4 Tips to Teach Environment Awareness to Children

“The future will either be green or not at all”- said someone wise. We couldn’t agree more. If we want to create future for our kids, we must teach them about environmental awareness.

Some of you may say, we do have a huge garden at our house. But is that enough? Is environment awareness limited to gardening? It is a lot more than what you have thought of. It is about saving water, developing love towards animals, knowing and respecting flora & fauna, heritage sites and a lot more.

4 quick tips to help you, teach children about the environment.

Recycle at home

Let’s start about environment awareness at home. It is best to have a recycling bin. But that’s not the only thing to do. Making best out of waste is another great idea to teach children about the environment. See what all is there. A plastic bottle, a used paper cup, unused boxes etc. With the availability of ample creative ideas online, you can teach children about it. Using plastic bottles as sprinkler in the garden will be the best example. You can pick up on any activity but the basic thought should be to plant the idea of recycling waste at home. Consider waste segregation if you can’t install the recycling bin. When dry and wet waste is separated it is recycled separately. If they are not separated, they are processed together. This procedure emits methane gas which is very harmful to the environment. Inculcate the habit of waste segregation in your children. Explain to them why this small step towards the environment is necessary.

Solar Power- a never-ending source of energy

You keep on reminding your little one to switch off the lights that are not in use. But it is extremely mandatory to inform and enlighten them about the available natural resources. Ask them to dry some clothes in the sunlight. Tell them about the importance of vitamin D that we get from the sunlight. Make a superficial, sun-man, a superhero in our lives. There are various emergency lights that work on sunlight. Teach them that even though all the energies in the world has a shortage, this sunlight energy will always be there. We can even cook with its help.

Parents are children’s role model. If they see their parents using a maximum of solar energy, they observe it too. So we have to first make sure that we adapt eco-friendly lifestyle. We can get everything starting from the bulb in the house that is eco-friendly and energy saving. Tell them that you pool a car with your friends so that you can save on fuel. You walk if you want to go somewhere near instead of taking a vehicle. Prefer sending emails instead of printing out the documents. You save on paper, you save on trees. Show them the various options through which they can use minimum conventional energy resources.

We can tell this to our children.  Once we establish the importance of it in our child’s mind, it will be easier for them as well to be aware of it.

Water recycling

When it is about best out of waste, it is not just about solid things. Water can be recycled as well. From a very young age, parents must encourage children to take bath quickly than spending a lot of time in the shower. Make them water the plants with the rainwater collected or the leftover drinking water. Teach them that you turn off the water tank immediately after it is full.  This way you are saving the water wastage. We all know about rainwater harvesting. Children will learn about it in schools too. But do we actually practice it? Most of you will answer as NO. Let’s begin it at home. Do it with the children. They will continue it too when they grow up.

This video will help them explain it better – 

Immerse them in farming

Begin with the visit to the farm. Tell them about the hard work that the farmers have to do so that we get fresh veggies and fruits. Slowly, you can start planting some seed that can grow in your garden or on your terrace. Choose the favorite vegetable of your child. Teach them about the plantation. When to water it, when to use fertilizers, when to cut it and when it is ready to eat. This exercise will help them connect with nature. They will know the value of the food.

Loving the animals

We see a lot of videos on social media today where kids are having a great time with their pets. We find it too cute right? As a suggestion, at least have one pet at home. With whom a child can bond, love and develop a relationship. Children, in general, are attracted and curious about all the moving animals. They love animal unlike adults who tend to value and love animals for their benefits to human beings (food, leather, wool etc.) Children are fascinated by animals because they are living creatures. Let’s encourage this innocence which will help them understand its value.

What will happen if animals are not there?

How will we survive if there is no water?

Do we value the solar energy enough?

So, when it comes to teaching about environmental awareness, it is about appreciating, acknowledging and knowing the value of every element of nature. May it be sunlight, water, plants or animals.