4 Easy Tasks For Young, Eco-Friendly Children

Raising an environmentally conscious family is easier than you may think. While there are plenty of tips for teaching kids to be eco-friendly, there are also plenty of chores that young children can pitch on to help you fight our climate crisis. If you’re a parent, you know that kids love directions and love helping out. Sure, they might complain initially, but the confidence that comes with learning new tasks, the feeling of being part of a family and community that cares, and the joy of saving the planet are all payoffs for them in the end. Let’s take a look at some everyday household chores that your children can help with while helping the environment at the same time. 

Hanging Laundry 

If you and your family haven’t invested in a clothesline, it’s a cheap and easy way to make a significant impact on how much energy your household uses. Sure, your child may need the aid of a small ladder to reach the line depending on their height, but getting them involved in the hanging of clothing is an easy way to get them on board. A collapsible hanging rack will work if you don’t have a yard to erect a clothesline. Make sure you’re using eco-friendly cleaning products to wash your clothing with as well. Some of you may be old enough to remember your parents or grandparents hanging clothing outside to dry in the sun, so the use of wooden clothespins will be nostalgic for you and a new memory to create with your little ones. 

Cleaning Out Receptacles 

Did you know that less than nine percent of the plastic we toss in the recycling even ends up being recycled? Most of our plastic waste ends up being shipped overseas or thrown in landfills, so getting your kids on board with making sure things are reuseable is paramount. When you or your family are finished with an item, whether it’s plastic or glass, get your children involved with cleaning out the empty jars or containers and making sure they’re suitable for recycling. To save on water, clean them out with a reusable rag initially and then use a small bowl of water to dip the rag in to remove the remaining contents of the product. 

Get Crafty! 

All children love creating art, and it’s a great way to spend time with your kids, talking and connecting. Not everything needs to be tossed into recycling when you’re finished with the product it contains. Repurpose empty fruit jars into jewelry containers by painting them or bedazzling them with your children. Socks with holes? If they need a simple repair to continue to be used, go for it – or turn it into a sock puppet! Get creative with your kiddos! Ask them what they think something could be turned into. Your options are virtually limitless regarding the crafts you can make, repurposing old items. 

Volunteering 

If we’re all being honest, we could do a lot more volunteering in our lives. Many people only volunteer during the holiday season – to the point that nonprofits turn volunteers away during that time because they don’t need any help. Instead, make a point to volunteer as a family for organizations that help the environment throughout the year. Great ideas are helping to clean up litter, working with clean water organizations or tree foundations. Getting your kids involved with organizations that support your community on a local level is a great way to instill not only a love of society but a love for the environment too. Plus, when kids are working on a local level, they get to enjoy the direct impact of their help and instantly see the beautification of the world around them. 

We all know we’re facing a significant crisis, and we’re at a pivotal moment in time as far as the world is concerned. Our children shouldn’t have to pay for the choices of our generation or the generations before us. Making sure we get them involved with fun activities that impact them from an early age is one way to ensure that the world is enjoyable for them and their children. Here’s to our future!