Help Children Go Green

It's never too early to start teaching your children how to help the environment. Young children love feeling as if they are helping and doing something important. Use this to your advantage when teaching them about going green. Here are some easy ways for children to go green.

*Tip One to Help Children Go Green

Make separating different materials into recyclable containers fun for children. Give them their own little containers, and tell them if they remember to separate everything correctly, they'll get a prize at the end of the week.

By keeping their container separate from the household recycling container, you can check their progress more easily. You can also spot any paper left on plastic bottles, or other such problems, and fix them.

Make the prizes worth their while and this is a great way to get your child started on the recycling bandwagon.

*Tip Two for Helping Children Go Green

Teach your child the value of keeping nature clean. A great way to enjoy nature with your child is going on hikes. To make this a learning experience, always take a small trash bag along and have your child pick up any garbage left on the trail. You can't go much greener than cleaning up a hiking trail!

*Tip Three to Help Children Go Green

Teach your child to take showers early in life instead of baths. A short shower will get them just as clean and use less water. Get in the shower with them a few times and make it fun while you teach them how to do the faucet and everything. Explain why you want them to take showers. Going green has to be explained to children. The reasons for the changes they are making should be clear so they can look for other ways to help on their own.

*Tip Four for Helping Children Go Green

Have your child use old plastic grocery sacks as trash bags in bathrooms, and as litterbags when cleaning the cat box. These are two ways to reuse the plastic bags. Paper bags can be used as wrapping paper for gifts and schoolbooks. Teach your child to reuse as many resources as possible.

*Tip Five to Help Children Go Green

Go through your child's old clothes with them and show them how to recycle the material. Some great ways to recycle old clothes are by making pillow covers and curtains. Teaching your child to do this will serve two purposes...recycling benefits and learning to sew.

You can also explain to your child that taking old clothes to a thrift shop is another way to recycle them, because another person will use the clothes therefore extending their worth and keeping them out of the landfill.

These are some simple ways to help your child go green. I'm sure you can think of others. Start now and your child will grow up with an understanding of the need for recycling and helping the environment.