Find out what pollution is, why it's harmful, and how we can reduce it with these simple but effective science activities to teach kids about pollution. They are all great for teaching kids about pollution in a fun, hands-on way.
Plastic pollution has become a vast global problem. Plastic rubbish ends up in the oceans, which immediately impacts marine life and builds up in the food chain, causing unknown damage to human health. It's a crisis we all need to pull together to solve, which means educating people around us!
Would you want to swim in a swimming pool full of rubbish?
Pollution activities for 3-5 year olds
This simple visual demonstration of marine pollution is great for younger children to see the impact of Plastic waste on marine life.
Make a Plastic pledge to encourage children to think about changes they can make to reduce plastic waste.
This activity from Kindergarten Worksheets and Games uses celery and coloured water to demonstrate the effect of pollution on water sources. It's a very visual demonstration of the effects of water pollution on plants.
The effects of pollution on wildlife can be scary for little ones, but we can make a difference if we all change how we live.
Pollution Activities for 6-10 year olds
Set up a pretend oil spill using cooking oil for children to clean up!
Create your own water filter using filter paper, stones and sand.
Set up a sorting activity where children group items from their kitchen cupboards depending on whether they are recyclable.
Pollution Activities for 11-15 Year Olds
Have a recycled fashion show with clothes and accessories made from plastic rubbish!
Find an item of clothing that's too small and turn it into something new, for example, jeans into shorts or a skirt.
Write to shops and companies that aren't using recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
Set up a second-hand swap. This works well for things like Halloween costumes and Christmas jumpers that aren't worn very much.
Websites for teaching kids about pollution
Kids Against Plastic is a fantastic charity full of ideas and inspiration for how to take action against Plastic pollution!
Watch the video and read the facts in this article from the WWF to see just how real the plastic pollution problem is!
Surfers Against Sewage have brilliant water pollution lesson plans and printable resources to work through.
Greenpeace has lots of great initiatives you can join to help us move towards a plastic free future. Will you join them?
Finally, don't forget to look through my other climate change activities and resources.
Last Updated on January 23, 2023 by Emma Vanstone
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