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Earth Day 2025: 14 Earth Day Activities in DC for Kids

Kids are never too young to learn about Earth Day and protecting the planet. Photo by Ed Wondoloski, for Montgomery County Parks
Kids are never too young to learn about Earth Day and protecting the planet. Photo by Ed Wondoloski, for Montgomery County Parks
4/11/25 - By Stephanie Shipman

Earth Day 2025 is Tuesday, April 2! Earth Day activities are a fun way to educate children about the planet, climate change, and how we can keep Earth healthy. And there are so many things to do with kids in the DC area to celebrate Earth Day 2025, from park cleanups to fun festivals to garden parties.

Here are 14 Earth Day activities in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia for kids and families this April. The best part is, most of them are FREE!

Check out our Earth Kids Guide for more things to do with kids to celebrate Earth Day 2025, from recycled crafts to movies that teach about climate change.

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Cleaning up a local park is a great way to celebrate Earth Day. Photo courtesy of Canva
Cleaning up a local park is a great way to celebrate Earth Day. Photo courtesy of Canva

Earth Day Activities for Kids in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia

Earth Day Park Clean Up at Bailey Branch Park

Arlington, VA - Friday, April 18
Free
Commemorate the celebration of Earth by bringing the family to help clean up the park. Gloves, trash grabbers, and trash bags will be provided. The event is rain or shine. READ MORE

Little Critters Nature Play at the National Zoo

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 19
Free
Each weekend, young children can learn about and explore animals and the natural world through creative, free-choice activity stations. Dig for horseshoe crabs in the sand table, make lunch for a bird in the mud kitchens, and enjoy storytime. READ MORE

Earth Day Celebration: A Day Unplugged at Anacostia Community Museum

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 19
Free
Celebrate Earth Day at the Anacostia Community Museum. Attendees can meet community partners, enjoy family-friendly maker activities, and learn more about plant care. It's also the inaugural weekend of the FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand, the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind East of the River in Ward 8. READ MORE

Earth Day Garden Party at Kensington Park Library

Kensington, MD - Saturday, April 19
Free
Celebrate Earth Day with exciting activities for all ages, including garden tours, a Story Trail walk, ​free plant clippings, and more. Speaking events include a 2pm compost demonstration, a 2:30pm beekeeping talk, a 3pm tree care lesson, and a 3:30pm talk about rainscapes. READ MORE

Family Fun: Earth Day Celebration at Green Spring Gardens

Alexandria, VA - Saturday, April 19
Celebrate Earth and say thanks with face painting, poetry, pictures, and puppets. Families can also make a special Earth Day craft and help decorate a tree. READ MORE

Earth Day Celebration at Tanger National Harbor

National Harbor, MD - Monday, April 21
Free
Did you know that Tanger National Harbor has a rooftop garden and honeybee hive? In celebration of Earth Day, visit the Food Truck Plaza for interactive displays hosted by Alvéole and Up Top Acres to learn about bees, sustainable food systems, and how all of this impacts our environment. Guests can also enjoy a kids craft, giveaways, and more. READ MORE

Long Branch Earth Day

Silver Spring, MD - Saturday, April 26
Free
Attend a community Earth Day celebration at Flower Ave Park in Long Branch in collaboration with Roxana’s Floral. Get outside, breathe the fresh spring air, and give thanks for our planet and community. There will be Plant Crafts, Family Portraits, and lots of Earth Day fun in the park! READ MORE

Earth Day Cleanup at Anacostia Park

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 26
Free
The annual Anacostia River Earth Day Cleanup is AWS's largest annual volunteer event and one of the largest single-day volunteer events in the DMV. This year, thousands of volunteers from around the watershed will pick up trash, serve our community, and enjoy the Anacostia River. READ MORE

Fredericksburg’s Annual Earth Day Festival on the Rappahannock

Fredericksburg, VA - Saturday, April 26
Free
The 2025 Earth Day Festival is filled with fun family activities to celebrate Earth Day. Come to Old Mill Park for interactive activities, live music, delicious food, citizen science projects, paddling demos, live music, and live animals. READ MORE

Living Earth Festival with the National Museum of the American Indian

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 26
Free
In celebration of Earth Day, the National Museum of the American Indian’s annual Living Earth Festival is a weekend of conversations, presentations, and artist demonstrations that explore how Indigenous communities are protecting their way of life from climate change. READ MORE

Montgomery County GreenFest (at Marian Fryer Town Plaza)

Wheaton, MD - Saturday, April 26
Free
This Earth Day celebration is the largest annual environmental festival in Montgomery County, MD. GreenFest is organized by a coalition of public and non-profit partners. GreenFest invites people of all ages to come together to celebrate, learn, and start or continue their journey to improving the community and the environment. READ MORE

Earth Day Fairfax at Sully Historic Site

Fairfax, VA - Saturday, April 26
Free
Head to this Earth Day festival to enjoy nature exhibits, outdoor learning activities, an obstacle course, live entertainment, farm animals, a touch-a-truck, a tree-care clinic, giveaways, food trucks, and tours of Sully Historic House.  READ MORE

Earth Day Every Day on Langston Boulevard

Arlington, VA - Sunday, April 27
Free
Celebrate Earth Day on Langston Boulevard. Enjoy live music, great food, an arts market, environmental booths, a raffle, live screen printing, and kid-friendly activities. READ MORE

Mother Earth & Me at Discovery Theater

Washington, DC - Tuesday & Wednesday, April 29 & 30
The magic of earth science takes center stage in this fun, interactive Discovery Theater original. Explore the origins of our planet, sing about the water cycle, and understand humans' vital role to protect the ecosystem. Science and folklore about the “big blue marble” called Earth kick off Earth Month, and audiences become Earth Superheroes and take home some great ideas to start right away. READ MORE

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