What are Fun & Engaging Ways to Teach Kids About the Environment at Home?
By Julie Diamond, Educator & Founder of Diamond Teachers Group
As both an educator and the owner of a tutoring company, I often hear from parents who are deeply concerned about the world their children are growing up in. Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and sustainability aren’t just global issues - they're part of everyday conversations in Canadian households. Whether it’s after a summer filled with wildfires or a winter marked by unusual weather patterns, many families are left wondering: How do I help my child understand what’s happening to our planet—and what they can do about it?
With Earth Day around the corner on April 22, it’s a great opportunity to turn concern into action and learning into empowerment. The good news? Teaching your child about the environment doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, with the right activities and mindset, it can be fun, engaging, and even hopeful.
Here are some ways you can teach environmental awareness at home in meaningful and age-appropriate ways:
🌿 1. Start with Questions and Curiosity
Children are naturally curious. Instead of leading with facts or fears, start with questions:
“Why do you think some animals are endangered?”
“What do you notice about the weather this spring?”
“Where do you think our garbage goes after we throw it away?”
These open-ended prompts can spark deep conversations and give you insight into what your child already knows or wonders about. It’s a great way to introduce environmental topics gently and at their level.
🧪 2. Turn Learning into Hands-On Science
Kids retain information best when they’re actively engaged. Try these simple, at-home science activities:
DIY Water Filter: Use sand, gravel, and charcoal to show how clean water is filtered.
Compost in a Jar: Fill a clear jar with layers of soil, fruit/veg scraps, and paper. Watch decomposition over time.
Plant Life Cycle: Grow beans in a clear cup with damp paper towels so kids can observe roots and shoots develop. Or try propagating a plant together and see it grow.
These experiments are great entry points into deeper topics like clean water access, food waste, and the importance of soil and ecosystems.
🍎 3. Explore Food Sustainability Together
Food is something kids interact with every day, making it a relatable and powerful topic.
Here’s how to teach sustainability through what’s on your plate:
Local vs. Imported: Have your child help find produce labels and locate the countries on a map. Talk about food miles and transportation.
Zero-Waste Lunches: Challenge your family to pack a zero-waste lunch using reusable containers, water bottles, and cloth napkins.
Grow Your Own: Plant herbs, lettuce, or tomatoes in a small windowsill garden or backyard. Kids take pride in eating something they’ve grown! You can connect this to math by having your child track growth, too.
🐞 4. Celebrate Biodiversity with Backyard Safaris
Kids learn best by experiencing nature firsthand. Head outside for a “backyard biodiversity” scavenger hunt:
Search for insects, bird species, or different types of plants.
Bring along a magnifying glass or notebook for sketching what they find.
Use a free app like Seek by iNaturalist to help identify flora and fauna together.
This helps kids appreciate the living world around them and understand the importance of protecting habitats and ecosystems starting with their own neighborhood.
🌎 5. Model Small, Powerful Changes
Kids take their cues from us. If we model eco-conscious choices, they learn to do the same. A few family-friendly practices include:
Waste Sorting: Get kids involved in separating recycling, compost, and garbage. Make it a game!
Meatless Mondays: If your family isn’t already a plant-based household, try a plant-based meal once a week and let your child help plan the menu.
Upcycling Projects: Turn old t-shirts or jeans into tote bags or jars into candle holders.
These simple habits show kids that they don’t need to be perfect to make a difference—they just need to start small and stay consistent.
💬 6. Talk About Eco-Anxiety—With Hope
Let’s be honest: kids today are hearing about a lot of big, scary things from wildfires to melting ice caps. Some may already be feeling eco-anxiety, even if they don’t have the words for it.
Here’s how to help:
Acknowledge their feelings without dismissing them.
Offer examples of positive change (e.g., endangered species making a comeback, youth-led movements, clean energy innovations).
Focus on action. Let them know their efforts (no matter how small) can ripple outward. Check out how online tutoring is one example of a way to reduce your carbon footprint.
At Diamond Teachers Group, we believe that education is not just about preparing for the future - it’s about empowering kids to shape it.
🧠 7. Tie It Into Literacy and Math
As an educator, I’m a big believer in integrating subjects. Use Earth Day to practice writing, reading, and math in meaningful ways:
Write letters to local leaders about an environmental issue your child cares about.
Graph your family’s plastic use over a week, then set reduction goals.
Read eco-themed books like The Lorax, One Plastic Bag, or We Are Water Protectors.
When kids see how these subjects connect to real-world issues, they become more engaged and motivated learners.
🌱 Let’s Learn and Grow Together
At Diamond Teachers Group, we’re proud to support families in nurturing bright, compassionate, and critical thinkers. If you’re looking for even more ways to help your child build real-world skills, check out our recent blog on Teaching Teens About Money Management because being eco-smart and financially smart often go hand-in-hand.