If you’re looking to raise an eco-conscious child, there is no better time than to start them young. Children are like sponges and absorb every single detail about the world around them. We can support them by role models, giving them hands-on experiences on how to be eco-conscious every single day, and starting the conversation about climate change early. In this blog post, we talk about 5 easy ways on how you can raise an eco-conscious child.
#1: Go Outside Everyday
Spending time outdoors and particularly, in a forest can help build a connection with Mother Nature from a young age. As they grow, they’ll learn to be curious about the forest and how nature works like why mushrooms and moss grow or what the rings in tree trunks mean. This connection may motivate them to protect the earth and its valuable resources.
#2: Visit a Farmer’s Market
A farmer’s market is a great way to meet local farmers and gives you and your child a chance to ask questions about their farming practices. Buying from a farmer's market allows your family to eat fresh produce and meats that didn’t need to be trucked hundreds of kilometers to get to the market and then to you. You can also bring your own bags to the farmer’s market to avoid purchasing new ones. This helps model “reuse” of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle).
#3: Choose Eco-Conscious Products
The products you choose in your home will tell your child what you care about as a family. If you choose to buy products from companies that put sustainability first, you’ll tell your child that this is an important choice to make.
At Nest Designs, it’s important to us that we treat your babies the same as we do with our own. That’s why we choose materials that meet certifications like ECO-CERT which verifies that their producers uses environmentally friendly practices. Our fabrics like bamboo, GOTS-certified organic cotton, Avocado, and Sorona®️ Eco-Efficient Performance Fiber are just some of the sustainable choices we’ve made as a company to use in our products. We've also made an effort to be eco-conscious with our packaging by using EcoPure to package each item individually and using cardboard.
#4: Read Books and Listen to Music About the Environment
Reading books about the environment can be the start of conversations, get them curious about nature, and help them solidify the idea of helping Mother Nature. Some of the books we love for little ones include:
- The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
- I Can Save the Ocean! by Alison Inches
- Baby Loves Green Energy by Ruth Spiro
- Nerdy Babies Ocean by Emmy Kastner
- This is Our World: A Story about Taking Care of the Earth by Emily Sollinger
- Indestructibles: Let's Go Outside! by Amy Pixton
- Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson
- The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
Babies love music and it is a great way for them to learn language. Some Earth-loving songs include:
- One Seed by Laurie Berkner
- The Curious Garden by Emily Arrow
- A Beautiful, Beautiful World by StoryBots
- Earth is Our Home by Mother Goose Club
- Clean Up Trash Song by CoCoMelon
- The Earth Song by Blippi
#5: Teach Your Kids About How Plants Grow
Growing plants can be something you start at a young age that you’re comfortable with. At an early age, you can get your child to water the plants around the home and take care of them by dusting them off. As they get older, you can plant a seed in a cup and watch it grow. You can also sprout microgreens or you can grow sprouts in a jar. Growing sprouts takes only a few days and your child will be able to eat what they grew.
It is important for us as a collective to protect the Earth and its environment. By incorporating some of these simple ways we’ve mentioned, you can help raise a more eco-conscious child that will continue to make these choices as they grow older.