10 Simple Sustainability Activities for Kids
Teaching kids about sustainability doesn't have to involve complicated lessons or difficult conversations. Some of the most meaningful environmental lessons can come from simple activities that children can see, touch and participate in every day.
From growing plants to saving water and giving old objects a new life, there are plenty of fun ways to help children understand that their everyday choices can make a difference.
Here are 10 simple sustainability activities to try at home, at school or in your local community.
1. Start a little garden
You don't need a huge backyard to grow something.
Try planting herbs, vegetables or flowers in pots, a small garden bed or even a windowsill planter.
Children can help choose the plants, add soil, water them and watch them grow. Gardening is a wonderful way to introduce ideas about nature, food, biodiversity and caring for living things.
You could even grow something you can eat together or pollinator flowers which can provide important food and habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
There are heaps of amazing companies you can buy seed packs from but some of our favourites are Sow n Sow, Green Harvest, Seed Folk and Grow it Local.
2. Turn off the lights
Children can become the family's official "lights monitor".
Get them to ask whenever everyone leaves a room, ask:
"Does the light need to be on?"
It's a tiny habit, but it helps children understand that energy is something we use, and something we can use thoughtfully.
You can also talk about where electricity comes from and why renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are important. A great guide to start with is Earth.Org Kids or National Geographic Kids.
3. Have a reusable lunchbox challenge or do the ‘Nude Food’ challenge
Only use reusable lunch boxes when packing food for your kids!
Then challenge your family to create a lunch with as little single-use packaging as possible.
Try reusable containers, drink bottles, lunchboxes and cutlery instead of disposable alternatives.
This is a great opportunity to talk about the difference between single-use and reusable items and why using something again and again can help reduce waste.
Some great zero-waste zero-waste brands to get you started are, Go For Zero, Biome and Seed and Sprout.
You can find out more about the Nude Food Challenge here.
4. Give something old a new life
Before throwing something away, ask:
"Could we use this for something else?"
An old cardboard box could become a spaceship. A glass jar could become a plant pot. Scraps of paper could become artwork.
Upcycling encourages creativity while introducing children to an important sustainability principle: We don't always need to buy something new.
5. Make a recycling sorting game
Teach your kids what items correctly go in the right bin. Every time you need to throw something out, ask them what bin it goes in and when they get it right you can give them a little treat or reward.
The exact recycling rules vary between councils, so use your local council's guidance to teach children what belongs in each bin.
This can turn recycling into a hands-on learning activity rather than simply telling children what to do.
6. Have a "nature noticing" walk
Go outside with one simple rule: Notice nature.
Look for:
Different types of leaves
Birds
Insects
Flowers
Clouds
Seeds
Trees
You don't need to identify everything.
Simply encouraging children to notice and appreciate the natural world can help build a sense of connection with nature.
And caring for something often starts with noticing it.
7. Bake a plant based treat
Get little hands into the kitchen and bake a delicious vegan treat together!
Baking is a fun way to talk about where our food comes from and how the choices we make can affect the environment. Plant-based foods can be a wonderful way to introduce children to the idea that our food choices are connected to the planet, animals and natural resources.
Choose a simple recipe and let children help with age-appropriate jobs like measuring ingredients, stirring, decorating or washing up.
While you're baking, you could talk about:
Where different ingredients come from
How plants provide many of the foods we eat
Eating more plant-based foods and discuss the health benefits
How to avoid food waste
Choosing reusable containers instead of disposable packaging
What can happen to food scraps after cooking
You could even challenge your little chefs to create a "zero-waste" baking day by using ingredients you already have at home and finding a way to use or compost any suitable food scraps.
You can find some plant-based recipes on the Rosie’s Recipes page.
8. Build a worm farm or a compost bin
Did you know that some of the things we throw away can actually become food for our garden?
A worm farm or compost bin is a fantastic hands-on way for children to discover what happens to food scraps and how nature helps turn organic waste into something useful.
Start by choosing a composting or worm-farming system that's suitable for your home. Children can help add appropriate food scraps, observe what happens and learn how worms and microorganisms help break down organic matter.
Make it a regular responsibility. Children could take turns being the "Worm Farm Helper" or "Compost Captain", checking the system and adding suitable scraps.
Then, when you're ready, use the finished compost or worm juice in the garden.
It's a wonderful way for children to see a natural cycle in action: Food → scraps → decomposition → healthy soil → new plants → food
9. Donate pre-loved toys
Children grow up and their toys sometimes get left behind.
Instead of letting unwanted toys sit unused or sending them straight to landfill, help your child give their pre-loved toys a second life.
Together, go through their toys and ask: "Do you still play with this?"
If the answer is no, talk about whether another child might enjoy it.
This is a lovely opportunity to teach children about reusing, sharing, giving to others, reducing waste, looking after our belongings, buying less and choosing thoughtfully.
Help your child choose toys that are clean, complete and in good condition, then find an appropriate local organisation, charity shop, community group or family that accepts pre-loved toys.
Rather than making it feel like they're simply "getting rid of" their toys, talk about the adventure the toy might have next.
Ask: "Who do you think might play with this next?" and "What do you think they'll enjoy about it?"
This helps children understand that something they no longer need can still be valuable to someone else.
10. Read a sustainability story together
Books can be a wonderful way to introduce children to big ideas in an age-appropriate and engaging way.
A story can help children explore questions about nature, animals, waste, climate, conservation and caring for our planet through characters and adventures they can relate to.
Meet Rosie
Rosie Rescues Her Precious Planet is a children's story about sustainability, caring for nature and discovering how small actions can contribute to a healthier planet.
Through Rosie's adventure with the Treebles, young readers are encouraged to think about the world around them and the ways they can help care for it.
For families looking for a fun way to start conversations about sustainability, a story can be a lovely place to begin.
Sustainability starts with small actions
Sustainability can be introduced through small, everyday choices: turning off a tap, caring for a plant, reusing something or noticing nature.
The most important thing is to make sustainability positive, practical and empowering.
When children learn that their actions can make a difference, they can begin to see themselves as part of caring for the world around them.