Teaching kids how to “go green” is really important, since the future of the planet truly lies in the hands of those who will inherit it. Lucky for us, kids are quick learners so when we teach them how to go green early in life, green living choices become second-nature for them. Wondering how to teach your kids to go green? Here are five tips that will help teach kids how to live a green life…
Teach Kids How to Go Green by Supporting Local Farmers.
Encourage your kids to help you select healthy, locally-grown food for your family. Make it a regular part of your family’s “green routine” to go visit your local farmers market. Kids will enjoy talking to farmers who grew their food and the visits will teach them a lot about where food comes from and how it is produced. Farmers markets often have family-friendly activities that kids will enjoy, such as live music, food tasting, and green activities such as gardening or worm composting demonstrations.
Teach Kids How to Go Green by Reducing Consumerism.
How many toys do your kids get for their birthdays and holidays? If you’re like me, your answer is likely “Too many!” Instead of giving your kids toys for their birthdays, go green by celebrating with a family outing that the kids will enjoy such as a trip to the zoo, an amusement park, or a baseball game. Encourage your kids to choose a charity that supports needy children and ask family members or friends to donate directly to the charity or purchase gifts for those children instead. If possible, take the kids to deliver the gifts to the charity personally. Teach other kids (and parents) how to go green by giving the same kinds of green gifts. For example, instead of giving your son’s friend a toy for his birthday, give the gift of a “green adventure” to a zoo or a nature center with fun green programs for kids. Both children will have a blast with their friend and it will teach them that gifts don’t have to be tangible objects.
Teach Kids How to Go Green by Reducing Packaging Waste.
Don’t buy snacks and drinks for kids in single-serve packaging. Invest in reusable containers to turn your kids’ school lunches and snacks green. Teach your kids that the packaging from single-serve containers sits in the landfill and takes many years to decompose.
Teach Kids How to Go Green by Reusing Household Items.
Keep common “used up” items out of the landfill by teaching your kids that these items often can be reused. Start a “go green” craft box that kids can go to when they feel like getting creative. Some great items for the “go green” craft box include paper towel tubes, egg cartons, clean milk cartons, popsicle sticks, Styrofoam trays, old CDs, plastic bottles, buttons, puzzle pieces, even dryer lint! The possibilities are as endless as your kids’ creativity.
Teach Kids How to Go Green by Going on “Green Adventures”.
The more your kids enjoy exploring the natural world around them, the more interested they will be in taking care of it. Make it a regular habit to go on “green adventures” with your kids. Take a hike, go to the beach, go canoeing, or visit an environmental center, botanical garden, or zoo. Even big cities have green oases that your kids will love exploring. For example, New Yorkers can go on green adventures with their kids at one of the 14 Urban Park Ranger Nature Centers found around the city. These are five easy tips that will help teach your kids how to go green. What’s really great about these green tips is that most of them are also fun ways to spend time with your kids. As your kids learn how to go green, you may even find that they may have a more than a few things to teach Mom and Dad about “How to Go Green”!