Celebrate Earth Day at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum

The Earth Day celebrations will last all week long.

Earth Day is a time to celebrate the great planet we live on. It’s also a good time to teach children about how to take care of the planet, and all of the resources it provides us. From the oxygen provided by trees to the dew drops on the blades of grass in the morning, Earth is a special place and deserves to be cherished.

Psst… Check Out EarthFest at AMNH: Fun Family Events to Celebrate Earth Day

What Is Earth Day?

Earth Day falls on Tuesday, April 22nd this year. The theme for this year is “Our Power, Our Planet,” emphasizing the importance of renewable energy and aiming to triple global electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030. Earth Day began on April 22, 1970, as a nationwide environmental teach-in organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson to raise awareness about environmental issues and pollution. It inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development, which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts.

Celebrate Together

This year, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum will celebrate Earth Day all week, from April 13–19, with their Earth Rocks program, a festival packed with STEM experiments, live animal encounters, eco-artmaking, and sustainability-focused workshops.

“Brooklyn Children’s Museum stands out as one of NYC’s best destinations for hands-on discovery of the science behind our natural world. As a pioneer in childhood education, we’re equipping young visitors with the tools to observe, question, and experiment at our Earth Rocks! spring break festival,” said Atiba T. Edwards, President and CEO of Brooklyn Children’s Museum. “Both science and environmentalism are proving to be defining factors of the twenty-first century, and our children will be the ones solving problems and making change. Earth Rocks! is one of the best opportunities to kick off this journey.”

The museum will feature Earth Day celebrations through the following exhibits, perfect for hands-on learning!

Soil, Plants, and Food

Families will explore the fascinating world of plants and sustainable food systems through interactive workshops and demonstrations. Kids can create natural plant-based dyes, learn about hydroponic farming with Mi Oh My Farms, and pot their own fragrant plants with Brooklyn Botanic Garden educators to take home and nurture.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Families will learn to transform trash into treasure by participating in flower reuse workshops with Bloom Again Brooklyn, learning all about composting with Cues, creating upcycled projects with Friends of Brower Park, and discovering how worms recycle food scraps into rich soil with the NYC Department of Sanitation.

Animals and Insects

During BCM’s live animal programming, families will meet some of nature’s most fascinating creatures up close. Kids can touch blue caterpillars and see tarantulas during bug encounters with entomologist Dr. Aaron Rodriques, dance along to a high-energy, bug-fact-filled performance by Ants on a Log, and bring their favorite stuffed animal for a “check-up” at our stuffed animal care station, where they’ll use real medical tools like stethoscopes and thermometers.

Throughout the week, they will also host a slew of Earth and STEM-related projects, perfect for curious little ones.

What’s the Juice? — STEM Project
In BCM’s Nature’s Engineers STEM makerspace, young engineers will experiment with sustainable energy by building their own food-powered batteries. Can a potato light up a bulb? How about a lemon? Kids can put their curiosity to the test in this electrifying challenge!

Earth Homes – Art Project
In BCM’s ColorLab family art studio, young artists will explore sculptural environmental storytelling inspired by creating an ‘Earth Home,’ inspired by artist Beverly Buchanan. Using clay, sticks, rocks, and other natural materials, kids will mold a structure, add texture with natural elements, and then personalize it with details like doors, windows, or a stoop.

Visitors can participate in BCM’s week-long Earth Rocks! festival from Sunday, April 13 to Saturday, April 19 with the purchase of a general admission ticket: $15 per child and adult, $14 per grandparent, and FREE for children under the age of one. BCM members receive discounted rates.

Psst… Check Out Get a Free Tree in NYC Just in Time for Earth Day!