Eco-Friendly Activities for Young Children
The world is worried about global warming as our climates are rapidly changing and the world population is growing at an alarming rate. Leaders of many countries are trying to figure out ways to feed generations 50 years from now and leave the world a healthy place to live in. There is so much waste that has destroyed wildlife and species and some foods have become endangered. Products we use can be harmful to the air and harmful for us to breathe in as well. There is so much new technology that is rapidly changing daily and how can we teach our new generations to help plan for their environment. It’s important and fun to teach children eco-friendly activities because this is knowledge for them to retain as they grow into future adults.
Parents should first introduce their children to Earth Day when they are old enough to understand what it means. This is a good time to teach your child some eco-friendly activities and they are also learning about the environment they live in. They might not understand the impact of it all but there are still a bunch of exciting activities for both of you to do.
You can teach your child to plant a tree and pick up some tree seeds from the nursery and plant this tree with your child on Earth Day, while you explain the meaning and importance of planting a new tree. Plant the tree in your yard and watch the tree grow for years to come and tell your child how the tree adds oxygen and shade that your family can enjoy for many years.
Make a day of artwork from recycled products.
This time you won’t have to buy the products to make some cool artwork. You can look in your recycling bin. You can use old buttons, fabric, soda pop tops, disposable cups, plastic bottles, etc. Just make sure nothing has sharp edges so your child doesn’t cut themselves. Be creative and use your imaginations and create a cool work of art.
Clean up garbage at the beach can teach your child that it’s good to keep your community clean. It doesn’t hurt to take a walk on the beach during spring and pick up the garbage that was left on the beach. Teach your children about volunteering on their own. They can bring their friends and make sure they are wearing safety gloves so they don’t cut themselves or get an infection.
You can teach your children about a compost pile. Composting is used for enriching the earth in order to grow plants that will receive all the important nutrients they need to grow. You can use the things you have in your home for making a compost pile. Just use some egg shells, banana peels, potato skins, and other fresh fruit and vegetable peels to make your compost pile. Kids love getting dirty so this is a great idea for them to help with this project. You are also teaching your children something very important about their environment.
Write some poetry about Earth Day and this is a great way for kids to express themselves and still learn about the conservation of their environment. Teach your kids about nature and ask them what their favorite animal is that lives outdoors. Show them the trees, flowers, the sky, grass and tell them how beautiful all of this is and ask them to draw a picture with their poem to express their appreciation of outdoor beauty. If you have very small children, teach them what everything is by calling out the name of the item as they come in touch with it. This is also fun to be with your kids on a nice day outdoors enjoying the beauty of nature.
Take a nature walk and have a small scavenger hunt. Make a small list of things they might be able to find on your nature walk and tell them the importance of the object they found. Pack some treats and bring along some small bottles of water for them to enjoy.
Make paper airplanes with recycled paper to show your children that they can even use recycled paper to have fun flying their paper airplanes around the yard.
Organize a walk to school on a certain day so you can teach the kids in the neighborhood about cutting down on pollution. This can be done by walking and riding their bicycles instead of driving to school all the time with their parents. If the school is close enough, walk with them a few times and have them walk in a pack and make sure they get along and get to school on time or they lose this part of their independence for a few days.
Don’t be afraid to let your children wear hand me downs if they are in good shape. There is nothing wrong about second-hand clothing even when they get older. Many children and adults love second-hand clothing because they can save on money and our environment. Be proud when you wear clothes others in your family have worn. This protects the planet too.
Take your kids out of the city and go for a walk and pick some wildflowers so they can bring them home. You can hike as you search for many beautiful flowers and have great nature conversations and talk to your children about how flowers grow and why it’s so important for the bees to have flowers.
Take your camera and take the kids and take pictures of all the different birds you can find on your journey. The great American Bald Eagle is moving back into many forests and woodlands across the United States to look for the bald eagles and the beautiful hawks. Walk by a marsh and look for cranes. Turkeys have been abundant in the north woods so search for turkey crossings with their babies. See if the swans are swimming in the rivers yet but be careful because they are protective of their young and can be very mean. Make sure you take as many pictures as you can and remember that eagles soar high in the sky.
