Friday, April 22, 2011

Earth Day can be everyday with kids

At our house, we try to do "earth day" things as part of our usual routine. We try hard to encourage environmental stewardship within our children from the get go.

As children are provided opportunities to care for their environments (e.g. gardening, cleaning, recycling, water conservation, etc.) they will develop an understanding of how their own actions may affect nature and the planet. Talk to your child about different ways they can take care of the planet.

I thought I would share a couple SUPER easy things to do with your kids that will encourage respect and love for our earth.

1. Go for neighbourhood nature walks; take turns pointing out interesting things to
each other such as birds, cloud formations, trees, and green spaces.

2. Kids love to collect things. Bring along a container when you go outdoors
so your child can collect treasures along the way – seeds, leaves, rocks – and bring
them home to examine.

3. At the grocery store, help your child point out items that can be recycled (like cans
or cardboard boxes) and show items that are made of recycled materials (like paper
products).  Help them make artwork and crafts using recycled materials. Actively
recycle at home.

4. Encourage help with household chores if your child is interested. Tearing lettuce,
folding clothes, making beds and setting the table may be work for you, but these
tasks can be fun for your preschooler — and will set patterns for responsible behaviour as they grow up.

5. Help your children understand where food comes from.  Show them food being
grown in neighbourhood gardens or at local farms, orchards, or greenhouses. Plant a small garden - even a single beanpole in a pot on the windowsill is educational and fun for kids!



Are there things that you do as a family that helps promote environmental stewardship?

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