Teaching Children to Love the Earth

April 2008

April 22nd is Earth Day! This month, Nurse Rona Renner, host of the radio show Childhood Matters and the parenting expert for the Bay Area Discovery Museum, suggests ways to teach your kids about the wonder of nature.

Q. I worry that my kids don’t have enough outdoor time.  How do I detach them from the television and get them to go outside?

A. For many reasons – parental stress, community violence, societal fear -- too many children spend most of their after school hours indoors watching TV or playing video games.  By living in this “virtual world,” they end up  missing out on the gifts of exploring the real world around them. In order for kids to learn about the wonders of nature and the needs of our planet, they must spend time outdoors.  Fortunately, there are many fun and easy things you can do as a family to encourage your children to love and care for the earth:

            • Take walks in nature: Take your kids on a walk in your neighborhood to find colorful leaves or to the beach to collect seashells.

            • Grow a garden: Even apartment dwellers can grow herbs on a windowsill or tomatoes on the porch. Caring for plants teaches kids about the sun, water, and even bugs and worms. Encourage them to plant seeds and dig in the dirt; getting messy can be a real education!

            • Make a birdfeeder: Smear a large pinecone with peanut butter and hang it on a nearby tree.  Or if you’re not “crafty”, buy a birdfeeder at your local pet store.  Everyone will enjoy hearing the birds sing and watching them fly.

            • Read about nature: Check out books from the library about local plants and animal life. There are also wonderful videos about animals in the wild (you may want to view them first to be sure they’re not too scary for little ones).

            • Recycle and reuse: Even young children can learn the importance of reusing and recycling. Have bins easily available for kids to use, and if you can, take them to see how trash is turned into useful products. Buy cloth bags for your groceries, and ask your children to remind you to bring them to the store.

            • Turn off the lights: Explain hat conserving electricity is healthy for the planet.  Appoint your kids “light monitors” and give them the job of going around the house and shutting off lights that are not being used.

It’s up to all of us to love and respect the earth.  Don’t forget to be a good role model. If you show enthusiasm and respect for nature, your children will learn to be better guardians of our planet.

Rona Renner, RN, hosts the parenting radio show Childhood Matters, every Sunday from 9-10 AM on 98.1 KISS-FM. Have a question about parenting? Email asknurserona@badm.org