Mother Nature has been around for 22 billion years and she will continue to exist. It is the responsibility of the human race to ensure that our environment is healthy and happy. And how can you, as a parent, contribute towards that responsibility? To teach your child how to care for and appreciate nature in its entirety is one of the best ways to ensure that our planet is protected.

World Environment Day was celebrated worldwide this week and we’ve got some fun and interesting ways that you can adopt to teach your little children to love and care for Mother Nature. Engaging children with nature will help them learn about its beauty and significance and bring them closer to their environment.

Lead by example
One of the quickest ways children learn is by seeing what their parents do and picking up on their habits. As parents, we often overlook our responsibility towards nature and the environment and caring for the plants in our houses becomes the responsibility of our helpers. Maybe you can start by watering some plants and getting your child involved to make it an engagement activity. If your little one watches you care for those green friends, you sow the seed of interest in them right from the get-go. (Picture credit: Flikr) 

Pick up trash
When you take your child outdoors, whether it is to play in the park or run an errand or just walk, stop to pick up any trash that you see and drop it in the nearest dustbin. Explaining to your children how littering harms the environment and the fauna; and the corrective steps they should take to make our planet a cleaner and greener space. Give them examples like if a bird were to eat something they shouldn’t, it would harm them.
(Picture Credit: Pixabay)

Organize special days
Plan and organize a day of activities, for your child and their friends, related to the environment and nature, like collecting dried leaves of different trees to make a scrapbook, planting new seeds in your nearby park from scratch or using twigs and fallen flowers to get crafty. The possibilities are endless and children learn to preserve nature and appreciate what nature provides. Get creative with your activities to keep the little ones interest at its peak, throughout! (Picture Credit: Pixabay)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit a local farmer’s market
A site full of fresh fruits and vegetables is one to be at! Farmers markets’ happen often and children would enjoy a trip to these to learn about the different types of food they can eat. It is important to discuss how these fruits and vegetables make way to your kitchen and how we can help them grow in a healthy environment. (Picture Credit: Pexels)

Ownership
Apart from learning how to appreciate nature, how about you generate a sense of ownership in them! Allocate an empty pot to each member in your house, including your child, and ask them to plant a seed of their choice. It can be fruits or vegetables or just a flower-bearing plant. Establish a rule- everyone has to care for and nurture their own plant to ensure it thrives. Guide your little one on the steps they need to take so their seeds germinate and are taken care of. In our experience, we’ve seen little children get very attached to their plants and care for them just like an adult would.

 

Your children deserve to connect with nature so let them breathe in the beauty and remember to keep our planet healthy so we can live healthy lives! The more time they spend outdoors, the more they will get closer to their environment and get a hands-on learning experience to nurture Mother Nature.