5 activities to raise your child’s environmental awareness

Nature is beautiful and generous, but also very fragile. No matter which plant you decide to observe, the growth process can be very educational. Your child will discover that flowers and trees are living beings that need water, light, and nutrients—just like they do!
To make this activity more interactive, your child can do the following:

• Make predictions (e.g., estimate the number of days it will take for a leaf to appear)
• See if their assumptions were correct
• Do online research to learn more about the life cycle of plants
• Record their observations in a notebook
• Draw or take daily pictures of the plant
• Etc.

While running is great for your health, plogging (or eco running) is good for the planet! On your next family outing, go for a walk or jog with your kids and bring bags to pick up any litter you come across. Back home, you can do the following:

• Sort and properly dispose of the waste (e.g., in the recycling or compost bin)
• Research how long it takes for an object to biodegrade
• Come up with different ways to raise environmental awareness in your neighbourhood (e.g., set up an information kiosk in the alley)
• Etc.

Ah, the clouds! They form such beautiful cottony shapes in the sky. Most children enjoy watching them. Take advantage of this natural attraction to organize a great cloud hunt! Armed with a camera or paper and pencils, each family member must try to capture an image of the most beautiful cloud. At the end of the day, you can compare pictures and do the following:

• Choose the winning cloud and have everyone say why they like it
• Identify the types of clouds (e.g., cirrocumulus, cirrus)
• Imagine what would happen to the Earth if clouds were to disappear
• Make a collage with all your drawings and photos
• Determine the wind direction by observing cloud movements
• Etc.

Dandelions are beautiful, bright yellow flowers that young children enjoy picking for their parents. Unfortunately, they’re not as popular with adults, who often view them as weeds. In reality, dandelions are important melliferous plants, meaning bees collect their nectar. You can restore their reputation with the following activities:

• Let your dandelions grow (in compliance with municipal bylaws)
• Serve dinner guests a salad made with dandelion leaves
• Do research with your child so they can explain to friends or siblings how these plants help the bee population
• Etc.

There are plenty of stories about people who’ve dedicated their lives to saving the planet, and others that celebrate nature’s beauty. You’re bound to find a book to inspire your child! After reading a story to your child, ask them questions to encourage deeper reflection:

• Can you tell me what this book is about?
• Has the story inspired you to change any of your habits?
• Can you name two things you learned?
• Etc.