Looking for fun and meaningful ways to celebrate Earth Day with your kids? Earth Day is right around the corner — happening on April 22 — and it’s the perfect time to teach children about protecting the planet while having fun together. From hands-on recycled crafts to creative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle at home, there are plenty of eco-friendly family activities to explore.
To help you plan, we’ve rounded up the best local Earth Day events for families in Chicagoland, so you can get outside, learn about nature, and make a positive impact.
Read more: Celebrate Earth Day with These Fun Recycled Crafts
Earth Day events in Chicagoland
Earth Day Cleanup at Jerome Huppert Woods
April 18, 2025
- Address:Â Thatcher Avenue, south of West Fullerton Avenue, River Grove
- Cost:Â Free
Celebrate Earth Day by helping clean up litter at Jerome Huppert Woods. There will be supplies for individuals or families to check out during the afternoon.Â
Earth Day: Bike Ride at Sauk Trail Woods-Central
April 19, 2025
- Address: Forest Preserve Drive, south of West 26th Street, South Chicago Heights
- Cost:Â Free
Enjoy a five-mile-long guided bike ride around Sauk Trail Woods. Bring your own bike and helmet.
Earth Day Celebration at Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
April 19, 2025
- Address:Â 9800 Willow Springs Road, Willow Springs
- Cost:Â Free
Celebrate Earth Day with art and educational activities, stewardship and free plant giveaways.
Earth Day Celebration at Sauk Trail Woods-Central
April 19, 2025
- Address: Forest Preserve Drive, south of West 26th Street, South Chicago Heights
- Cost:Â Free
All ages can celebrate Earth Day at Sauk Trail Woods Central with interactive games, art-making and activities.
Earth Day Hike & Plant ID at Schiller-Woods East
April 19, 2025
- Address: W. Irving Park Road, west of N. Cumberland Ave., Chicago
- Cost:Â Free
Join the American Indian Center on a hike through the woods to identify trees and plants, discuss sustainable practices and learn how Native people view plants as relatives.
Earth Day, Nature Play at Crabtree Nature Center
April 19, 2025
- Address:Â 3 Stover Road, Barrington
- Cost:Â Free
Families can enjoy playing, planting, painting and pretending with family-fun activities.
Helen Cuprisin Earth Day Celebration at Evergreen Park Public Library
April 19, 2025
- Address:Â 9400 S. Troy Ave., Evergreen Park
- Cost:Â Free
This Earth Day event features a kids craft, free Zinnia seeds, a craft swap, a plant swap and a presentation from a Master Gardener.
Earth Day at Caldwell Woods
April 22, 2025
- Address:Â West Devon Avenue and North Nagle Avenue, Chicago
- Cost: Free    Â
Celebrate Earth Day by helping clean up litter at Caldwell Woods. There will be supplies for individuals or families to check out during the afternoon. Â
Earth Day Celebration at Lincoln Marsh- Prairie Patch Play Area
April 22, 2025
- Address:Â 1000 W. Lincoln Ave., Wheaton
- Cost:Â Free
Children can celebrate Earth Day by enjoying open play at the Prairie Patch Play Area, crafts and activities. Registration is encouraged. Â
Celebrating Earth Day at Main Park
April 26, 2025
- Address:Â 400 W. Nebraska St., Frankfort
- Cost:Â Free
Families can enjoy an afternoon of Earth Day fun with learning activities, crafts, kid-friendly games, giveaways and more.Â
Earth Day Clean Up at Humboldt
April 26, 2025
- Address:Â 1440 N. Humboldt Blvd., Chicago
- Cost:Â Free
All ages can participate in the annual clean up event and join the celebration afterward.
 Earth Day Park Clean Up Events at Chicago Park Districts
April 26, 2025Â
- Adams (John C.) Park
- Addams (Jane) Memorial Park
- Altgeld (John) Park
- Amundsen (Roald) Park
- Armstrong (Lillian Hardin) Park
- Austin Town Hall Park
- Bartelme (Mary) Park
- Bauler (Mathias) Park
- Bell (George, Jr.) Park
- Berger (Albert) Park
- Big Marsh Park
- Blackhawk Park
- Broncho Billy Park
- Buffalo Park
- Chicago Women’s Park and Garden
- Cornell (Paul) Square Park
- Donovan (George) Park
- Douglass (Anna and Frederick) Park
- Eckhart (Bernard) Park
- Ehrler (William) Park
- Fargo (James) Beach Park
- Fernwood Park
- Garfield (James) Park
- Gately (James) Park
- Golden Gate Park
- Gompers (Samuel) Park
- Grandparents Park
- Gross (Theodore) Park
- Hollywood Park
- Holstein Park
- Horner (Henry) Park
- Howard (Ure) Beach Park
- Jackson (Andrew) Park
- Jonquil Park
- Juneway Beach Park
- Kells (George) Park
- Kelly (Edward) Park
- Ken-Well Park
- Kenwood Community Park
- Lake Meadows Park
- La Follette (Robert) Park
- Lake Shore Park
- Lincoln (Abraham) Park
- Lincoln Park Cultural Center
- Lindblom (Robert) Park
- Major Taylor Bike Trail
- Mandrake (Henry Brown) Park
- Marquette (Jacques) Park
- Mayfair Park
- McGuane (John) Park
- McKinley (William) Park
- Meyering (William) Park
- Mozart (Amadeus) Park
- Nash (Don) Community Center Park
- Oriole Park
- Palmer (Potter) Park
- Park No. 540
- Park No. 596
- Railroad Junction Park
- Rainbow Beach Park
- Ravenswood Manor Park
- Revere (Paul) Park
- River Park
- Roberts (David) Square Park
- Rogers (Phillip) Park
- Rowan (William) Park
- Rutherford Sayre Park
- Sauganash Park
- Schreiber Park
- Seneca Park
- Seward (William) Park
- Shabbona Park
- Skinner (Mark) Park
- Smith (Joseph Higgins) Park
- Steelworkers Park
- The Prairie Park
- Touhy (Patrick) Park
- Trumbull (Lyman) Park
- Ward (A. Montgomery) Park
- West Ridge Nature Park
- White (Willye B.) Park
- Wilson (John P.) Park
- Winnemac Park
- Wrightwood Park
All ages can meet at the park entrances and participate in an Earth Day Park Clean Up. Registration required.
The Good Festival at Westfield Old Orchard
April 26-27, 2025
- Address: 4905 Old Orchard Center, Skokie
- Cost:Â Free
Drop off a bag of textiles for recycling and get a $25 AMEX gift card, plus enjoy spin-to-win prizes, live music, wreath making, and animal adoptions.
Earth Day Celebration at Emily Oaks Nature Center
April 27, 2025
- Address: 4650 Brummel St., Skokie
- Cost:Â Free
Earth Day Celebration: Music of the Earth allows visitors to experience the many different genres of music found in the natural world. Earth-friendly foods will be available for sale.
This article was recently updated on April 16, 2025 by Chicago Parent’s Content Writer, Kari Zaffarano. The update included her adding Earth Day events to the ChicagoParent.com‘s calendar and featuring the best events on this list. Questions? Please reach out to kari@chicagoparent.com.
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