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Raising conservation-minded kids

“Going green” can be a fun experience for the whole family

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Digging in the dirt and collecting rocks, bugs and worms are favorite childhood pastimes, but we often don’t realize how much our kids are learning as they get messy. Earth Day is this month and serves as a great reminder to be good stewards of the environment and teach this as a value to our kids.

While this is a novel idea, how do we practically show our kids the benefits of “going green?”

First of all, be intentional about disconnecting from technology, going outside and spending time with each other as a family, says Wendy Parrett, conservation education consultant for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Parrett says apps can help with the outdoor experience, and taking pictures of nature is always a fun activity, but, in general, minimize the use of technology while outside.

Noelle Morris, marketing and outreach director of the KC-based Bridging the Gap, says she and her husband implemented a “no electronics Sundays” rule with their two children about five years ago. To provide entertainment on these screen-free days, they go for hikes to reconnect with nature. In the process, they have explored parts of Kansas City they never realized existed.

For instance, they discovered they loved the scenery at Lake Perry, just outside of Lawrence, KS. Additionally, they wanted to teach their kids about their connectivity to water in an environmentally responsible way, so they purchased a sailboat to use as a way of enjoying the water at the lake.

“With our fast-paced world, it’s important to teach our kids at an early age to set aside some time to reconnect with nature, to discover how all life on earth is connected and how our daily behaviors impact the environment,” Morris says.

Wendy also suggests discovering and knowing your style as you go outdoors. Are you and your family more inclined to adventurous hiking or rock climbing? Or do you prefer a picnic, a shady spot under a tree and some rest and relaxation? Engage in the activities that suit your personality best.

Once your family gets outdoors, begin looking for ways to teach the basics of conservation.

“One of the best ways to encourage conservation and stewardship is to plant something, whether it be a garden or a tree, and watch something decompose,” says Jensen Adams, a Kansas City dad and environmental educator.

Adams says oak trees support a lot of fungi, and if you put a branch or limb from an oak tree in a shady spot, it will begin colonizing before long. As this happens, you can show your kids the whole life cycle of a plant.

Adams also suggests starting to teach such environmental basics in your own yard first. When a child is young, his sphere of influence and awareness is narrow and he is most familiar with his own yard.

Once a child begins to take ownership of the nature in his own yard, his sphere of influence widens and it’s time to begin teaching him about the environmental aspects of the city and the region in which he lives, Adams says. Then when a child reaches the teen years, you can begin helping him see how environmentalism plays into various careers.

Along the way, it’s important to teach concepts such as picking up litter, reusing, reducing and recycling. When doing this, remember to teach the value of reducing and reusing before recycling.

To this end, Stacia Pieroni and Natali Rodgers with the Kansas City Zoo suggest growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs. They said growing your own garden reduces food waste because the product is fresh and lasts longer once in the home. Additionally, consuming food from your own garden reduces your carbon footprint by eliminating transportation of food.

Planting something and watching it grow is often one of the first exposures a child has to taking care of something living, Adams says. This teaches the child to be gentle and nurturing, and these skills can grow with time. Parrett suggests making a bird feeder as another family activity that can bring more nature to your yard, and this gives children the opportunity to care for something living by feeding it.

Composting is another great way to minimize food waste and raise children’s awareness about the environment, waste reduction and the importance of bugs and worms in the ecosystem, Pieroni and Rodgers say. Additionally, children can observe the basic steps of the scientific process by watching decomposition.

Other ways to practice reduction that Pieroni and Rodgers suggest include reducing your use of single-use plastics by utilizing reusable bags and water bottles. And unplug charging devices when they are not in use as the charger is still drawing energy even if it isn’t in active use.

Consider other ways to reduce the amount of electricity you consume. Do you turn lights off when you leave a room? Also, begin considering your transportation. Is it possible for you to walk or ride your bikes to school or the library? How can you reduce your transportation footprint?

Shopping at thrift stores not only promotes reduction, but it also saves money. Adams says through his experiences thrift store shopping, his son is beginning to learn that things cost money and that we need to be good stewards with money.

If you would like to do a conservation activity with the whole family, Bridging the Gap offers various opportunities in the Kansas City area to volunteer with ecological restoration projects or at recycling centers.

Not only does getting outdoors teach kids principles about the environment, but in our tech-savvy society, it also helps them learn the value of finding simple entertainment and enjoyment in the world around them. This, in turn, can also produce many social, emotional and relational benefits in their lives.

Enjoying nature in KC

Kansas City is home to many places that help teach conservation and provide an opportunity to connect with nature.

Here are a few you might want to check out:

For complete info on these local nature centers and more, visit KC Going Places' Guide to Nature Centers.

Allison  Gibeson is a Lee’s Summit mom and writer who loves going on hikes to explore nature with her husband and son.

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