Together, let’s make a difference!

Up to a certain age children have a strong desire to help mom and dad do just about anything. When appropriate, get your kids involved in what you’re doing. Simple household tasks like recycling and using natural cleaning products are a great start. One task that kids of all ages will want to be involved in is helping out with the family garden. Seeing food on the plate that came from seeds they planted is a big thrill for a kid, as well as a great lesson in sustainability.

Recycling

Recycling is very important for our environment. Instead of sitting in a landfill or burning in an incinerator, trash can find a second life, conserving the Earth’s natural resources —like trees and water. Recycling also reduces the consumption of fossil fuels and prevents increased pollution.

The earlier good habits are ingrained, the easier it is to incorporate them into your daily life. 

Recycling is not hard, but it does need to be reinforced. By designating different roles to your kids, they can learn about the importance of recycling.

• Put them in charge of something, such as collecting all the aluminum.
• Make it a game when grocery shopping by having them find items with the least amount of packaging.
• Give them the job of making sure all unused electronics that use standby power are unplugged.
• Make sorting recycling items such as plastic bottles, papers and cans a part of family time.
• Encourage them to reuse things as much as possible.
• Have them turn off the water while brushing their teeth.
• Turn off switches before leaving the room.

These are just some of the ways you can teach your kids the importance of recycling and how they can contribute. Building these habits now will help them build a better future.

Make sure you check your local recycling rules. Not all local recycling programs work the same way. The city of Hoboken provides many resources to learn how to properly recycle: https://www.hobokennj.gov/resources/recycling

Kid love bedtime stories. And most adults can probably recall some of their favorite stories that were read to them when they were children. Books have a pretty big impact on children, which is why they’re filled with life lessons — from sharing and playing nice, to understanding emotions and being well-mannered. These days, there’s a nice selection of green-themed books that can help teach your kids stewardship and sustainability in a way they can easily understand. 

Baby Loves Green Energy

(Ages 0 – 3)

The latest addition to the Baby Loves Science series manages to present global warming in a way that even babies can understand: just like Baby, Earth has a blanket, and it’s made of air! When greenhouse gases get trapped beneath the blanket, Earth gets too warm. Luckily, there are green energy options and little things Baby’s family can do to help Earth stay at a comfy temperature.

Penguins Don’t Wear Sweaters

(Ages 2 – 5)

This one’s a kid-friendly look at the aftermath of an oil spill near a penguin habitat in Australia. Well-meaning humans knit sweaters for the penguins to protect them from the oil, but actually, a penguin’s own feathers — and clean, clear water — is the best solution for our tuxedoed friends.

Noah Builds an Ark

(Ages 3 – 7)

As the skies grow cloudy and Noah’s parents stormproof their townhouse, Noah turns his attention to all the creatures who make up his backyard’s ecosystem. Determined to help, Noah builds a cozy ark for his non-human neighbors to ride out the storm.

A New Green Day

(Ages 3 – 7)

An engaging and lyrical guessing game full of bright, mixed-media artwork, A New Green Day shows readers how to look at their outdoor surroundings in all-new ways. After solving the book’s riddles, they might even be inspired to create their own.

10 Things I Can Do to Help My World

(Ages 3 – 7)

This super child-friendly book has beautifully die-cut pages filled with ways that even young children can help the environment, from planting seeds to turning off the lights when they leave a room.

Bag in the Wind

(Ages 5 – 8)

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser’s first picture book is a beautiful story of a plastic bag that’s been thrown away, but is then blown into the wind and travels from person to person, all of whom find new uses for it.

Michael Recycle

(Ages 6 – 8)

This oversized book with rhyming text and a child superhero is perfect for reading aloud. The Earth-friendly superhero’s adventures continue in the Michael Recycle series.

Recycle and Remake

(Ages 6 – 9)

Recycle and Remake is full of creative activities to keep budding environmentalists busy. While they’re turning old T-shirts into a tote bags and upcycling bottles into planters, they’ll also learn about the bigger concerns we should all be thinking about — on Earth Day and every day — in order to restore and preserve our precious home planet.

For kids, especially younger ones, one key to teaching them anything is to make it fun. Children have a special affinity toward animals, and viewing the world through a furry or feathery lens might be a little more provocative for their young minds. Perhaps a showing of “March of the Penguins,” or “Planet Earth” might grab their attention better.

There are also many activities you can start with your children.

• Adopt a houseplant
• Plant a garden
• Explore the outdoors
• Sort waste together
• Be creative and craft new items
• Organize nature cleaning activities with friends
• Volunteer at a local organization