Teaching Children about Nature
Teaching Children about nature in their everyday lives is the first step in an environmental education. That means getting children outside into the world to experience it firsthand rather than through TVs, computers or YouTube. Teaching Children about Nature has to start at home through simple kind gestures such as:
1. Recycling.
2. Growing a garden.
3. Using natural cleaners.
4. Spending more time outside.
· Picnics.
· Nature walks. · Backyard Nature Hunt for little adventures. · Collecting natural objects.
5. Through song.Save the EarthJack Hartman
Chorus: Save the Earth Save the Earth Save the Earth Let’s all work together The trees are the home of the little birds Fly, fly, fly all the little birds The trees are the home of the little birds Let’s take care of the trees The sea is the home of the giant whales Swim, swim, swim all the giant whales The sea is the home of the giant whales Let’s take care of the sea Chorus The woods are the home of the baby bunnies Hop, hop, hop all the baby bunnies The woods are the home of the baby bunnies Let’s take care of the woods The swamp is the home of the alligator Chomp, chomp, chomp goes the alligator The swamp is the home of the alligator Let’s take care of the swamp
6. Teach the concept of “less is more.”Teach appreciation by decluttering your home, which will make life easier and more enjoyable. Modern Betty's Natural Cleaning Tips
7. Read Books!A couple of great choices are: · The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
· If the World were a Village by David Smith
8. Demonstrate respect.Do something kind. Make it a goal for you and your child to do something kind for someone at least once a month. Give your children choices and help them decide what they want to do. 
· It may be taking used clothing to a shelter, selling lemonade on the corner and giving those proceeds to an organization that helps children, or going to your local shelter to serve a meal to the homeless. 9. Be kind to animals
10. Camping
Children experience the natural environment differently than adults do because nature isn’t a background for events but an experiential component of their activities. Nature is a complete sensory experience: · Teaching children about nature requires: Touch, Sight, Smell, Taste, and Hearing which need to be present so it can become part of their world of imagination and wonder.
Respect for Nature has to start at home. We have to teach our children about nature to be more environmentally responsible by watching what we do. We have to change our ways first in order for natural habits to be created and normalized.
Teach children where products come from and the impacts they have: The The Human Footprint Video is an effective tool in doing this:
Teaching children about Media and Consumerism
Simple living is a life focused on nonmaterial aspects of existence · Family · Friends · Nature · Social Service
In other words the things that most of us value the highest.
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