Storytime Standouts’ Earth Day Printables Help Children Learn About the Environment, Recycling and Other Ways to Care for Our World

Our early literacy printables, including our Earth Day printables are in PDF format, if you don’t already use Adobe Reader, you will need to use it to access the downloads.

Please note, the photograph on this page is subject to copyright and was taken by Carolyn Hart.

Some of our early literacy printables including our free Earth Day printables are available to Storytime Standouts members only. To become a member of the website (without cost or obligation), please click on the “Members” tab and register as a user.

We also have a new page with resources about gardening with children.

Earth Day / Recycling Domino Game and Board Game Cards

Print these game pieces onto cardstock and them cut them apart. For the board game, recycle paper scraps to create a fun game board. Playing pieces promote recycling and environmental awareness as players race to the end.

  "Green" Domino Game
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  "Green" Board Game Cards
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Earth Day Interlined Paper

– beginning writers can use our interlined paper to tell stories about Earth Day

  Interlined Paper - Children Love the Earth
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  Interlined paper - Recycling Boy and Girl
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  Interlined paper - Tree with bluebird
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  Interlined Paper - Tree including roots
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Earth Day Riddles

– print the questions and the answers. Cut them apart and then challenge children to match the questions with the answers.

  "Green" Riddles - Part 1
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  "Green" Riddles - Part 2
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Gardening-Related

  Planting a Flower Garden Sequencing Activity

  I Love the Flowers

  A Little Seed

Be sure to visit our page highlighting
picture books about caring for our environment,
ecosystems, recycling,
reducing our environmental footprint and more.
Terrific resources for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

If you appreciate our free early literacy printables,
including these Earth Day printables,
please support this site by visiting and purchasing from Amazon.com or Amazon.ca.

All the Water In the World written by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson
Eco-Friendly picture book about water, the water cycle and water conservation published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers | Simon and Schuster

All the Water In the World playfully and joyfully celebrates water and the water cycle. The first line explains,

“All the water in the world… is all the water in the world.”

Young readers will know that water sometimes blasts from hoses and collects in puddles but there is much more to the story of water. A breezy, lyrical introduction to the water cycle, All the Water In the World explains that water goes around.

That rain that cascaded from clouds and meandered down mountains and wavered over waterfalls then slipped into rivers and opened into oceans, that rain has been here before.

Positively delicious descriptive words celebrate water, water vapour, clouds and rain, and remind us that we must not take rain and the water cycle for granted; in some dry, dusty places, people must wait and hope for rain.

Beautiful illustrations match the tempo of the text and feature expressive bold colours that blast, splash, drip and gush across the page.

All the Water in the World at Amazon.com

All the Water in the World at Amazon.ca

Be sure to visit our page highlighting
picture books about caring for our environment,
ecosystems, recycling,
reducing our environmental footprint and more.
Terrific resources for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

Seal Song written by Andrea Spalding and illustrated by Pascal Milelli
Published by Orca Book Publishers

In folklore, selkies are mythological creatures that can change shape. Selkies live in the ocean as seals and on land as humans.

Each morning Finn helps his father fish but he is secretly anxious for the opportunity to slip away from the wharf and the cannery. He wants to swim with the seals.
“Sing to me.” said Finn. “Sing the seal song that brings good fortune.”
The seal blew a fish breath and disappeared below the waves. But, despite Finn’s pleas, he does not hear the seals sing.

One afternoon, while enjoying his usual swim with seals, Finn notices a commotion in the waves, his favourite seal has been caught in an old fishing net. Finn dives into the ocean, rescues the seal, feeds it and nurses it back to health. He has made a new friend. Finally his wish is granted; he hears the seals sing.

Father is not happy with Finn and does not believe that a seal song will bring good fortune. He is suspicious when a mysterious child appears near the wharf. The other fishermen warn, “That child will never let salt water touch her skin. If it does, she must return to the sea.”

Sheila becomes a good friend to Finn but she does not swim in the ocean with him nor does she allow salt water to touch her skin. Meanwhile, the salmon fishing is good, Finn and his father are especially lucky and the old fishermen attribute their good fortune to Finn’s new friend.

Richly illustrated with beautiful, evocative oil paintings, Seal Song is a thought provoking look at what it means to be a friend.

For older children, Seal Song could lead to an exploration of folklore, shapeshifting, friendship, sacrifice, social responsibility and/or salmon fishing.

Seal Song at Amazon.com

Seal Song at Amazon.ca

Be sure to visit our page highlighting
picture books about caring for our environment,
ecosystems, recycling,
reducing our environmental footprint and more.
Terrific resources for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

Picture a Tree - written and illustrated by Barbara Reid

Marvelous Plasticine illustrations may initially distract young readers from the thought-provoking text in Picture a Tree. Using a combination of Plasticine and paint, Ms. Reid has created beautiful, richly detailed images of trees and the variety of people living, working and playing near them.

Readers are encouraged to notice how trees, whether enormous or freshly planted, change through the year, how various creatures dwell in trees and how the life cycle of a tree can be viewed metaphorically. A variety of perspectives are also shown as Ms. Reid illustrates shadows of trees, more than one reflection and the view from above a forest of trees.

You may see a drawing on the sky. A game of dress-up. The first drops of colour then all the art supplies at once.

Simply beautiful, Picture a Tree is sure to inspire young artists and encourage environmental awareness. It is suitable for children aged four and up.

Picture a Tree at Amazon.com

Picture a Tree at Amazon.ca

Note, this is one of several YouTube videos that feature Barbara Reid and her artwork. Check her website or YouTube for additional resources.

Be sure to visit our page highlighting
picture books about caring for our environment,
ecosystems, recycling,
reducing our environmental footprint and more.
Terrific resources for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

One World written and illustrated by Michael Foreman

“She thought of all the creatures who lived under the sky, the animals who shared the warmth of the sun and bathed in the soft, silver light of the moon.”

After taking time to consider the diversity of animals on earth, a young girl visits a beach along with her brother. Together, they explore a wondrous tidal pool, filled with seaweed, small fish, sea anenomes, starfish. Unfortunately, it is not long before the children discover that the pool has been marred by a rusty tin can and a blob of oil. As the day at the seashore progresses, the youngsters fill a bucket with water, they add sand, pebbles, seaweed and shells before deciding to catch some tiny, live creatures. With their small sandpail marine habitat complete, the children revisit the rock pool and discover that it is no longer beautiful; the discarded, rusty can and the oil are all that remain. Startled at what they see, the children set about returning the sand, pebbles, seaweed, shells and fish to a more eoc-friendly pool. They remove the tin can and draw the oil out of the water using a seabird feather. Satisfied with the progress they’ve made, they decide to enlist the help of other children when checking the tidal pools the following day.

Beautiful illustrations and “not-too-much text” make this a lovely eco-friendly read aloud for children aged four and up. This is a picture book that begs readers to discuss not only the story but also the illustrations as Foreman gently depicts deforestation, air pollution and the threat of global warming.

Originally published in 1990, a new paperback edition is being published this summer.

One World at Amazon.com

One World at Amazon.ca

Doha College curriculum tie-in for One World

Wendy North’s curriculum suggestions for One World

Be sure to visit our page highlighting
picture books about caring for our environment,
ecosystems, recycling,
reducing our environmental footprint and more.
Terrific resources for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

George Saves the World by Lunchtime
Written by Jo Readman and illustrated by Ley Honor Roberts

Wearing a makeshift superhero cape, George announces his plans for the day, “I’m going to save the world!” Grandpa and his sister are willing to help and it is not long before the trio is finding ways to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle. Large, colourful collage ilustrations include photos and drawings. Readers learn about reducing electrical consumption by hanging laundry to dry, minimizing fuel consumption by walking or riding a bicycle and the importance of turning lights off. Suggestions are also made for recycling, donating, repairing and buying locally produced items.

This book was inspired by The Eden Project an educational charity in Cornwall, England. It is worth noting that a sidebar refers to most electrical energy being produced by burning coal. This may or may not be true, depending on where the book is read. In addition, a suggestion is made that animal waste can be added to compost. This suggestion should have included the proviso that the compost ought not to be used for fruit or vegetable crops.

Cheerfully making suggestions without sounding preachy or extreme, George Saves the World by Lunchtime will be a positive addition to an eco-friendly (preschool or kindergarten) classroom or a home library.

George Saves the World by Lunchtime at Amazon.com

George Saves the World By Lunchtime at Amazon.ca

Be sure to visit our page highlighting
picture books about caring for our environment,
ecosystems, recycling,
reducing our environmental footprint and more.
Terrific resources for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

I consider myself fortunate to live not far from the Pacific Ocean. Every summer we camp on the shore of Howe Sound and, even while at home, I am close to fresh salt air and pounding surf.

It is almost impossible to walk along an oceanside beach without noticing something special. We’ve seen all sorts of shells, crabs, barnacles, mussels and the occasional tiny fish. When we venture further afield, we’ve been excited to spot starfish, sand dollars, jellyfish and more. I love beachcombing – especially with young children.

In If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet , Leslie McGuirk shows us treats that many of us could completely overlook when exploring a shoreline. Ms. McGuirk is an avid observer and, over many years, has amassed an exciting collection. She has gathered together all sorts of eye-catching and intriguing rocks. She has one for every letter of the alphabet as well as a bird, a couch potato, a dog, an elephant…



Young children will thoroughly enjoy exploring If Rocks Could Sing and are certain to want their own collection of intriguing rocks. Share this with children aged three and up and you’re sure to be setting off on your own quest for rocks that sing.
If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet at Amazon.com

If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet at Amazon.ca

Note – photo was taken (by me) at Porteau Cove campground on the Sea to Sky Highway in British Columbia.

Make some time this week to take a child outdoors. Help your child to discover the natural world and encourage them to write, photograph, or create art about the experience. There are just eight days left to get involved in the 2011 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest

Get to Know Your Wild Neighbors!

This year, renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman plans to invite Canadian youth to go outside and “get to know” their wild neighbours. In cooperation with national partners Wildlife Habitat Canada, Parks Canada, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest encourages young people to develop a deeper appreciation for their neighbours of other species by getting outdoors and creating art, writing, digital photography, and videos. The goal of the contest is to engage the power of art to help youth feel more connected with nature. It’s all about making connections with other environmentally passionate youth, using the creative arts to convey your passion, and having your accomplishments celebrated. Connect…Create …Celebrate!

2011 has been declared the International Year of Forests by the United Nations. In celebration of this important designation, the theme of the 2011 Get to Know Contest is “This is My Forest”. Whether it’s a single tree in a backyard or acres of boreal forest in a national park, the contest offers youth the opportunity to learn about and celebrate their local forest and its inhabitants. Winners will receive all kinds of wild prizes, including cash, an invitation to the week-long Get to Know Art & Nature Camp in Victoria (courtesy of Parks Canada), and the chance to have their entry published in the 2012 Robert Bateman Get to Know Calendar. The contest launches during National Wildlife Week, April 10 – 16, at participating parks, zoos, and museums all across Canada. To learn more and find out how to enter, visit the contest website