How to raise an environmentally conscious child

[AD] If you’re conscious of the environment, it will usually follow that your child will be environmentally conscious too. However, it’s important to show children all the various ways that humankind impacts the environment so that they gain a full understanding of how we must change our behaviours now and in the future if we are to protect the planet and attempt to heal the damage already done.

_{[Photo by Filip Urban on Unsplash]}

Raising an environmentally conscious child

Start at home

Children have the best learning experiences at home when they’re very young. It’s here that they can fully experience and grasp the way in which things work and how the world operates as a whole.

Even the smallest toddler can help with the recycling – show your child how to sort non-recyclable items and recyclable items and put them in the right receptacle.

For very young children, you can use a visual chart illustrating all of the different types of rubbish which households commonly produce. For example, milk cartons and egg boxes all go into the recycling container so you can show this on a chart. 

Food scraps go in the compost bin and other types of waste into the general bin.

Little children love to help and to do “grown up” jobs so help your child to wash containers and show them how the rubbish collection works. It’s satisfying for children to watch the rubbish being collected.

It’s also important to explain what happens to our waste once it’s collected. Talk to them about how glass, paper, plastic and textiles can all be cleaned and then made into new things.

Out and about

Discuss the local environment with your child. Explain to them why littering is a bad thing and consider taking them on a clean-up of a local area. Join a local group which focuses on this or organise your own local clean-up. Be sure to use litter-pickers and gloves though – and explain to your child that they must not ever handle rubbish with their bare hands.

Once your child starts school, they will learn more about the wider environment and the issues which we face. This private school in Esher has a strong record when it comes to environmental education.

If your child is passionate about the environment, encourage them to organise an event at school to raise awareness and perhaps funds to help improve ecological awareness in general.