Happy Earth Day, Sparkle Squad! Did you know today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day? That’s half a century of celebrating our planet and working to preserve it for future kids like you! (And all of us grownup kids, too). Even though a lot of Earth Day celebrations and cleanups are being canceled during the pandemic, there are still tons of fun family activities you can do to at home.  

We asked friends and co-workers to share how they’re keeping the spirit of Earth Day 2020 alive and thriving on its 50th birthday so you can, too. Enjoy these activities for kids, families and even your pets!  

1. Make DIY Flower Vases from Recycled Jars  

“My daughter Teddy L-O-V-E-S arts and crafts and was so excited to make her very own flower vase from old jars I planned on recycling. She brought 9021-GLOW, her favorite sheer eyeshadow palette, with her to the art table for inspiration (and a quick sparkle break!) then decorated her jars with glitter glue, pink tissue paper and the Petite ‘n Pretty stickers that come with every order.” 

 ~Staci, Mama & Petite ‘n Pretty WebMaster 

2. Repurpose Petite n’ Pretty Packaging 

“Cloud Mine is my favorite fragrance and I wear it every day — in the office or at home. But I especially LOVE the cloud-shaped box it comes in. For Earth Day, I decided to find new ways to repurpose my Cloud Mine boxes as holders for my scrunchie and lip gloss collections...and I’ve gotta say I love how these cute little displays look on my dresser! I’m also a huge fan of re-using our confetti-filled bubble bags — see my five fave hacks here!” 

~Keana, Petite ‘n Pretty Social Media Qween 

3. Homegrown Wheatgrass for the Kitties (!) 

“I have three (yes, three) cats and they love to snack on wheatgrass. It helps their tummies and teeth feel better as well as calms their nerves and boost their immune system. When I was young, my grandma would crush up eggshells after cooking to make an all-natural fertilizer for her garden. She taught me that their high calcium and potassium helps plants grow — and as you can see, the wheatgrass in the eggshells grew much faster! I’m happy to report that my cats love this new Earth Day-inspired addition to our at-home life.” 

~Luna, Petite ‘n Pretty Photographer & Creative Maestro 

4. Get to Know Your (Nature) Neighbors 

“Even though we can’t go far, I still want my daughter Eva to explore her world and experience the richness of nature all around her — even if it’s just on our block. We looked up the local flora and fauna in our area (then looked up what “fauna” means) before heading down the street with camera in hand to see how many plants and animals we could find. Eva and I learned that you don’t have to go far to understand how incredible Mother Nature is.” 

~Sonny, Petite ‘n Pretty Creative Director (& Creative Everything, Really)

5. Craft an All-Natural Collage 

“I had an Earth Day art make-in to create something I could share with my nephews and help them see and feel how precious our planet is. I used flowers, leaves and twigs that had fallen around my yard to make an all-natural collage — something colorful they can touch and be inspired by to explore their own natural surroundings.” 

~Katie Joy, Aunt Extraordinaire & Petite ‘n Pretty Copywriter 

6.Campout Indoors with Furry Friends

“My pup and I live for camping and being outside as much as possible. So, staying at home and mostly indoors has been a challenge, to say the least. This Earth Day, I wanted to honor that connection we both share with nature by re-creating a little campout in the middle of the living room. A candle, houseplants and our favorite record helped make it feel extra green and cozy!” 

~Steph, Forever Camper & Content Creator 

7. Make it a Family (and Earth) Friendly Movie Night 

If you can’t cozy up around a faux campfire, cozy up on the couch instead and watch a family-friendly flick to pass on the Earth Day message. From classics of yore like Fern Gully to inspiring documentaries like March of the Penguins, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite movies for Earth Day (and where to find them) to commune a little closer with nature while staying home. 

• Hoot — three middle schoolers set out to save a burrowing owl habitat from being bulldozed by developers. Recommended age: 8 and up. Rent on Amazon Prime. 

• March of the Penguins — Morgan Freeman's narration is almost as epic as the penguins' annual march from the Antarctic shore in Antarctica. Almost. Recommended age: 6 and up. Rent on Amazon Prime or watch on Hulu

• Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest — comedy, activism and fantasy meet in the 1992 film of our forever-fairy dreams. Recommended age: 8 and up. Watch on Amazon Prime.

• WALL-E —this award-winning Pixar adventure brings both endless charm and a strong message: reduce, reuse and recycle for the planet (and yourself). Recommended age: 5 and up. Watch on Disney Plus.

• Dr. Seuss: The Lorax — the animated version of Dr. Seuss's iconic book captures a kid-friendly rendition of the timeless tale of our relationship with the land, water, air and animals. Recommended age 5 and up. Rent on Amazon Prime or watch on Hulu.

• Avatar — an action-heavy epic with dazzling effects and a familiar story that will rekindle your teen's sense of wonder about our own world. Recommended age: 13 and up. Watch on Disney Plus. 

Looking for more ways to keep your kids creative through the quarantine? Check out these 11 fun art projects from your childhood that kids still love today.