Spring has officially sprung, and Earth Day is on the horizon! Helping your kiddos understand their own environmental awareness and responsibilities as good stewards of our planet not only nurtures their curiosity but also helps impart better decision-making life skills. Learning about how to care for the planet is, frankly, fun!

Below are tips for some simple sustainability practices you and your family can start implementing today.

While deforestation rates are somewhat variable, they are generally on the rise; but even a kid can help combat them. Avoid foods that contain unsustainable ingredients, such as palm oil. When hiking, stay on the marked path (that’s just a common sense safety tip as well!). Make your garden a nature habitat — the birds and the bees will thank you by visiting. Log piles, bee hotels, and ponds are always happy additions to a backyard garden. Adding new plants to a garden — or even starting a garden — is always a good idea, too, as it not only helps the environment, it also gets kids outside and exercising. And that’s way better than any screen time.

Your kiddo can start their own cleanup team in your neighborhood. Even if you don’t live in a city, trash and debris can end up in your or your neighbor’s yard. Get the neighborhood kids together one weekend per month to clean up the block. Make sure you have the proper gear and equipment, like trash bags, dog poop bags, gloves, and a grabber (don’t use a poker — it can make a bigger mess).

If you were a kid in the ‘90s — or had kids in the ‘90s — recycling was the thing. It was everywhere: on commercials, in our classrooms, and even on the news. Recycling seems like common sense now, but we still live in a ‘disposable’ culture. Teaching kids not only how to properly recycle, but to also change their mindsets around recycling, is key. Instead of throwing away a paper towel holder, can your kid use it as an art project? Can it suddenly become a telescope, so they can play pirates and sail the 7 Seas? Can old bedsheets become cleaning rags?

There are so many different ways to teach kids how to live their lives in a more sustainable way. Helping the planet helps them become the amazing adults you’re teaching them to be! And it doesn’t have to be hard to do, either, especially when you’re spending time saving the planet as a family.

Sources

NatGEO Kids, How to Save the Planet: A Kids’ Guide. – EarthShare NJ, 25 Fun Ways to Teach Kids Sustainability and Green Habits. – CK Family Services, Teaching Kids to Care for Our Planet. – Edutopia, Celebrate Earth Day with 5 Hands-On Activities.