Introducing your child to eco-friendly concepts at home through interesting activities encourages young people to consider and appreciate the natural environment. Exposing kids to ecology in a practical but fun way maximizes the learning experience. Here are some interesting ways to introduce kids to the basics of eco living.
Count the Critters
Use an erasable white board or chalk board to keep track of all the different insects, birds and animals your child sees. Every time they see a new animal, insect or plant, write it on the board. Draw a star every time they see each animal. Help your kid research what kinds of wildlife are common in your area, why they see some more than others, what they eat and what they need to survive. Read up on or watch a documentary about each animal on the list, and have your child identify what benefit each animal provides to our environment.
Build a homemade solar oven from a couple of recycled boxes, black construction paper and aluminum foil. Use your solar oven to cook veggie dogs or heat up snacks on sunny days. Research homemade solar ovens online and allow your child to choose the oven project they want to build.
Help your child set up a recycling center at home. Label bins for paper, cans and plastic, and show them how to sort between the bins. Put them in charge of sorting through your daily rubbish. When filled, take them to a recycling center so they can see how the process works. Let them save up the money from recycling toward an eco-friendly treat.
Kids love worms. They are gross, dirty and fun to watch. Build a homemade worm bin from recycled materials with your child based on one of the many projects available online. Put them in charge of feeding the worms and spreading their castings in your garden.
Learning about eco living can instill important values in kids that will last a lifetime—to the benefit of the Earth, society and the future adults they will become.