Parent Education

Parent Education:

Ten Ways to Teach Kids about Earth Day

from earthday.net

Think a child or a family can’t make a difference? Not so. Little things can help the environment. And if your child develops good habits now, they’ll endure as he grows. Here are some ways you can encourage your kids to go green during Earth Day.

Reduce electricity
Explain to your children that lights, computers, televisions and furnaces use energy, and that energy is in short supply. Appliances like DVD players use energy even when off, so cutting the power totally is the only way to conserve. Go shopping together to buy power bars and plug your electronics into them (watch little ones closely so there are no shocks).  

Take small steps
There are dozens of small things your kids can do every day . Your kids can:   

1. Shut off the water when they brush their teeth.

2. Walk, ride a bike or take the bus instead of traveling by car.

3. Take faster showers or baths in just a small amount of water.

4. Help hang clothes on the line instead of putting them in the dryer.

5. Choose products that are not over packaged.

Introduce Nature
Let the children lead the way—you might even learn from them. Encourage their natural imagination. Set out on any nature walk with preschoolers and the world becomes an exciting and magical place.                                           

Use all five senses for Nature Exploration
Kids are hands-on learners, so appeal to sights, sound, scent, touch and taste. Feel the texture of leaves or moss, smell the mud and listen with eyes closed to the sounds of wind. Lie on your back to observe clouds and make pictures from them, or taste the rain. Don’t forget nighttime. Walk with flashlights or lie down to look up at stars.                                                                               

Take a field trip
Take advantage of family programs at zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens. Let kids ask a zillion questions.

Create a Nature Library
Start a collection of kid-friendly field guides on nature and nature activities, tapes and books. The most favored book of all, however, will be one your kids make themselves. Leaving a journal open by a window where kids can record what is taking place throughout the year or how things change daily. One or two sentences each day will do. Or let them create their own illustrated nature diary with words, images and found objects like nut tops or seeds.                                                                                

Write a letter
With your help, children can write letters to government leaders and corporations about pollution and other environmental issues, and you can give them a hand in looking up addresses and help them decide what they’re going to write. Talk about how you live in a democracy and every voice counts, no matter how small.                                                                         

Do a donation tour
A great way to get across the message of "reuse" and "recycle" is to take kids on a trip to your local thrift store, recycling center, or church. If your children have old clothing, toys, shoes, or other items in reusable condition, make a family trip down to the donation center so they can see how their trash is someone else's treasure. Teach kids how items can be reused for different purposes--for example old towels, blankets, and comforters can often be donated to local animal shelters for bedding. These real-life examples will teach kids that many items they would normally throw away can actually have a second life.