Earth Day is just weeks away, and with spring slowly chipping away at cold temperatures, it’s a perfect time to get outside and show our planet some love. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, more than 1 billion people have mobilized for action across more than 190 countries, making it the most widely celebrated secular observance.
Looking for ways to get out and clean up our community? Read on! We’ve rounded up a list of events in the Fox Valley and beyond, cleanup mobilizations, plus a bonus list of things you can do to celebrate Earth Day as a family.
Earth Day Events Throughout April 2022
- Bubolz’s Earth Day Challenge – Participate in the Earth Day Challenge each week for a chance at winning a fun prize package.
- Location: Bubloz Nature Preserve, 4815 North Lynndale Drive, Appleton
- Dates: April 1-7: Pick up Trash in your Community
- April 8-14: Unplug from Screens for 24 Hours & Spend Time Outside
- April 15-21: Plant a Tree or Other Plant
- April 22-29: Earth Day Hike at Bubolz!
- Find all of the details for Bubolz’s Earth Day Challenge!
- March Forth to Earth Day – If advocacy is your thing, this organization might be up your alley.
- Location: Rallies are planned across Wisconsin over an 8-week span, beginning March 4th. Virtual educational events throughout the month.
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
- Earth Day Storytime– Head to for storytime, crafting, some outside adventuring, and more, while learning about the Earth and how we can protect it. (Come dressed for the weather).
- Location: Navarino Nature Center, W5646 Lindsten Rd, Shiocton
- When: 10 – 11:30 am or 1 – 1:30 pm
- Cost: $3 per child
- Register online for one session or call 715-758-6999
Saturday, April 23, 2022
- Cache In Trash Out® in Appleton – This Earth Day event combines treasure hunting (geocaching) with an Earth Day cleanup. All ages are able to participate to hunt down geocaches while picking up trash across 5 Appleton parks.
- Location: Check-in at Pierce Park Pavillion, 1035 West Prospect Avenue, Appleton
- Time: 9 am – 12 pm
- Cost: Free
- Register if you are interested in participating in a Geocaching 101 presentation to learn how to use the free app to participate.
- Mayhem in the Mud! at Heckrodt Wetland Reserve – While not an Earth Day-specific event, it’s a great opportunity to get the kids out to explore the environment Earth Day celebrates… and get really muddy.
- Location: Heckrodt Wetland Reserve, 1305 Plank Road, Menasha
- Time: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
- Cost: $6 per adult/child pair
- Registration required
- Navarino Nature Center Spring Open House – Explore the nature center grounds, take a trolley ride, explore the pond, build a birdhouse, do some crafts, eat some food, and more! Come dressed for the weather!
- Location: Navarino Nature Center, W5646 Lindsten Rd, Shiocton
- Time: 11 am – 2 pm
- Cost: Free event, $10 for birdhouse supplies (optional)
- Every Day is Earth Day Festival – Stop by the Kress Pavilion for a day of activities, food, workshops, and a celebration of raptors presented by Open Door Bird Sanctuary.
- Location: Donald & Carol Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church Street, Egg Harbor, Door County
- Date: April 23, 2022
- Time: 10 am – 4 pm
- Cost: Free event
Sunday, April 24, 2022
- Earth Day Celebration at Marsh Haven Nature Center – Located outside Waupun, this nature center is about an hour away from Appleton and, we think, worth the hike. Plant milkweed, make a recycled craft, hike, and visit with the critters. Wildlife Helpers activity. Play Marsh Haven Bingo and learn ways to help the Earth.
- Location: Marsh Haven Nature Center, W10145 State Road 49, Waupun
- Time: 10 am – 4 pm
- Creepy, Crawly & Cool Reptile Program at 1 pm in the Respect Our Earth theater
- Cost: Adults $5 | Children 5 – 14 $3 | Under 5 Free
- Earth Day Festival at Crossroads – Wetland restoration tours on Crossroads’ new bridges; tree planting demos; seed, plant, and tree give-aways; jumping worm info & more. Fun for the whole family.
- Location: Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay
- Time: 2 – 4 pm
- Cost: Free
Monday, April 25, 2022
- Wild Child Adventures Storytime by Neenah Public Library – While not Earth Day-specific, this is a fun opportunity to get little ones outside for some adventure and discovery. This is an ongoing program that will take place at various parks around Neenah. The programs run for about 30 to 40 minutes and include stories, short hikes, and enrichment activities.
- Location: Fritse Park, 937 Lake Street, Neenah
- Time: 10 am
- Cost: Free
- More dates and locations for Wild Child Adventure Storytime
Saturday, April 30, 2022
- Baird Creek Greenway Preservation Foundation Annual Earth Day Cleanup – Help the foundation clean up the Baird Creek Greenway! Ages 5 and up are welcome to help with invasive species removal, native seed planting, garbage pickup, creek cleanup, and more.
- Location: Triangle Hill, 500 Beverly Road, Green Bay
- Time: 8 am – 12 pm
- Cost: Free
- Snacks and drinks are provided by Starbucks.
- Parking and supplies information
Saturday, May 7, 2022
- Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Annual Fox-Wolf Cleanup– Join more than a thousand volunteers across more than 65 Wolf and Fox River sites to help clean up our watershed. Tee shirts and supplies are provided to all volunteers.
- Location: More than 60 sites along the Fox River, Wolf River, Lake Butte des Morts, and Lake Winnebago
- Cleanup Time: 9 am – 11:30 am
- Lunch, music, bounce houses, photo booth, face painters, raffles, and more wait for all Cleanup volunteers taking place at Tellulah Park, 1300 East Newberry Street, Appleton: 12 pm – 2 pm
- Cost: Free
- Register for your preferred clean-up site!
BONUS! Date Night Idea – Thursday, April 14, 2022
- Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass Glass Art Class– If you can sneak away for an evening, we have a fun date night idea! Make your own upcycled beer bottle glasses at the museum!
- Time: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
- Cost: $30
- Register online
11 Other Ways to Celebrate Earth Day With Kids
Making an impact can be as easy as unplugging and heading outside. Here are some ideas for celebrating and reflecting on Earth Day and all year round!
- Read a book! We found this great list of 7 books for elementary-aged children to inspire them to enact change and make a difference for the planet. Or check your local library for Earth Day book recommendations.
Editor’s Note: Our now teenage son loved this book so much as a toddler and preschooler!
- Clean up trash in your neighborhood or at your favorite park or school playground. We highly recommend wearing work gloves or disposable gloves while picking up trash.
- Make an eco-friendly bird feeder:
- Plant something! Go big and plant a tree or start a garden, or take baby steps with an easy-to-grow flower or vegetable like sunflowers, potatoes, radishes, carrots, or beans. Or, get kids excited for fall by starting their own pumpkin plant! (Just make sure you have plenty of space for its vines to spread out when it gets too big for a cup).
- Create a nature scavenger hunt or try one of these great ideas for engaging more closely with nature.
- Take a hike!
- Visit a nature center. There are 12 Nature Centers Within an Hour of Appleton!
- Make natural paintbrushes and stamps! Collect sticks, leaves, long blades of grass, flowers, etc, then take them home to construct them. Create a family art project with your brushes and stamps with acrylic paints.
- Make a puppet show from items in your recycling bin or old socks! Have your kids come up with an Earth Day-focused performance—lean on your Earth Day reading list for story ideas. Share with family over video chat to spread Earth Day awareness.
- Become Wisconsin Explorers through Wisconsin State Parks!
- Start the State Park Challenge and get inspired to explore our state’s beautiful state parks!
We will continue to add to our list as we see more events. Did we miss an event or activity idea? Send us the info at govalleykids@gmail.com or comment below!
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