Educating children about eco-friendly living is now more important than ever before. Starting them off on their sustainability journey at a young age not only ensures they get into good habits early, but it will help preserve the health of the planet for future generations too.
However, when thinking about sustainable living, there’s a lot of information, some of which can be overwhelming for kids.
We suggest five ways to share essential eco-friendly facts and advice for children, in a way that’s fun and easy to do.
1. Start simple
When introducing green living to kids, the first step is to keep it simple, using simple terms and simple concepts.
For instance, you could describe an eco-friendly lifestyle as ‘taking care of the planet by making sure we reuse and recycle items’, or ‘avoiding being wasteful whenever we can’.
You can also explain how everything we do has an effect on the environment – from the food we eat to the clothes we wear and even how we travel from one place to another.
It’s essential to let children know that they have the choice to help the planet, and that it can be done in fun and easy ways.
2. Lead by example
Children learn a lot by observing the grown-ups around them. Therefore, if you want the children in your life to get into some eco-friendly habits, then it’s best to lead by example.
Start by bringing sustainable practices into your daily routine, whether that’s choosing reusable shopping bags instead of plastic ones, composting kitchen waste or buying products with reusable packaging.
Show kids how you can conserve water by turning off the tap when brushing your teeth or save energy by switching off lights when leaving a room.
3. Make recycling a fun activity
Recycling is an easy way to get children involved in sustainable living. Make it fun by using different bins for paper, plastic, glass and metal, and letting the kids take charge of sorting out the items.
You can also involve them in DIY craft projects using recycled materials. Some fun garden projects include using old milk cartons to create bird feeders or transforming plastic bottles into hanging planters.
These activities not only help reduce waste but also sparks creativity and innovation.
4. Encourage outdoor activities
Spending time in nature is a great way for kids to love the environment. Planning regular outdoor activities such as hiking, camping or gardening will help them appreciate the beauty of nature and understand the importance of preserving it.
Gardening, in particular, is a fantastic activity for teaching children about sustainability. They can learn about composting, organic farming and the importance of bees and other pollinators. Plus, there's nothing quite like eating homegrown vegetables to understand the value of fresh, local food!
5. Turn to the experts
While teaching children about sustainable living can be fun, this might also lead to more questions about why and how things happen.
There are plenty of great online videos aimed at kids that can help educate and inform. These share reliable information about renewable energy, recycling, climate change and so much more, in a friendly, easy and knowledgeable way.