Stewards of our planet!
Being in nature is a crucial part of development, education and understanding in early childhood. This helps children have an appreciation for the Earth and all its inhabitants! As the global climate crisis accelerates, it is our responsibility to provide a learning culture where children develop skills to take care of nature through play and creativity.
We, as adults are strong role models for children and how they see the world around them. If we are able to demonstrate love for all living things, support sustainability and show the importance of taking care of our world, this message will be recieved by the children around us and they will be able to inspire others around them!
At The Outdoors Project, our ethos is centered around getting children outdoors and enjoying nature. We incorporate positive environmental teachings into our activities and our instuctors are keen to provide knowledge of the great outdoors to all. We do it in a way that is stress free for the child and so they learn without gaining worry of the more adult subjects and issues. The last thing we want is for climate change and environmental problems to be a overwhelming thing to talk about for kids. By making these topics fun, relatable and achievable, helping the Earth can become a way of life.
Things you can do at home
You don’t need to know the ins and outs of climate change to teach children how to respect the planet. You also don't have to live on a farm or become a vegan. You can simply encourage children to play in nature and role model behaviours that show appreciation for the environment.
Examples of things you can do with you child:
- Make a bug hotel or go on a bug hunt
- Make dens/shelters in a local forest with fallen logs or sticks
- Go camping
- Ask them to help you with the recycling
- Plant a garden with herbs, fruits or veg
- Make Compost
- Repurpose or upcycle things in your home
- Visit places of natural beauty
- Visit sustainable farms
- Bird watch
- Demonstrate how to make a campfire safely
Try to incorporate sustainability practice into daily life at home. Try turning an old dress into something new, or use herbs and flowers to make home made soaps. A playful learning approach where child and adult can find fun activites that bring you closer to nature or helping the planet is the way to go! We can give children the right tools and approaches that encourage actions, which then creates hope for their future!
We are in it together!
Sustainability and evironmental education for children can best be approached by helping them understand their place in the web of life and that all things are connected. It’s about giving them a sense of belonging, respect and care for all living creatures, and an understanding of how to handle material resources in the limited world around us. Sustainability teachings is about fostering the world-view that we are not alone, but in this together. Only through our common actions and hope, can we make this a better world for us all.
Related
The Importance of Outdoor Play
Building dens, climbing trees, playing pooh sticks by a river, kicking a ball in the street with your friends...these are all simple pleasures that many of us enjoyed as a normal part of our childhood.
