Raising kids to appreciate and care for the world around them isn’t easy in our society that loves instant gratification, constant entertainment, and disposable everything. We want our kids to become adults who appreciate the earth, take responsibility for their effect on it, and work towards conservation for future generations. We believe that it is our responsibility as their parents to teach them about nature and how to love it and care for it. Today I’m sharing a few easy ways we work to give our kids a green childhood. April is Earth Month, so this year I’m joining with a group of bloggers for a series on Natural Parenting and Green Living. Join us we celebrate Earth Month and help each live a greener, more environmentally responsible life. We are far from the greenest family on the block, but we are working to become more eco-friendly every day.
Easy Ways to Give Your Kids a Green Childhood
- Get kids in to nature as much as possible. We are big city dwellers, so we have to work extra hard to give our kids glimpses of the natural world. We visit nature preserves in our area, and try to plan vacations that give us plenty of time in the great outdoors. When kids spend time in nature they fall in love with it, and will be more likely to want to care for it as they grow older. We want to raise kids who would choose a hike or playing outside over a tv show. Read more about hiking with kids here and here.
- Teach kids about recycling, repurposing, and composting. Our almost 4 year old knows the difference between our recycling bin and our trash can, and he now asks if things can be recycled before throwing them away. We show our kids how we pack up things they’ve outgrown to pass them on to others instead of throwing them away. We make toys from discarded boxes and reuse drawing paper until it is covered. The Bear even has a book about recycling that loves, probably because of the trucks inside.
- Pick up trash when you see it in your neighborhood, and teach kids to do the same. After practicing this for the first four years of his life, the Bear now asks, “Mommy, why would someone throw that trash in the creek?” We live on an urban creek that gets a LOT of trash, especially when it rains. We try to safely pick up as much as we can to teach the kids that we don’t litter, and we take care of the earth.
- Practice sustainable living in front of them. This is probably the biggest thing we can do as parents, in my opinion. My parents took us camping, taught us to recycle, and taught us to live responsibly. All of us love the outdoors, care deeply about the environment, and want to make the world a better place. I want to set the same example for my kids. We use cloth diapers, essential oils, reusable cloth for cleaning, take reusable bags shopping, and try to make as little waste as possible. We want all of those practices to be normal for our kids.
I would love to hear your suggestions for giving your kids a green childhood. Our home is a work in progress towards green living, and I love to hear what is working for other families.
Be sure to check out the Every Parent’s Guide to Natural Parenting and Earth Month Blog Hop at ALLterNATIVElearning for the best green living tips and information to help you celebrate Earth Month. Don’t forget to enter our giveaway below to win one of three fabulous prize packages.
a Rafflecopter giveaway