Teaching toddlers and preschoolers about eco-friendly living can be fun and interesting with the appropriate activities. Eco-friendly parents can engage in a variety of toddler activities to teach toddlers about being green and earth-friendly. Here are five great “organic” toddler activities that are perfect for preschoolers to learn green living, naturally.
1. Visiting Safari Parks and Zoos to Learn about the Animal World
Parks and zoos can be the perfect learning ground for animal and plant life. This can be the ideal way to spend a day out, picnicking and observing animals and birds at their natural best. Central Park, for instance, has the Tisch Children’s Zoo that is home to peacocks, ducks, mini-goats, alpacas, and more. Toddlers can pet several animals, feed animals as well as observe them. The Dallas Zoo organizes several Preschool Programs and Kid Clubs for kids aged 15 months-5 years. These encourage hands-on learning, meeting animals and learning about Nature and animal life.
2. Discover the Joys of Gardening
Gardening is not only for adults. Kiddies can be encouraged to grow easy-to-manage vegetables or flowers. Discuss the plant being grown, let kids get messy with the earth and point out different veggies in the grocery store. Community gardens are a great way to start out. Find one in your area using the directory at American Community Gardening Association.
3. Earth-friendly Nature Walks and Craft Projects
Go on Nature Walks to collect flowers, leaves, fresh produce and pebbles to create fun craft projects that help children understand nature and its dynamics. Use root vegetables to make paint stamps, reuse glass jars to showcase and display leaves and stones or press fallen leaves and flowers between books and use them to decorate cards and notepaper. You can find some great eco-friendly activities in books like, Nature’s Art Box which are filled with craft and project ideas.
4. Outdoor Play Teach Kids About Nature
Spending time out in the open is the easiest and cheapest way of teaching kids about nature. Whether you live in an apartment or in the suburbs, make it a point to head out to the park, a playground or even, your lawn. Simple things like looking at the clouds can be turned into an interesting yet simple discussion on how rain is made or finding a butterfly can lead to learning about its lifecycle.
5. Doing Mom and Baby Yoga and Exercises Outdoors
Baby yoga and exercise can be a great way to bond with your toddler and also, have some good fun out in the open. Spending time looking at trees or plants and breathing in the fresh air in the mornings is refreshing and energizing for both you and your little one. Helen Garabedian shares some great mom and baby yoga tips in her book Itsy Bitsy Yoga and Little Yoga by Rebecca Whitford and Martina Selway is also wonderful for introducing yoga asanas to your toddler. If yoga is not what you’d enjoy, you can consider mom and baby workouts like the Stroller Strides programs designed by Lisa Druxman.
Fun and almost free and “organic” toddler activities like these are great for bonding with your preschooler while learning about leading a green and earth-friendly life. Make them a part of everyday life along with other activities like sorting out recyclables, reusing sheets of paper for coloring and painting and even, singing songs that encourage green living. If you’re looking for more ways to engage and entertain your toddler easily, do read Four Fun Toddler Activities to Boost and Develop Creativity as well as Fun Activities for Summer Days.
Photo Credit: Abigail Batchelder