Leading an eco-friendly life is more important now than ever. With how we’ve treated our precious planet so far, there’s really no alternative. We have to start caring more for it, and this is something which we need to educate our children about, too. Making them environmentally conscious from the earliest of age is truly not that difficult, as they’re like sponges, soaking in all that we teach them. This is why it’s essential that you introduce as many eco-friendly activities into their daily lives.
Here are some excellent ones for you to begin with.
Make Your Own Cleaning Products
Aside from being a lot of fun, this is an activity that can actually ignite the love for science in your children, being that it’s actually a science experiment. There is a whole list of products you can make with your children, showing them how to use natural ingredients you can find in any household, and turn them into something that’s used daily. For example, you can make your own laundry detergent, which you can then even use to wash something by hand and show your children how to do that as well. Once you make the detergent and see how much fun your kids had with that, you can search the net and find recipes for such things as dishwasher soap or air freshener, since those can also be made using healthier natural components.
Encourage Creative Play
Kids can learn a lot by playing. From developing fine motor skills to learning about the world to building imagination, children grow through play. And if this play is creative, it also allows them to be innovative and more self-confident. Make their play eco-friendly by inspiring them to make mud pies, various objects out of clay or castles, cars or rockets from used cardboard boxes. Even if your children are small, they’ll want to play in their own way. If you’re worried about what you are allowed to give them, you can always find some quality sensory baby toys. For example, a nice sensory ball that can be used for a long time, as it can be a teether for small babies, but also a sensory toy for when your baby is a bit older. Look for those without any harmful chemicals, can be washed and sterilized as often as necessary so that your little ones can play with them over and over again.
Make Interesting Napkins
If you’ve quit buying paper towels and switched to a greener option for wiping your face and your kitchen surfaces, good for you. Now it’s time to show your children how cool this actually can be. If you have some old sheets, shirts or any other type of used clothes, you can turn them into brand new napkins. Include all of your children in this project, from the youngest to the oldest. The youngest ones can help you choose the materials and shapes for the napkins, while older children can perhaps do the cutting. If they’re interested, and they probably will be, maybe you can also show them how to sew the edges of these cute napkins, so that they don’t fray. Afterward, you can also teach them how to set the table and put these sustainable napkins next to their plates. They’ll be proud to wipe their mouths and hands with something they took part in making.
Do Some Gardening
Gardening is healthy in any version, as it promotes physical activity and fine motor skills. In addition, merely being outdoors is good for your children’s immune system and overall well-being, so find a patch of ground where you can plant something and make it a teaching moment for your little ones. First of all, maybe you can grow something edible, like tomatoes, peppers or even strawberries. Second, not only can your children learn how to plant something, but by caring for these plants, they can also become more responsible. If there’s enough room in your garden, you can even plant a tree or two, but if not, there are some phenomenal DIY planters you can also turn into an exciting family project and then use for planting herbs, flowers, vegetables or any other kind of plant on your balcony. Throughout this activity, be sure to tell your kids all about the importance of trees and plants for life on our planet, as this is an amazing opportunity to do so.
Make a Bird Feeder
If you want to instill a love for animals in your child, while also promoting eco-friendliness, making a bird feeder is an outstanding idea. Take an empty milk carton and have your children wash the inside of it with some clean water. Then use scissors to cut a hole in the front part of the carton. If your children are old enough, you could let them cut the hole, but if not, it’s better that you do it instead. Make sure that the hole is big enough for birds to enter. Of course, a fair-sized pigeon probably won’t be able to fit into the carton, but smaller birds won’t be a problem. You can paint and decorate the carton any way you and your children like. When you’re done with this, punch a hole in the top part of the carton, through which your kids can pull some string or cord. When all of this is done, just fill the feeder with birdseed and hang it on a tree outside your home, near one of your windows, so that your little ones can joyfully watch birds as they fly down to eat.
If you’re looking for ways to spend quality time with your children and you want to demonstrate as much environmental awareness as you can while with them, you’ll probably like these activities. Not only will your children learn a lot, but you’ll also get a chance to bond over something that’s pleasurable to the entire family.
