How can children be raised to be environmentally conscious?
Daycare centers and kindergartens offer children the opportunity to get in touch with our environment and the topic of environmental protection at an early stage. It is significant to involve parents and children in prearranged projects at an early stage.
Ideas for environmental projects in kindergartens, schools, and clubs
Collecting garbage in one week
Collect all the garbage that arises in your facility. If you are cleaning your car because you have bought car parts in biltipset then collect the garbage and look for solutions with the kids on how it could be reduced.
Book selection
There are now a lot of good books on the subject of environmental protection and sustainability, also for children. Children learn so much from books.
Be creative
Make oilcloths for storing food together with the kids or even as a gift for the parents. Playdough, salt dough and watercolors are things that the children in kindergarten and daycare centers with you with just a few ingredients. Talk to the children directly about why you are making things yourself.
Upcycling together with the children
For example, handicrafts can be made out of tissue rolls. Always take some time to explain to the children why it is so important to continue using things that have been produced.
Excursions
If you have the chance, depending on their age, take the children on excursions – for example in the forest, to a recycling plant or to a farm. On farms, children can learn where meat and milk come from. At some farms, there is also the possibility that children can help with the harvest of fruits and vegetables. Many children today no longer know where their food comes from. So this is a great way to slowly introduce them to it. Depending on the age of the children, you can then playfully work out the consequences of growing various foods for the environment.
The wonderful thing about children is that they can easily get excited about topics if they are approached playfully. Every small step that you take with your child towards environmental protection is very valuable. There are many things that you can discover and learn together, starting in your everyday life.