It’s more important than ever to introduce habits of sustainability and environmentally friendly actions in the next generation. We’ve already come too far to let another generation ignore the issues we’ve created in the environment.
But how do you introduce sustainability habits to your young children? You disguise it as playtime activities. Below are five activities you can do with your preschooler that will instill eco-friendly behaviors in them that they’ll hopefully hold on to while they grow up.
Plant Flowers
The miracle of watching something grow will be absolutely magical for your preschooler to experience. After planting a seed, watering it when needed, and keeping it in sunlight, your preschooler will witness the seed soon grows into a flower or plant.
If you have the space for a garden, it can become a weekly activity for your preschooler as you dig in the dirt to plant seeds and pull out the weeds. This teaches them about growing their own plants and harvesting their own food.
Use Recycled Items for Crafts
Let the creativity soar during your arts and crafts activities when you use recycled items. Glass jars or aluminum cans can soon become decorated pencil holders. Tissue boxes can transform into your child’s favorite animal.
This activity will promote the idea of reusing items we already have rather than throwing them away in a landfill. It also strengthens your child’s creativity as they figure out how to make an ordinary object into something extraordinary.
Sort Recycled Materials
If your community recycles certain materials separately, make an activity of sorting the recycling with your preschooler. Use different bins to put plastic, paper, and glass. This will teach your child the types of material that can be recycled, as well as encourage sensory learning by touching the different materials.
Start a Worm Farm
Kids love playing with tiny little critters and watching them move around. It’s no different with worms. You can start a worm farm by beginning a compost with your leftover meal scraps. Simply add the worms to the compost and let them turn it into a fertilizer. You can then use this in your garden and when you plant new seeds and flowers.
This promotes the idea of creating things at home rather than purchasing them to fulfill sustainable activities as well.
Read Books About the Environment
There are plenty of children’s books out there on the topic of being environmentally friendly and practicing sustainability. When you’re practicing at-home learning routines, such as the Frog Street pre-k home program, make sure to add these books to your reading time.
Not only will your preschooler love the stories and illustrations included in these books, but they will learn about the environment and the actions they can take to be kinder towards it. Hopefully, these lessons and morals stay ingrained in them as they grow older and start making their own decisions.
