From Guest Blogger Gabby: Ten Ways to Help Kids Go Green at Home
Children and the outdoors have always been natural partners. I love the way my kids get excited about something as simple as a lizard in the garden. When my husband points out the constellations on a clear night, the look on their faces brings me so much joy.
Their endless fascination with everything outside gives us countless teaching moments. It also helps us help them understand why we’re so committed to sustainability.
If you want to get your family involved in an eco-friendlier lifestyle, try these 10 green tips that really work with kids.
Helping Your Kids Go Green: 10 Tips That Make It Fun and Easy
1. Reward Their Recycling Success
Give each child a personal recycling bin, and explain what should and shouldn’t get tossed. Keep an eye on the youngest ones just in case. We hold a recycling audit the day before pick-up and vote on who’s done the best job. The winner gets to decide on the next evening’s dinner dessert.
2. Encourage Donation Over Disposal
Every spring, we declutter the house and donate reusable items to local charities. The kids join in with boxes of toys and clothes they don’t want to recycle here at home. We make it a green lesson by measuring our boxes and figuring out how much landfill space we’re not taking up by donating instead of throwing things away.
3. Watch the Wonders of Wildlife
One of my favorite online sites gives us a window on the everyday lives of our national wildlife. The Department of Interior hosts wonderful webcams that let us watch bears in Alaska and eagles in D.C. As the kids marvel at it all, we talk about how glad we are that we can do our part to preserve habitats for so many remarkable creatures.
4. Put the Kids on Plumber Patrol
Water conservation is important to our eco-friendly lifestyle, and it holds down monthly bills too. Our children know not to let the water run when they’re washing hands and brushing teeth. They’re also proud members of our in-house plumber patrol. They take drip detection seriously and help us spot leaks that otherwise waste a precious resource.
5. Teach Them That Solar Is Cool
Last summer, friends in Santa Cruz took us to the annual Pleasure Point Street Fair. My husband spotted the solar generators first. The equipment had been donated by Sandbar Solar, a local solar energy company. The kids thought the setup looked cool. They were really impressed when we explained how it converted the sun’s energy into electricity. Try these ways to get kids interested in solar energy.
6. Compost a Veggie Garden
Our vegetable garden is a great way to teach our children about sustainability. It gets us all outside and focused on the crossroads between our water supply and recycling. We use a rain barrel to irrigate our crops, and the kids are in charge of the compost pile. It’s a natural for little hands that love getting dirty.
7. Plant an Arbor Day Tree
We may have a backyard forest in another couple of years, but that’s OK. Planting the Arbor Day tree is a family tradition. Even our youngest one understands we’re helping the planet stay green by nurturing trees that help the air stay clean. Everybody enjoys the extra summertime shade too.
8. Celebrate Earth Day as a Family
Children need to know that there was a time when people didn’t appreciate the ecological effects we have on our planet. My family celebrates Earth Day through local activities that entertain and educate. We always spend a little time tending the garden and our trees too. The kids take real pride in doing their part on Earth Day.
9. Go Green by Crafting Cards
Every card and invitation we receive goes into a craft box. We save pretty door hangers, bright store packaging and even used wrapping paper. When it’s our turn to send a card, my children amaze me with their creativity. They recycle our collected paper into personalized best wishes for everything from birthdays to holidays.
10. Leave the Car Parked
Why waste gas driving a few miles when we can enjoy short trips on our bikes? Beautiful weather is a perfect excuse to skip the mall and walk the block. The kids love getting out of the house on a sunny day, and I love watching them have fun in the urban outdoors. It’s one more opportunity for them to appreciate our natural environment.
You’re Really Making a Difference
Sometimes, they don’t pay attention or understand the lessons we want to share. Still, as a parent, you know how much they take to heart. My kids have a strong sense of caring for the environment that they’ll pass on to their children.
As loving parents, we all know how much that means for their future and for the planet. We’re really making a difference. Our kids are growing up green, and they’re going to make a real difference too.
