You can effortlessly teach sustainability to kids by preparing activities and motivating them to practise at your classroom or school.
For example, you can organize a litter game and reward the kids for picking up more litter. This activity enables you to teach sustainability to your kids, such as how to preserve the environment and ensure they don't litter, too.
In this guide, we will discuss sustainability in education, how to teach this practice, and its importance.
What Is Sustainability For Kids?
Sustainability for kids is educating and teaching them to keep the environment healthy and safe. By protecting plants, wildlife, and natural resources in the long term, you can teach them how to lead a healthy life.
According to Country Living, the reports indicate that the younger generation is aware of sustainability, and more than half (52%) of all parents are taught about it by their children. Moreover, the kids of 5 years old (12%) are also aware of environmental issues.
When kids learn sustainability, these habits last long and help them lead healthy and wealthy lives even when they are older.
How To Teach Sustainability Activities For Kids
You can teach sustainability to kids by practising many activities. Let's examine each of them in detail.
Teach To Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle
One key aspect of sustainability is teaching the basic 3Rs. It's about practicing the below techniques:
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
You can create projects by implementing these 3Rs to help children live their lives, ensuring daily sustainability.
Use A Compost Bin
Why shouldn't you throw food scraps away randomly? It enters landfills and causes environmental protection. Therefore, you can teach them to make their compost bin and even make rich soil for your garden.
Practice Energy Saving.
You can guide your kids on how to save energy. Here are some key approaches that you can implement:
Turn off electronics and appliances when not in use.
Show them the effects of overconsuming energy.
Use natural light during the day instead of turning on lights.
Encourage them to use energy-efficient bulbs and appliances.
Do Picking Up Litter Task
Whenever your kids see litter, please encourage them to pick it up and dispose of it effectively. You can even turn this into a game with a couple of kids and award the kid you pick the most litter.
Recycle Objects As Crafts
You will find many waste materials in a classroom or at home, which you can recycle to make it a craft. You also teach your kid to practise the 3R concept through this activity. For example, you can make crafts from waste materials such as jugs, tissue boxes, glass jars, paper towel rolls, and more.
Here are some key techniques for recycling objects as crafts:
Use old jars or lanterns to create colorful storage containers.
Turn paper towel rolls into pencil holders or decorative organizers.
Transform tissue boxes into creative gift boxes or toys.
Recycle plastic jugs into watering cans.
Motivate kids to paint and decorate recycled objects.
Go On A Nature Walk Or Hikes
You teach your kids sustainability by going on a walk or hike your kids sustainability. You teach them to enjoy the views around them and protect the environment. You show them how beautiful nature is and engage with it.
Plant And Grow Your Food
Teaching them to start their garden and grow vegetables and fruits helps them significantly impact Earth. Gardening helps you to show the importance of water and sunlight for every plan to grow. Also, it makes them responsible caretakers as they will learn to grow the plants and fulfil their needs effectively.
Here are key tips for teaching your kids about gardening:
Begin with easy-to-grow plants such as tomatoes, carrots, and sunflowers.
Ask kids to help you in every step, from digging soil to planting seeds.
Teach the importance of watering regularly but not overwatering.
Show how sunlight helps plants grow and where to place them.
Let them decorate pots or garden areas to make it fun and personal.
Engage In Virtual Explorations
You can show kids how to use modern technology to teach them about sustainability. For example, you can find and introduce them to educational apps, YouTube videos, and podcasts that help with sustainability for kids. This can be fun and interactive to engage them and help them learn the concepts effectively.
Engage In Eco-Friendly Activities
You can encourage kids and plan programs to engage in eco-friendly activities. Here are some examples for you to consider in arranging eco-friendly activities:
Beach cleanups.
Plan plants and grow them.
Work with animal rescues.
Create compost bins at home to reduce organic waste.
Host a recycling drive to encourage responsible waste management.
Make bird feeders using recycled materials.
Conduct a "swap day" for kids to exchange toys or clothes rather than buy new ones.
Take Them On Food Adventures
You can hang out with your kids on food adventures, such as showing them how they get their food from the farm to their plate. This teaches them the importance of local food, save food, its patterns, and seasonal production.
You can also teach them how to reduce their carbon footprint due to long food transportation.
Go On A Camping Trip
When you plan for a weekend or even any trips, if you have more kids engaging in the trip, make it a sustainably focused trip. On this trip, you can teach to practise your kids the following habits:
Spend time with nature.
Use fewer vehicles to reduce vehicle emissions.
Practice eco-friendly camping habits.
Show the colorful life cycle of butterflies.
Please encourage them to enjoy the majesty of ancient trees.
Play in the sea or water.
Why Is It Important To Learn About Sustainability?
Nowadays, it would be best to guide your kids about sustainability as it will equip them with many advantages in the long run. They include:
Sustainability is a global concept that individuals and governments are aware of and encourage promoting.
Your kids need to appreciate and understand the importance of sustainability in the long run.
Your kids of this generation need a fruitful future.
Ensures to promote creativity and critical thinking to ensure quality of life.
Help kids plan their future sustainability activities and choose how to live effectively.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, teaching kids about sustainability helps ensure they will lead healthy, wealthy, and effective lives in the long run. Moreover, it allows them to create a fruitful future. Practicing these activities will cause a drastic change in their habits.
We hope this guide helped you understand how to teach sustainability education to kids.
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