The Significance of Introducing Sustainability Education to Kindergarten Children
Man is living more Consciously than ever before. Even while he shuttles from place to place, he is looking for ways to ‘Reduce his Footprint.’
Indeed, Saving our Planet is a hot topic of discussion these days. What’s more, a lot of folk have already taken the onus upon themselves to protect the environment through Sustainable Living.
What is Sustainability? While you might already have the answer at the tip of your tongue, it’s not something your child will understand easily, least of all a Kindergartner!
In this article, we will take a closer look at what Sustainable Living is. From Learning through Play to forging a Connect with Nature, we will see the ways your kindergartner can work towards the goal of Sustainable Development.
But first, a look at what Sustainability encompasses, in its entirety.
Explaining Sustainability to Kids: The Need of the Hour
When teaching sustainability to little children, it is vital to explain the concept in a simple way.
You can tell them that Sustainability is all about people making small changes each day of their lives, to help save our Planet Earth.
The one thing that children can learn from a most tender age, is garnering a sense of Empathy. When you tell them that they can actually be ‘Superheroes’ and help ‘Save the Planet’, you can rest assured you will get their ‘full’ attention.
Telling them that their actions will make a tangible difference in helping save all that Flora and Fauna they love so much, should do the trick succinctly well!
The Importance of Sustainable Development: The Significance of Introducing Sustainable Education to Kindergarten Children
By now, we are aware of the core reason behind the importance of Sustainability in this day and age. Presenting a closer look at The Importance of Sustainable Development, in helping save our environment.
The Interdependence Between Humans and the Environment
Yes, children might have an innate sense of caring for the environment, but do they know how vital it is to their existence?
To do: Explain to your children the importance of natural resources like Trees. When they learn that they provide the Oxygen we breathe and provide a Home for all those species of birds, insects and animals out there, they will see them in an altogether different light. Not forgetting to mention, the vital role they play in aiding Climate Control, via their absorbing those harmful Greenhouse Gases!
Tip: You can instill a sense of this Interdependence in children most effectively, by helping them forge a Connect with Nature. How can you do this? By getting them to play in the lap of Nature, as much as you can!
A boost to Responsible Behaviour
The key Importance of Sustainable Development, lies in getting even young children to act with a sense of Responsibility and Accountability.
To do: Get your kindergartner involved in things like Recycling, and taking care of the environment in general. That will get them to act Responsibly from a young age, and hold themselves Accountable towards taking care of the world they live in.
Awareness of Potential Future Changes
Let’s face it. No matter how hard we try to save our planet, there may come a time when our future might be impacted significantly by forces beyond our control.
To do: Helping children become aware of the real dangers of phenomena like Global Warming, will help them adapt better to the potentially dangerous situations that might come to unfold in their lifetimes. This will help them react better to these situations, and even find ways to adapt to these life changes.
Encouraging a Sustainable Lifestyle
This is probably the best outcome that will result, from children getting a Sustainable Education in their early years.
To do: Encourage your child all you can, to adopt a Sustainable Lifestyle. They will learn to do things like reduce their Ecological Footprint, and even eat Organic Food! Apart from making a positive contribution to the environment they live in, these lifestyle choices will also contribute significantly to their general sense of well-being.
Developing Sustainable Life Skills
As Sustainability has become a subject of keen focus in today’s times, the options for Careers in the field have blossomed!
To do: You want to encourage your child, to use those Sustainable Life Skills they have cultivated over time, to pursue a career in Sustainability! From opening their own Green Businesses, to joining Eco-Friendly Companies, they can use what they have learned to pursue Sustainable Careers.
Tips to Impart Sustainability Education to Kindergarten Children
You are probably inspired yourself by now, to help save our precious environment, right? Join your little one in protecting our planet, with these invaluable Sustainability Tips!
- Learning through Play.
- Reading Books about the Environment.
- Let them come Grocery Shopping with you.
- Plant a Tree!
It’s no wonder, that children learn best by indulging in what they love to do most of all: Play! Make that activity of Sorting Waste, into something like a Game, telling them to segregate it into Recycle, Trash and Compost Bins. That will help drill the concept of Sustainability, deep into their impressionable minds.
Having a tough time explaining things like Climate Change and Waste Management to your child? Leave it to the experts! Get them to read books that speak of Sustainability, in the most child-friendly and effective way!
When they accompany you to the grocery store, they will be able to learn a lot about Sustainability. For instance, you could get them to pick out only products, that are Eco-Friendly and Organic.
This might even imply planting bean sprouts in their lunch boxes, but it’s well worth it! When they foster that Connect with Nature, they will be all the more inspired to help protect it.
At EuroKids we are all for Sustainable Living. We believe that it’s crucial to start children early, where it comes to learning things like Recycling and Reducing Waste. Over time, their Sustainable Actions will go a long way in helping aid the Environment.
