fun pollination game
Create your own germination kit; Test different strategies to clean an oil spill; Embark on an indoor-outdoor nature-themed scavenger hunt and more! Activities are FREE with the purchase of general admission.
Green Day @ Belle Isle Nature Center (Detroit)
This free celebration features outdoor activities, nature hikes, earth-friendly crafts and opportunities to participate in citizen science initiatives that support clean waterways. Green Day will also feature local conservation specialists, who will illustrate the benefits of green initiatives through an assortment of artistic and educational demonstrations.
Earth Day Celebration @ Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center (Shelby Township)
Enjoy live bluegrass music by the Balduck Mountain Ramblers, meet live animal ambassadors and learn how you can be kind to wildlife. There will also be eco-friendly crafts, educational stations, story time, face-painting and scheduled guided hikes. Shop small at the Local Artisan Market and stay for a tree planting ceremony at noon. Registration preferred for this FREE family event.
Earth Day Extravaganza @ Nankin Mills Interpretive Center (Westland)
Head to the Nankin Mills Recreation Area in Westland for a fun FREE event! There will be games, crafts, activities, inflatables, and more!
Earth Day @ Greenmead Historical Park (Livonia)
Join us for a family-friendly hands-on encounter for Earth Day at Greenmead Historical Park, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20, with Dan the Creature Man! Stick around for an Earth Day themed activity for the kids! The cost per resident is $15 and $20 for non-residents. Advanced registration is required
Earth Day @ Howell Nature Center (Howell)
Stop by the Welcome Center to receive a complimentary Earth Day craft, & scavenger hunt activity! Enjoy the Wild Wonders Wildlife Park and our Nature Scape. All activities are included with your day admission to the park! General admission: $8 per adult $6.
Earth Day Celebration & Nature Hikes @ Drayton Plains Nature Center (Waterford)
Celebrate the planet by exploring the wonderful variety of ecosystems on display, including oak forests, open ponds, riverside floodplain forests, and natural prairie with Six Rivers Land Conservancy.
Explorers: Earth Day @ The Ford House (Grosse Pointe Shores)
For Explorers: Earth Day, children will enjoy a fun-filled nature-themed scavenger hunt and then make a special project to take home, all in honor of Earth Day on April 22.
Earth Day @ Bowers School Farm (Bloomfield Hills)
Celebrate Earth Day with our farm friends and special partner activities from 9am to 2pm.
Dear Earth – Super Hero Hike @ For-Mar Nature Preserve (Burton)
It’s Earth Day! Let’s celebrate together, join us for Earth Day themed stories, hikes, and crafts. Let’s take a hike and explore how we can be a superhero for nature! We will take a page from Dendro the Defender’s book and learn what we can do to help our urban forests. Come for the hike, stay for the community resources and Book Fair! Pre-registration is requried.
DIY-U FREE Kids Workshop @ Lowes (multiple locations)
Kick-off spring with your little builder as they create a garden cart planter. Kids can grow new skills and take home a fun garden project just in time to start some seeds!
Sunday, April 21st
Free Admission @ Dossin Great Lakes Museum (Detroit)
Explore our newest exhibition Microplastics: Here, There, Everywhere and join in crafts and activities related to the history of the Detroit River and its importance to both humans and animals. We will also welcome some special guests- sea lampreys! Learn about their lives in the river and take the opportunity to greet them with a gentle hello.
Whimsical Woodlands @ Johnson Nature Center (Bloomfield Hills)
Enjoy a magical day with unique vendors, food truck, face painting, canoeing and other family-friendly activities. The Whimsical Woodland Festival is a celebration of our Earth and community. All proceeds support our outdoor classroom thanks to Friends of Johnson Nature Center. Volunteer “Builders” create fairy or gnome homes, establishing a whimsical neighborhood of small structures built out of natural materials from the environment. Suggested $5 donation.
Monday, April 22
Earth Day @ Farmington Nature Center (Farmington Hills)
Celebrate the Earth with FREE family-fun activities, live music, face painting, earth-friendly crafts, informational booths, giveaways, local food trucks and more! No need to register, just show up.
You don’t need a special event, celebrate planet Earth with a walk on one of our favorite (easy) nature trails in metro Detroit
Photo credit: Detroit Zoo
