Are Your Kids Environmentally Aware?
Teach your children earth-friendly activities while having fun at the same time.
Follow these tips to get your child involved in environmental protection at an early age.
- Become the light police. Put your children in charge of turning off any unused lights in the house. Allow them to give “tickets” to family members who don’t turn off lights when they leave the room.
- Get creative with art supplies. Old cereal boxes, used printer paper or other paper scraps can be a perfect canvas for your child’s finger paintings and artistic expressions. Just flip the cardboard or paper over to the blank side and let your child paint away.
- Make your own toys. Collect empty juice boxes, string, broken toy pieces, marbles, buttons and other interesting trinkets to create a make-your-own toy box. Kids can create photo frames, new toys or anything else they can imagine.
- Collect rain. Have your child place buckets under your home’s downspouts the next time it rains. Later, your child can use the collected runoff to water plants around the yard or inside the house.
- Have a clothing swap. Find other parents in your neighborhood who are interested in trading clothes. Take your child’s outgrown clothing and trade for new, second-hand clothing with your neighbors.
- Be destructive. Let your pre-schooler smash, flatten and crush boxes, soda cans and plastic bottles for recycling. What could be more fun?
- Take a field trip. Visit a local farm or orchard to show your children how food is grown and where it comes from. Not only are these trips a great way to spend time outdoors, but your child will also learn why it’s important to care for the environment.
- Turn off the power. Once a month, have an electricity-free day. Turn off all TVs, video games and computers, and instead pull out board games, go for a hike or enjoy another outdoor activity.
- Join the club. Visit epa.gov/kids and join the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Kids Club. Membership is free and there are loads of environmentally themed educational activities for kids to enjoy.
Solar-Powered Health
Not only does spending time outside save electricity, it’s also good for your health. Studies have shown that children who spend more time outdoors have lower stress levels, experience fewer attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and achieve more success in school.
Spending time in the sun also helps your body absorb vitamin D - an essential nutrient for strong bones and muscles and a healthy immune system. Remember to always use sunscreen as directed.
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