Activities to Teach Children About Going Green
The term "Going Green" generally means to work to conserve the planet and all living creatures. It means eating organic foods, reducing the amount of energy consumed, conserving wildlife, cutting down on pollution, recycling inorganic materials and living a healthy and mindful life. "Going Green." is better for the planet; it can save you money and it can improve your mental and physical health. To teach your kids how to "Go Green," introduce the concept through activities.
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Reusing and Recycling
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There are several good activities that teach kids about reusing and recycling materials. If your family is just beginning to recycle, simply give the kids some work gloves and set them sorting through the family trash and putting recyclables in the proper bin.
If recycling is familiar, try "Treasure Rummage." Have them go through some recyclables you have set aside. Allow the children to use their imagination for ways to reuse each item. Perhaps plastic bottles could become bird feeders or glass jars could be used to store craft items, such as beads. If they can't think of a way to reuse the item, they place it in the correct recycling bin.
Teaching kids why they should reuse and recycle is also important. Some good kids' books about recycling include: "Little Pirate: Why Do We Recycle?" and "We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers: The Story." After you read the book, you can ask the children to create a picture about what they think the world would look like if no one reused or recycled. Let them use crayons, markers, paint or any other materials available, and reusable scrap paper or junk mail that is blank on one side.
Composting and Organic Gardening
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Kids typically love to get dirty. What better way to teach kids about Going Green than starting their own organic garden. Start by teaching them how to compost materials in order to get the best nutrients for their garden plants.
Composting is a fun kid activity. A garden compost pile can be created in a corner of the back yard. Layer "green" yard waste, such as grass clippings, with "brown" yard waste, such as dead leaves, with a layer of soil to introduce the organisms. In colder areas of the country, put the pile in the sun. In warmer areas, you might even want it in the shade, to keep it from rotting so fast it smells. Use a shovel or pitchfork to turn the pile occasionally.
To start your own kitchen compost, get a small storage bin to keep under your sink. Add organic vegetable materials to the composting bin instead of throwing them away. Materials like coffee grounds, fruit peels, veggies and leaves are great composting items. Do not put animal products (meat or fat) or oils in the bin. Shake the bin about twice a week and let it set in the sun a few hours each day. The sun speeds up the composting process. Make sure the kids help add materials to the compost bin or pile.
Plot a section of land for your organic garden. Use a spade to turn up the soil. Add small plants or seeds to your garden. Add well-rotted compost and some water to the soil around each plant, and on top of planted seeds. Have the kids help tend the organic garden each day. Tending to an organic garden shows kids how much work it takes to grow food and the importance of not wasting it. And they may feel a sense of accomplishment when they can say, "I grow my own food."
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Conservation
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Conserving our resources is an important part of life. There are many ways to conserve. You can conserve water, energy or wildlife. Teaching kids about conservation will help them develop a deeper understanding of their impact on the world.
DCSASA.com has a great water conservation activity. Kids can calculate how much water they use each time they flush the toilet, take a shower or brush their teeth. It gives the amount of water they use in gallons, which gives kids a nice visual of how much water it takes for them to do normal, everyday functions.
Teaching kids about wildlife conservation can be easy and interesting. Allow each child to pick an endangered animal species. Have them come up with a sort of mini report for their animal. The report should include: a picture or drawing of the animal, where the animal lives, what the animal needs to survive (types of food, environment, etc.) and what is endangering the animal. Feel free to help them conduct research. You should also discuss what would happen to the other animals if the endangered animal were to become extinct.
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