In Genesis 1:28, God tells Adam and Eve to “fill the earth and govern it.” Friday, April 22, 2022 is Earth Day and an excellent time to playfully teach your kids about stewardship of the earth. There are so many ways to play to help your kids understand stewardship and the role God gave us to take care of his creation. Here are just a few Earth Day Bible Play ideas for you and your family to try this Earth Day.
Read the ideas here and then download the printable at the bottom of the page.
Learning Through Earth Day Bible Play
To play means to have fun and that’s one of the most important things about any activity for kids and families. But play can also help children learn too. In fact, play is an important part of learning for all of us, but perhaps especially for children. Play helps children grow physically, intellectually, and spiritually. This is because play encourages creativity, imagination, and gets kids moving!
So you might think that since we are followers of Jesus, play is only for fun. Certainly, that is an important aspect of play. But it turns out that every time we play, we are playing a role in God’s grand story.
That means this Earth Day, we can use our play not just to have fun with our kids but also to teach them more about our role in God’s creation and how each of us can be good stewards of the planet.
Earth Day Bible Play Ideas
While you’re out and about you can teach your children the importance of stewardship. Here are some ideas for fun ways to play about stewardship:
- Go on a hike or nature walk in your area where you can identify different animals, trees, and plants. Research the role that each of these creatures play in God’s creation.
- Play at collecting recyclables. Collect plastic bottles and cans and take them to a recycling center or just have fun putting them in containers around the house. You can also collect newspapers and magazines to recycle them.
- Show your kids how to compost food scraps so they can plant a vegetable garden in your backyard.
- Pick up trash on your walks through the park or trails near your home.
- Go on a field trip to the zoo, aquarium, or farm. Have fun playing with and learning about the animals.
- You could take pictures of your favorite flowers and learn about ways to save the honey bees.
- You could go on a Scavenger Hunt looking for different things God made. Look for different colors, textures, or things that start with letters of the alphabet.
- You could learn about a job that takes care of plants or animals. Visit a vet, a greenhouse, or a local garden.
- You could make seed bombs or a bird feeder. There are tons of ideas for these on Pinterest, or you can just cover a pinecone with peanut butter and roll it in birdseed. Yes, it’s a little messy, but tons of fun and easy enough for little ones.
Verses to Read with Earth Day Bible Play Ideas
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
Genesis 1:26 NLT
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Genesis 1:28 NLT
“The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me.”
Leviticus 25:23 NLT
They will not harm or destroy each other
Isaiah 11:9 CSB
on my entire holy mountain,
for the land will be as full
of the knowledge of the Lord
as the sea is filled with water.
But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
Job 12:7-10 CSB
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath of all humanity.
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Romans 1:19-20 NLT
More Scriptural Earth Day Bible Play Inspiration
- Psalm 24:1-2
- Psalm 65:9
- Deuteronomy 10:14
- Psalm 65:12
- Psalm 96:11-12
- Hebrews 1:10
- Hebrews 11:3
- Colossians 1:16
- Isaiah 42:5
- Isaiah 24:4-6
- Jeremiah 2:7
- Revelation 11:18
Get these ideas and Scripture as a Printable!
Conclusion
As you can see, Creation reflects the strength, majesty, and beauty of the Lord; and God has called us to care for the planet. Earth Day Play doesn’t have to look a certain way, it is simply a fun opportunity for your family to explore and discover God’s creation and our role within it.
What other ideas do you have? Better yet, what ideas do your kids have? Comment below or tag me on your Instagram stories.
Join me on social media:
