Teaching Sustainability to Children - Guest Post

I was recently contacted by a My Dog At My Blog saying they loved my blog and wanted to do a Guest Post.  It has taken me much too long too post this wonderful article, and with the cuts coming forward at both the state and federal level in education, I think this is the perfect time to run this article because as cutbacks occur teaching such things as Sustainability will not only fall to teachers but parents as well.  This article gives good ideas for everyone.

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Aleen Druzy is a librarian who feels guilty for loving her Kindle so dearly. She also moonlights as a Tauren Shaman. She is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and writes on Online Universities for Guide to Online Schools.


Teaching sustainability to children involves more than just the 3 Rs. Children learn about organic food, energy alternatives, hybrid cars, carbon footprints, etc. Teachers create lesson plans that encourage students to conserve and reduce resources at home. This isn’t an easy topic to get young children to understand without putting it into practice. Here are some tips on teaching children about sustainability while encouraging them to create new solutions to conserving and reusing resources.

• Current Events Even if children aren't actively watching the news every day, they still hear about current events at school, overhearing adult conversations, or reading news headlines either online or in the newspaper. Use these opportunities to talk to children about what is going on. For instance, the National Wildlife Federation dedicates a portion of their site to the recent Gulf Coast Oil Spill and offers information on recovery efforts and environmental effects. The World Wildlife Federation also offers a variety of resources on classroom actions and project ideas.


• Farmers' Markets Local farmers' markets are easy to find! Give your children hands-on experience in choosing colorful and nutritious produce. Let them touch, smell, and sample new vegetables and fruits. Teach them where the produce came from, and encourage them to ask questions. Children might be more willing to eat the fruits and veggies they pick out.

• Get Down and Dirty Get those little hands dirty by cultivating your favorite fruits and vegetables. Most kids love to get dirty, so let their garden grow! Plant seeds, pull weeds, and pick produce together. Point out the advantages of a garden such as no pesticides, less trips to the supermarket, etc. Looking for more dirt-filled ideas? How about building a compost pile?

• Lead by Example Children love to emulate adults, so use that to your advantage. If you're a teacher, make a recycling center in the classroom and participate in the program as well. Let the students see the recyclables you bring in. The World Parents can show kids the health benefits of walking or biking instead of driving. Carpooling is another great option.

• Make Learning Fun Take children out into the world and explore. Planetariums, zoos, science museums, and aquariums are excellent resources for teaching sustainability in terms that students can understand. Workshops at these types of institutions might show young people the impact deforestation has on animal habitats or how gas emissions from factories and cars hurt the ozone. Check the schedule of educational events that teach how our every day choices affect animals, outer spaces, forest, etc. Better yet, just drop by! Check out the animal habitats, stars, or science exhibits, and encourage questions! Looking for other ideas? Take tours of local farms, national parks, recycling centers, and landfills.


• Pick Me! Volunteering can be a rewarding experience. Giving is a tremendous lesson in sustainability. Places for children to volunteer? Try a local farm where kids can dig up potatoes or help organize food that is donated to local shelters. VolunteerMatch is a great site to find other volunteer opportunities.

• Wearing the Chef's Hat Calling all little chefs! Cook nutritious meals with fresh produce, and encourage children to create new recipes. With older children, take time to explain the difference between fresh cooked versus pre-packaged meals. The National Network for Childcare has an excellent article on how to involve children ages two through five in the kitchen.

Sustainability is not an all-or-nothing situation. Start small and go from there. Children are extremely smart, creative, and aware. They can come up with creative solutions due to age, innocence, and general lack of a pessimistic attitude. Promote ideas and questions. Set the best examples, and keep the learning fun and engaging.
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Feel free to leave additional ideas in the comments section. Also please let me know if posts like this interest you and if you would like to see more like them.