World Environment Day | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with World Environment Day. World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5th. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1972 at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The day is the biggest international day for the environment, encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Each year focuses on a specific theme, highlighting a particular environmental concern, from plastic pollution to biodiversity loss. It promotes global awareness and encourages individuals, communities, and governments to take responsibility for our planet's well-being. For official information, themes, and ways to get involved, please visit the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) website: www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day.

Understanding World Environment Day in EYFS & KS1

Let's explore our amazing planet and learn how to be its best friend! 🌳🌎💧 World Environment Day is all about making a difference, big or small, to keep our Earth healthy and happy for everyone!

For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides a vital and engaging theme for exploring the environment, recycling, animals (especially endangered ones), plants, water conservation, habitats, sustainability, caring for our world, and understanding the world (the natural world). It's about inspiring children to become little environmental champions, fostering empathy for nature, and teaching simple actions they can take to protect our precious planet. This day offers fantastic planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about conservation, environmental responsibility, and caring for Earth both essential and wonderfully impactful!

Why Is Learning About the Environment Important for Young Children?

Integrating World Environment Day and themes of environmental care, conservation, and sustainability into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) is incredibly important for fostering an early appreciation for nature, developing responsible habits, and laying the groundwork for future environmental stewardship.

• Fosters Connection to Nature: Encourages children to explore, observe, and develop a love for the natural world.

• Introduces Conservation Concepts: Explains, in an age-appropriate way, the importance of protecting animals, plants, and their diverse habitats.

• Promotes Sustainable Practices: Teaches practical actions like recycling, saving water, and reducing waste.

• Develops Responsibility: Cultivates a sense of care and stewardship for our planet and its resources.

• Enhances Scientific Understanding: Sparks curiosity about ecosystems, life cycles, and the interconnectedness of living things.

• Encourages Positive Action: Shows children that even small efforts can contribute to bigger environmental protection goals.

Engaging Environment & Nature Activities for World Environment Day (EYFS & KS1)

Let's become Earth's helpers and celebrate our wonderful world for World Environment Day with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on appreciating our planet, understanding environmental challenges, and learning how we can all help! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by our dedicated ‘The Environment’, ‘Recycling’, ‘Endangered Animals’, ‘Plants’, ‘Water’, and ‘Wildlife’ resources.

Here's some inspiration for celebrating World Environment Day in your setting: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken. Emphasise respect for nature and responsible actions.)

Understanding Our Earth & Environment

• Learning About Our Home:

  • Use 'Earth Game' to introduce the concept of Earth.

  • Create artwork or playdough creations with 'Earth - Our Home! Multimat - Playdough, Loose Parts, Art & Crafts'.

  • Practise alphabet skills with 'Earth Upper & Lower Case Alphabet Puzzle Game'.

• Connecting with Nature:

  • Engage with 'Animals Of The World Mega Colouring Pack', 'ZOO Animal Colouring - With Name & Footprint', and 'UK Garden Birds Colouring' to appreciate diverse wildlife.

  • Use 'ZOO Animal Alphabet Display Cards', 'ZOO Animal Border Sheets', and 'ZOO Animal Counting Display Posters/Flashcards' for animal-themed literacy and numeracy.

  • Go on a 'Garden Birdwatch Mat' to observe local birds.

  • Explore plants with 'Plants - Word Mat' and 'Plants - 'Plants Make Their Own Food' Poster'.

  • Learn about trees with 'Woodland Trees - Fact Cards - A5'.

  • Discuss the life cycle of plants or animals using 'Endless Life Cycle Puzzles' or 'Gardening - Sunflower Growth Ordering Cards'.

  • Reward green efforts with 'Gardening - 'Green Fingers' Certificate'.

  • Connect to nature through stories like 'Jack And The Beanstalk’.

Recycling & Reducing Waste

• Hands-on Recycling:

  • Set up a 'Recycling Centre Dramatic Role-Play Pack' for interactive learning.

  • Use 'Sort Recycling Cards Activity/Game' to help children categorise different materials.

  • Practise fine motor skills with 'Recycling Symbol - Fine Motor Control Sheets' or the full version.

  • Engage with 'Recycling Symbol - Multimats' for creative activities.

  • Use 'Recyclable Materials - Word Cards' to introduce recycling vocabulary.

  • Encourage practical application with 'Cut, Sort And Stick Recycling Activity'.

• Reducing Plastic:

  • Discuss the impact of plastic bags with 'Don't Use Plastic Bags!' Poster' and ''Don't Use Plastic Bags!' Colouring Poster'.

  • Inspire creativity with 'Design A Bag For Life'.

  • Learn about ocean pollution with 'Keep Plastic Out Of The Oceans! - Posters' and 'Keep Plastic Out Of The Oceans! - Posters (Colouring)'.

Water Conservation

• Why Water is Wonderful:

  • Use 'Wonderful Water! Display' or 'Wonderful Water! We Need Water To... Posters/Display' to highlight the importance of water.

  • Discuss how we use water with 'How Do You Use Water? Sheets' and 'How Do You Use Water? Ideas Sheet'.

  • Practise fine motor skills with 'Water Movement/Activity Challenge Cards'.

  • Create artwork with 'Decorate A Water Drop Multimat - Art & Craft/Playdough/Loose Parts' and use 'Water - Border Sheets (Horizontal)' or 'Water - Border Sheets (Vertical)'.

• Water-Themed Learning:

  • Explore size with 'Loose Part Water Drops Size Investigation'.

  • Practise alphabet skills with 'Water Drops Upper & Lower Case Alphabet Puzzle Game'.

  • Develop numeracy with 'Water Droplet Numbers (0-20)' and 'Water Drops Counting Puzzles (1-10)'.

  • Conduct simple science experiments using 'Test It In The Water!' Investigation Sheets'.

Protecting Endangered Animals

• Learning About Vulnerable Species:

  • Introduce children to various endangered animals using specific packs such as 'Barn Owl Pack', 'Bat Pack', 'Black Rhino Pack', 'Bumblebee Pack', 'Chimpanzee Pack', 'Elephant Pack' and more!

  • Discuss why these animals are endangered and what we can do to help (e.g., protecting habitats, recycling to prevent ocean plastic).

  • Learn about farm animals and their young with 'Farm Animals And Their Young Puzzles/Matching Game' and 'Young Farm Animals Colouring Pack’.

Outdoor & Sensory Exploration

• Engage senses with 'Beach - Mindfulness Scavenger Hunt Sheets'.

• Connect with seasonal changes using 'Finger-Paint Autumn Leaves'.

• Incorporate 'STEM - Winter Challenge Cards' for outdoor investigations.

• Use 'Outdoor Maths - Shape Challenge Cards' to explore shapes in the natural environment.

• Explore More: Explore a wide variety of themes which help our children learn about and appreciate animal and plant life. Our additional pages cover relevant and/or connected themes such as ‘Beach School’, ‘Endangered Animals’, ‘Forest School’, ‘Gardening’, ‘Habitats’, ‘Ocean’, ‘Plants’, ‘Polar’, ‘Recycling’, ‘The Environment’, ‘Water’, ‘Wetlands’, and ‘Wildlife’, ‘Woodland (Temperate)’.

These activities offer great inspiration for making World Environment Day a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering environmental awareness, conservation ethics, sustainable practices, and a lifelong passion for protecting our planet.

To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.

Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘World Environment Day’

Free ‘Environment’ related EYFS & KS1 activities, including ‘Recycling’, ‘Animals’, ‘Plants’ & ‘Endangered Animals’:

‘Recycling’ EYFS & KS1 activities:

(Find more resources on this theme on our dedicated ‘Recycling’ topic page.)

‘Endangered Animals’ EYFS & KS1 activity packs:

(Find more resources on this theme on our dedicated ‘Endangered Animals’ topic page.)

Learning about the ‘Earth’ EYFS & KS1 activities:

‘Wonderful Water’ EYFS & KS1 printable resources:

(Find more activities on this theme on our dedicated ‘Water’ topic page.)

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes

Explore a wide variety of themes which help our children learn about and appreciate animal and plant life.

More Early Years Event Pages for June

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

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Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'World Environment Day'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which established this international observance. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this event. For official information, themes, and ways to get involved, please visit the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) website: www.unep.org/world-environment-day.