Taking Earth Day Beyond One Day

The world recently stopped and celebrated Earth Day on the 22nd April 2021. Perhaps, more then ever we have realised the delicate ecosystem of our world around us as we have more time then ever to appreciate the wonders of our natural world. This year I saw many posts and early years settings joining in the celebrations of earth day. From inspiring tuff trays, to sharing books, to recycling centres role-pay areas or a special litter pick in aid of Earth day.

I also saw the counterargument to this! Yes, we live in a world where people always must give a negative from where people said, children should not be burdened with the responsibility of these things. Or too they are too young to understand. However, I feel as a sector we need to talk to children about looking after our planet in an age-appropriate way. And these children are our future leaders, and I don’t think they are ever too young to start learning simple ways to look after their world.

It made me smile to see so many settings, celebrating earth day with their children. With so many potential ways that we can support an understanding for looking after our world. So here is the question, how can we take it beyond that one day a year?

At one setting I worked with we set up a little group that was run alongside a parent and we had a group of children that represented the setting and were our eco warriors. We took the opportunity to share ideas of how we can look after our planet and make plans together of what we wanted to do in the coming weeks. For example, the children always choose to go into town for a litter picking activity (we loved going litter picking!!!). Check out some more ideas below:

The 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

1.       Placing coloured bins in your preschool/nursery rooms – at one setting I worked at we used to have a coloured bin system. Green bins meant recycling and children could pop things such as cardboard, yogurt pots (cleaned) and paper inside. And a red bin that was for food waste that was compostable and a blue bin for waste that needed to go in the general rubbish bin. Obviously, depending on your county and how they collect recycled materials might impact on the bins you have, but this was an easy quick win. With lots of discussion opportunities of where to put their rubbish.

2.       Reuse yogurt pots and recycled materials to make instruments – Use recyclable materials to extend children’s learning. For example, using yogurt pots to make shakers for music time and cardboard boxes with elastic bands for mini guitars.

3.       Tuff tray sorting recycled materials – Set up a tuff tray that will help children to define the properties of materials and sort objects for play recycling bins. Great for when they are learning what can and cannot go in a recycling bin.

4.       Michael Recycle – I love this book. It is a fantastic book for introducing recycling to children in nursery, preschool, and reception.

5.       The journey of a plastic bottle – A more in-depth non-fiction book that talks about the processes a plastic bottle goes through to be made.

6.       Consider cutting down the amount of single used plastic you use – Perhaps a member of staff can become your settings ecowarrior and they can look at things such as how much one-use plastic you use as a setting and alternative product.

Becoming Litter Warriors

1.       Duffy’s Lucky Escape – A story book for young children that explores the dangers of plastic in the ocean to animals. Beautifully written and will make your children want to go and clear up their local area to look after the animals.

2.       Litter picking – Pop it in your diary to go for a litter picking trip in your local area. Or join in large community planned litter picks as a setting. Or be brave and be the organisation that organises the community litter pick!

3.       Plastic in the ocean awareness - Making posters or pictures with plastic that would be recycled to raise awareness of plastic in the ocean.

Reducing Energy

1.       George saves the world by lunch time – A lovely book that explores lots of simple easy little things you can do at home or in setting to save the world by lunchtime. One of my favourites.

2.       Switching off electrical items – Make sure that plugs and lights are turned of when they are not needed on.

3.       Pegging washing on the line with children – Pegging washing on the line will not only save lots of electricity from being wasted. By joining the children in they will be developing their fine motor skills pegging and in my experience doing everyday things with children like pegging washing on the washing line always leads to the very best conversations!