Along with learning ABC’s and 123’s, children should also learn about the world they live in. Teaching children about the environment is an important part of their early education. Not only does it help them learn and appreciate the world around them, it also builds their awareness of the environment. Children are the future, and educating them about the environment and raising awareness is a positive step towards helping our planet.
Our planet and the environment is in grave danger due to thousands of years of human activity and negligence. Environmental conservation, sustainable life choices and work practices are the need of the hour to protect the planet we live in. Helping children learn about the environment helps them learn to respect the environment. It also helps them make conscious choices to live, work and play in ways that don’t harm the environment.
Our children need to grow up to be individuals, who think beyond selfish needs and profit and care for the place they live in. So, it’s essential to teach kids about the environment from a young age. But what can you do to teach them to be more considerate of the world they live in? Here are 4 different ways that will help children learn more about the environment and build awareness.
4 Lessons To Teach Your Child About The Environment
- Spend time outdoors: Environment is the natural world or the surroundings in which we live. Help your little ones learn more about the world around them by spending time outdoors. Explore the area around your home, the park, the beach etc. Talk about the different things they see and help them understand the importance of each thing in the environment. When kids learn to enjoy nature, they’ll learn to respect it and protect it. Lead by example, teach them to reduce waste. Recycle, reduce and reuse as much as possible.
- Read books and write essays: One of the best ways to help children learn more about the environment is to help them read more books on the subject. For older kids, you can also ask them to write an environment essay. Research helps broaden their knowledge and understand the importance of protecting the environment. Additionally, it’ll also help them learn new concepts like green energy, recycling, global warming, climate change, sustainable farming etc.
- Make your home more environmentally friendly: Include your child in making your home an eco-conscious space. Teach your child the importance of conserving natural resources like water and fuel. Teach them to turn off the lights or other electrical appliances, when they’re not in use. Plant a small garden with your child and enlist their help in taking care of it.
- Involve the kids in activities: Little kids are very active beings and love taking part in fun activities. This is a great opportunity to help children learn more about the environment. Additionally, activities can also make them more environmentally conscious and learn to protect the environment. For example, involve the child in projects like environment-themed crafts for kids. Or take them for a beach clean-up. Help them understand the importance of reusing and recycling things, and encourage them to give away things they don’t use anymore. Teach them that these activities keep more things out of the landfill, which helps the environment.
Kids learn by watching and observing the people around them. Help them understand that we have no other planet and we need to save the one we have. So, lead by example and teach them to consider the environment in all they do.