Ready to celebrate Earth Day this year? We’ve put together some easy, fun ideas to do as a family to appreciate the Earth and make strides to keep it healthy.
Set some Earth Day Goals
Plan for walking or riding bikes as a family whenever possible or investing reusable water bottles. Here are 25 awesome ideas!
Join a Neighborhood Clean Up
Get some fresh air, meet your neighbors, and do something to improve the community! Most neighborhood associations or groups work with Nashville Metro Public Works—which provides gloves and bags free of charge! Check with your neighborhood organization for details.
Collect and Recycle Glass
If you don’t already, now’s a perfect time to start a new family habit. Re-purpose an old bin by drilling holes in the bottom and collect your empty, clean glass containers. When your bin is full, drive it over to a recycling drop-off site or convenience center and drop it off for free! You should be able to check your individual county list at your local county government page.
Plant a Tree in Your Yard
Check out what native species to plant here. Once you’ve planted your tree, log your new friend into Root Nashville’s TreePlotter map to help measure Nashville’s canopy growth!
Get Out On the Water
Spend the day observing nature from the water. Instead of using something motorized, try a kayak, rowboat, stand-up paddle board, or other pollution-free water vehicle. Look for local rentals here.
Go On a Recycled Item Hunt
Search for items in your house made from recycled materials (like cereal boxes or plastic bags). See if you can find five!
Reuse Mission
Dig through your family’s recycling bin and come up with a way to reuse one of the items. You might take a clear plastic food container and turn it into a small toy container. A great family field trip would be a visit to Turnip Green Creative Reuse in Wedgewood Houston to create awesome works of art using old recyclable materials!
Check Out an Earth Day Festival
Nashville’s annual Earth Day festival will be held at Centennial Park on April 18 from 11A-5P located at This free family event brings the Nashville community together to celebrate our planet, inspire positive environmental change, and support sustainable small businesses & nonprofits. Nashville Earth Day is presented by Centennial Park Conservancy in partnership with Urban Green Lab and support from Metro Parks Nashville.
Also, check out our monthly family event guide for other Earth Day happenings around the area.
Clean Up Your Block
Take a lap around your block and pick up any trash you see. Take gloves and two bags—one for things can be recycled and one for trash!
Get Outside and Enjoy Mother Nature
Play in the mud. Go for a walk in the woods. Splash in a puddle. One of the best ways to develop a deep love and respect for our Earth is to enjoy it’s bounty. Go explore!
