Kids may be young, kids may be small, but kids are also powerful forces of nature who can contribute and impact the environment for the better! This Earth Day, observed April 22, take time to teach your children how their actions at home can help save the planet.

There are lots of easy ways to empower your little ones and to teach about our responsibility to the Earth.

5 Ways to Make Young Kids More Environmentally Aware

1. Assign a “Light Monitor”

 Little kids love to be put in charge of stuff. Make your young child the “light monitor” of the household. The light monitor’s important job is to make sure that all unused light fixtures in the house are switched off, saving energy and money.

2. Make recycling a sorting game with your kids.

When children learn to sort, they are actually learning an important math skill. Sorting teaches kids about sizes, shapes, similarities and differences. Turn recycling into a brain-building game by setting aside all your recyclable materials. At a designated time each day, have your young children sort them into the correct recycling receptacle.

For kids who aren’t reading yet, take photos or have them draw pictures of what types of material go in each container. Get children in the habit of recycling early while also giving their developing minds a workout!

Learn how to further empower your kids! Take our Online Parenting Course!

3. Turn off the water when brushing teeth.

We hear this one all the time, but it bears repeating. Save up to 8 gallons of water a day per person simply by turning off the tap while you and your kids brush your teeth in the morning and at night! (Think about the savings on your next water bill.)

To help young kids grasp the importance of water conservation, talk to them about the importance of water in their lives. Have them think of all the ways they use clean water every day, like for drinking, cooking, and bathing. If they understand the connections, they will be more likely to remember to turn that faucet off while they brush their teeth.

4. Plant something as a Family.

In Parenthood, there’s probably no better way to demonstrate the wonder of nature by having your child plant a seed and watching it grow. When a child is put in charge of watering and overseeing the welfare of a newly-sprouted plant, you teach responsibility which can blossom into living an environmentally responsible adult life.

Lima beans are pretty fool-proof seeds and can be grown in any small container with a little potting soil. If you are feeling more ambitious, try planting flower seeds in the front yard or fruit/vegetable-bearing plants in the backyard. Your family can enjoy an organic, homegrown harvest your child can be proud of.

5. Go play outside.

Parents: It’s hardly a struggle to get kids to go play outside—they love to do it! When children are outside running around and breathing fresh air, they aren’t using electronics like the TV, video games, or computers. When we literally “unplug” our children’s play, we are conserving energy and restoring their connection with nature!

It Will Be Their World Tomorrow

It’s important for a family to work together to care for their environment. Fun, shared experiences will be remembered by a child as he or she grows into an adult. Talk to your kids often about the environment and its delicate balance. Let’s teach our kids early on that they can impact the Earth for the better, and have them start today.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” -Native American proverb.

by Pamela Layug Laney