Taking care of the environment and making our lifestyle sustainable is something that concerns us more and more each day.
What kind of planet will we pass on to the next generation and what will be our imprint on Earth?
Raising children with the principles that are in harmony with the environment will create an environmental consciousness that will nurture further learning and love for planet Earth.
Some practical tips on how to teach children to respect and care for the environment:
Love for nature
Cultivate a love for nature, awakening in your children an appreciation for the natural world. Plan outdoor activities for the whole family in the countryside, at sea and in the mountains. Do activities with your children and play with the elements of nature. When you are out with your children, take some time to highlight the special beauty of nature. Talk to them about the perfect color of the sky on a clear, bright day or the different shades of gray on a cloudy day. Touch trees, wave leaves, feel the different textures and temperatures. Awaken all your senses. You can find interesting suggestions for outdoor and nature kids activities on Momizen.
Teach your children not to kill the insects they see. Remind them that these living creatures are part of our world and have valuable functions in the natural environment. Little lizards, for example, eat mosquitoes that bother us so much. If you or your child spot an insect inside the house, use a cup or some paper to carry it outside.
Care
Buy a plant for each of your children that can be cared for either indoors or outdoors. Be sure to let them choose their own plants and teach them what is needed to care for their plant. Vegetables are great because kids can begin to understand where food comes from. In fact, many stores sell vegetable seeds that are particularly suitable for gardening even on our balcony.
What happens to our garbage after we bin it?
Examine how we dispose of waste and help your children find out what's going on in their waste "beyond the bin". Recycle at home and make sure they understand the difference between recyclable materials, fertilizers and rubbish.
We curated some of our favourite Youtube videos about the environment and the human impact on our climate, for children to watch during their free time. There are a lot available on Youtube that show what happens when we throw plastic away and not recycle our garbage.
We have picked out the top 5 Environment related videos for children to watch:
- Plastic Pollution: The complicated problem of plastic
- CrashCourse: 5 Human Impacts on the Environment
- What happens to the plastic bottles we throw away?
- How to Save the World
- CrashCourse: Pollution, how is it created & where does it go
So you watched the super cool videos about the environment, now what?
After watching these videos you can talk with your children about climate change, its causes and effects. See what their opinion is. Also take the opportunity to bring up the subject during a strange weather phenomenon. Although we be certain that that an extreme weather event is directly related to climate change, we know that we can expect more frequent and intense extreme weather events. By linking current weather trends, your children will make a clear connection between what we do as consumers and our impact on the planet. To help combat climate change, choose to walk or take public transport, always with the relevant precautions, once a week to run errands or visit friends.
With these tips, your children will not only learn to embrace nature, but will become adults who respect the environment because they know, understand and appreciate what is at stake. Your children will develop a sense of responsibility as conscious inhabitants of the Earth and as caregivers who respect the greatness and balance of nature.
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