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Teaching kids about the environment they live in is one of the most responsible things you can do as a parent. It’s not just about saving the planet, either. Greener lifestyles will also help your children save money, be respectful – and less wasteful – as they get older.
We’re all responsible for an awful lot of waste, whether from taking out the trash or using unnecessary energy around the home. And the simple truth is that the world our kids live in could be very different to the one we share with them today. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some simple ways of helping your child grow into eco-friendly, responsible adults. Here are some activities that will assist them along the way.
Get outside
Getting outside with the kids a lot more often is the best way to get them close to nature. It also gets them away from the constant bombardment of technology many children experience inside the home! There is plenty you can do. Sports games, wildlife investigations – even a touch of gardening is a great experience for kids while they are outside. Children that are comfortable outdoors when they are young tend to spend more time outdoors when they are older – so start that ball rolling from an early age.
Get gardening
I mentioned gardening in the section above, but it’s worth expanding on as it can help your kids develop an understanding of how nature works. It’s also a lot of fun for them – helping mom and pop plant, tend, and grow vegetables and flowers are such a rewarding experience for them. You don’t have to keep gardening as an outdoor activity, either. According to http://www.lumigrowth.com/advanced-platinum-series/, all you need is an excellent lighting system to encourage plants to grow indoors. Whether your kids want to keep growing things during the winter or want to try growing something like tomato plants, indoor gardening is as valid a green experience as gardening outdoors.
Get recycling
Take advantage of your children’s never-ending imagination by encouraging them to recycle and reuse as much as possible from home. Old newspapers, empty plastic bottles, paper tubes – they are all brilliant for reusing in creative ways such as arts and crafts. Not only will you be preventing your household trash going to landfill sites, but you will also be encouraging a lot of creativity for your kids.
Get reading
Finally, there’s a huge range of children’s literature that helps them develop an understanding and interest in green issues. http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/home/809634/5_of_the_best_ecofriendly_childrens_books.html has some great suggestions which cover everything including wildlife conservation, books on the natural flora and fauna of your local area, and child-friendly nature stories. The more you expose them to green info, the more they will soak it all up. While schools are taking more time to teach kids about the environment – and the importance of protecting it – why not do some family projects, too? You could try something like buying an energy monitor and all try to save as much energy as possible, for example. Try going to the next science fair in your area, too – they are always a great source of inspiration.
Good luck with the green teachings – let me know how you get on!
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