Thank you to Fourth Street Berkeley for sponsoring today’s post.
Show the Earth some love and celebrate Earth Day with your East Bay kids. I love it as a great opportunity to teach children about the place we live, and why it’s important to take care of it. Even small actions can help make a difference and benefit the Earth. Don’t forget to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors! Earth Day takes place on Friday, April 22, 2022, but many celebrations happen over the weekend.

How to celebrate Earth Day? Here are several ideas for your family:
Bike to Fourth Street for a big Earth Party – Saturday, April 23, 11 am to 4 pm. With live music in the streets, children planting seeds, a succulent giveaway, professionals painting vines along kids’ arms, and a just-right puppet show, there are many reasons to swing by Fourth Street and join in the celebration. If you’re able to bike or walk there, that’s even better. Plan your visit >

Volunteer to help the Earth. There are loads of events for Earth Day; see our list below for kid-friendly events and volunteer opportunities. Many East Bay cities host community-wide clean-ups or self-guided opportunities, including Oakland, Hayward, Berkeley, Albany, Piedmont, and East Bay Regional Parks. Find one that fits your family’s schedule, interests, location, and mood. And go!

Take a hike in the great outdoors. Play outside with your children and take in the beauty of our East Bay landscape. Whether you’re up for a stroller-friendly walk, toddler-level hike, or something more significant, our area has so much nature to appreciate. Here are some hikes to try >>
Pro tip: Level up and combine your hike with the next activity!
Go outside and pick up some trash. Head to your local park, beach, or even neighborhood block. Bring a plastic bag and wear some gloves, then pick up whatever garbage you find, and properly dispose of it at home. This is a simple, yet an effective activity that’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Read a book or watch a movie that is pro-environment. The Lorax is a classic, and The Curious Garden is good too. Wild Kratts teaches all kinds of lessons about animals. Common Sense Media has more recommendations for environmentally-minded films. More Earth Day book picks for families >>
Create a green space. Plants some flowers, vegetables, or even a tree as a family. The greenery from plants purifies the air, supports animal habitats, and teaches kids that plants need to be nurtured. Plus getting dirty in the garden is always fun! More tips on East Bay gardening with kids here >>

Teach environmentally-friendly behaviors at home. Small actions add up when it comes to caring for the Earth. Start by acting in environmentally-friendly ways while at home and teach your children to do the same: make a compost pile, ride a bike or take public transportation, turn off lights in unused rooms, visit a zero-waste store, or conserve water while washing hands or brushing teeth.
Visit a Farmers Market. Taste the bounty at your nearby Farmers Market or go further afield for Bay Area fruit picking. The San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace sells Carmel Honey, founded by Jake Reisdorf (pictured below), a passionate advocate for saving honey bee populations.

Lots More East Bay Families’ Earth Day Events
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Time | Event |
---|---|
10:00 am - 4:00 pm |
Earth Day Celebration at Oakland Zoo Oakland Zoo, Oakland |
Friday, April 22, 2022
Time | Event |
---|---|
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm |
Earth Day at Jack London Square Jack London Square, Oakland |
2:00 pm - 7:00 pm |
Earth Day Block Print Workshop for Teens Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), Berkeley |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
Earth Day Plant Swap 1218 Fourth St., Berkeley |
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Time | Event |
---|---|
8:30 am - 11:30 am |
Hayward 39th Annual Earth Day Citywide Clean Up Weekes Community Center Park, Hayward |
9:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Berkeley Waterfront Earth Day Cleanup Event Shorebird Park Nature Center, Berkeley |
9:00 am - 1:00 pm |
Earth Day Seed Planting for Kids San Francisco Ferry Building, San Francisco |
10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
Celebrate Earth Day with Urban Tilth Unity Park on the Richmond Greenway, Richmond |
10:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Downtown San Leandro Family Earth Day Festival Casa Peralta, San Leandro |
10:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Earth Day Festival at CCM Children’s Creativity Museum (CCM), San Francisco |
10:00 am - 1:00 pm |
Earth Day in the Garden Ruth Bancroft Gardens, Walnut Creek |
10:00 am - 1:00 pm |
Family Art Day Shadelands Art Center, Walnut Creek |
11:00 am - 4:00 pm |
Earth Day Celebration on 4th![]() Fourth Street Shops, Berkeley |
11:30 am - 2:30 pm |
Family Cycling Rodeo: Fremont Fremont Downtown Event Center & Plaza, Fremont |
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm |
Earth Day Discovery Stations and Open House UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, Berkeley |
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Time | Event |
---|---|
9:00 am - 1:00 pm |
Earth Day at the Farmer's Market Downtown Martinez, Martinez |
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Time | Event |
---|---|
11:00 am - 2:00 pm |
15th Annual Lafayette Earth Day Festival Lafayette Library and Learning Center, Lafayette |

What will you do to celebrate Earth Day? Tell us in the comments or over on the 510 Families Facebook page.
Thank you again to Fourth Street Berkeley for sponsoring today’s post. Throughout the year, Fourth Street hosts many family-friendly events and celebrations in addition to being a destination for terrific shops and restaurants. If you’re within a few miles, bike over to Fourth Street to celebrate Earth Day.
6 thoughts on “9 Places to Celebrate Earth Day With Kids”
Children’s Creativity Museum has an Earth Day festival on 4/23. https://creativity.org/special-events/
Camp Edmo is offering an On-Line Earth Day Camp on 4/22. https://edmo.org/online-experiences/holiday-and-school-break-camps#breakcamp-themes
Headlands Brewing Co in Lafayette is pledging 1% of all sales to support nonprofit organizations focused on the environment. In celebration, they will be hosting an event at Headlands in partnership with East Bay Regional Parks Foundation on Earth Day, April 22.
Fourth Street is having a Family Friendly Earth Day Event on 4/23. http://www.fourthstreet.com/events/2022/4/23/earth-day-on-fourth-street-2022
The City of Oakland is celebrating Earth Day with 7 neighborhood cleanups. https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oakland-earth-day
Caring for Our Earth- Park Clean Up and Seed Planting with Richmond Trees @ Burg Park on 4/24. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caring-for-our-earth-park-clean-up-and-seed-planting-with-richmond-trees-tickets-312511138227?fbclid=IwAR31stVzIIz6LN2vek-HqpSXy0a-2fehzNXUGik9KujFMqpk06ZXsoXplII