It is crucial that we teach our children from a young age to
LIVE a green lifestyle.
They will watch and learn by our example,
but they need to be taught the actions
and eventually the concepts and reasons behind the actions.
Children need to learn the 3 “R’s”
Reduce, Reuse & Recycle…
I think that children also need to learn the 4th & 5th “R’s” ….
Respect & Responsibility
Respect for our planet, our resources, ourselves…by living a green life.
Responsibility to make a difference…
to BE the Solution.
to BE the Solution.
Here are some fun and easy ways to get your children involved.
Let little ones sort recycling bins for plastic and paper.
This is not only a green action,
but an important developmental learning skill!
Take your children to a recycling center for a tour or family field trip
so that they can see on a large scale green work
being done in their community.
Take them near a public landfill.
How powerful is that!
When your children make the choice to recycle instead of add to the
literal tons of regular trash,
literal tons of regular trash,
they will “understand” the impact!
They will be more likely to preach what they are practicing
by letting friends know what they have seen.
One of my favorite ideas comes from Liam Owen at eHow Family.
He suggests that we give our children an important task in the home with
an important title to go with it, such as “Earth Deputy”.
Or as I though of…”Special Agent Earth Saver”.
Give children a specific task such as
turning off lights TV, video games, etc when no one is in the room,
or making sure that the water is not running
when others are brushing teeth, etc.
Stock your home library with eco-conscious books!
My son’s favorite is The Lorax.
There are many books about our planet, our world and going green:
Don’t Throw That Away!
These are only 4 of many.
Visit your library or do a google search for lots of titles and choices!
Teaching children about renewable energy is cool too,
especially when they are able to see it in action!!
At one of my FAV websites called
you can buy eco toys and kits at reasonable prices!
Like a…
Potato powered alarm clock
Water (hydro) powered calculator
and solar powered hopping frog
Eco in Action!
Children learn by doing.
Involve children in everyday activities that instill in them
an intrinsic respect for the Earth and an intrinsic responsibility to be the solution!
! Have a Fabulous Day ! – Jenny at Dapperhouse
Christine G
I like your additional Rs! Very true that going green has a lot to do with respecting the earth and the responsibility we have to take care of it! Thanks for the great post. -Christine @ Why We Love Green
BoBeather
That’s so cool! Being poor is a way to be green too! Wash and re-use plastic Ziplock bags and the plastic tubs that dairy products come in! Those tubs have been our “Tuperware” for two years and they are free, green, and I don’t care if I put leftovers in it for someone and don’t get it returned to me!
Bellesouth
These are some excellent tips. I also think it’s EXTREMELY important that we also teach children to use less plastic.
Plastic is made from petroleum, And at this time it can only be recycled into fleece, which can be made much cheaper from natural materials.
And let’s not even get into the BPA levels!
My hope is that one day we see a significant drop in the production of plastic bottles, grocery bags and packaging. A lot of companies are making the move to “green” bottles, corn-based packaging and other alternative methods for their products.
Jen
I love that alarm clock!!!
I stumbled this post.
Candice
Fantastic! Great post. 🙂
Sarah @ made in usa challenge
I LOVE your 4th and 5th R’s. When it comes to saving the planet, it really does come from respect for our home and our responsibility to care for it.
Also great suggestion to visit a local landfill. That’s something I could benefit from seeing myself.
Sharing and stumbling this post.
Deborah Davis
Many parents are wondering how to teach their children to be more environmentally-conscious at an early age? Fortunately for them, this article has lots of great ideas for them to use with their kids! I firmly believe in experiential learning too, so taking kids to dumps and landfills to experience the environmental impact of too much waste first-hand will make a powerful impression on them and provide a foundation for everyday green actions at home and in school. I am sharing this article all over the place! Thank you so much for hopping by and partying with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop! I look forward to reading many more of your fabulous posts!
Marla
Great ideas to teach your kids. I think it is very important to teach children very young to have respect for people, nature, and our environment.