One of our green family favorite books is Todd Parr’s “
The Earth Book
,” which has simple images and green kid friendly language that makes caring for the Earth fun. Check it out from your library to be especially green. After reading a green book, suggest to your children that they choose one greener activity to add to the chores list. Rinsing the recycling while helping with dinner, turning off the water while brushing teeth, or bringing bags to the market are easy responsibilities for young children.
Start by choosing a green activity that is easy to incorporate into your normal daily routine. Since your green family has to shower every day anyway, try water saving as an easy achievable goal. Shorter showers will save some water and save some precious time in the morning rush. A kitchen timer with a loud ring is all you need to implement this greener family initiative.
We attend a weekly play group and have used that as an opportunity to spread a green message and practice a green lifestyle. We pack our snacks in washable containers rather than disposable bags. We also choose snacks that are fresh local foods or organically grown. We bring recycled and homemade toys to share. During clean-up, we sort our recyclables. This way, green living is normalized. It’s just part of our regular day.
When starting a new green initiative, find a way encourage your children’s input. For example, if you want to start celebrating Meatless Monday as part of a greener lifestyle, ask them to choose their favorite veggies for dinner. Look at pictures in a cook book or on a recipe website together. Older children may even want to help in the kitchen.
For more ways to grow greener kids, take the Quiz at
Going Green Today. Better yet, take the quiz with your children!
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