sustainability

GOOD FOR NATURE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Teaching Sustainability to the Next Generation: Eco-Friendly Activities for Kids
- May 3, 2023
Teaching our kids about the importance of taking care of our planet is one of the most important things we can do as parents. It may sound overwhelming or intimidating, but there are lots of easy and simple ways to get kids involved in sustainability actions and thinking about our planet. Today, Army vet, RN, and Florida mom of two, Lea Reynolds is here to show parents how easy it can be to lead by example by making eco-conscious choices. She’s included great advice on how to get kids involved in the process, as well as 60+ eco-friendly actions for kids and fun ways to get kids excited about sustainability.

Every day is Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd that aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote actions that help protect the planet. Earth Day is the largest secular holiday in the world, with more than 500 million people taking part in 174 countries around the world.

While Earth Day can provide an opportunity for people to learn about the causes and impacts of climate change, it’s not the only day to take action to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices. Action needs to start with us and with teaching/showing the next generation how to protect the world they will grow up in.

We strongly belive that our incredible planet should be celebrated every day – not just one day a year. We hope this post will encourage you to choose to honor, protect, and preserve our planet throughout the year with your actions and teachings. We’ll show you how!

Photo credit: @dimples.and.the.blonde

Get children involved in the process

Kids naturally want to be involved in the things we (their parents) are passionate about. Give your kids the opportunity to participate in your eco-friendly actions and help make decisions on sustainable changes for your home and life. Getting your child on board from an early age teaches them so many valuable lessons and makes eco-conscious decision-making second nature.

It’s never too early to start talking about sustainability with your children. Adults don’t give kids enough credit – they understand more than we often realize. When your child is stuck in a cycle of “I want,” it’s much easier to transition out of it when they realize the impact all those “wants” have on our planet. The more time we spend discussing how our actions can impact the world around us, the more our children will learn. Then we’ll have a whole generation of environmental thinkers and activists coming up after us…how wonderful would that be?!

Sustainability activities for kids

There are many ways to get involved in taking care of our planet; whether it’s by participating in local events, volunteering for environmental organizations, or making lifestyle changes that promote sustainability. No matter how you choose to be more sustainable and eco-conscious, we hope you’ll involve your children and teach them about each of our individual responsibility to care for our planet.

Below, we’ve included a huge list of 60+ eco-friendly sustainability activities that you can do with your kids to make an impact. These are great hands-on activities that will help your child connect to the planet and teach them about the importance of sustainability from an early age. But, before we get to the list, there are a few action items that I want to talk about in a bit more detail: picking up trash, the 3 R’s, gardening, Junior Ranger programs, shopping small/local, and getting outside. Each of these things can have a huge impact on our planet and are easy to incorporate into our daily lives.

Clean up trash when you’re out and about

Encouraging kids to pick up trash in nature is a great way to teach them about the importance of protecting the environment and its inhabitants. When plastic, glass, and other types of litter are left on the beach, in a river, or anywhere outside, they can harm local creatures, such as turtles, fish, and birds, who can mistake it for food or get tangled up in it.

It is important to help kids understand the WHY behind what you’re doing. Why do people litter, and why is it important for us to clean it up? Talk them through scenarios and what the consequences of our actions (good and bad ones) are. For example, my son found this plastic bag on the beach. We discussed that a sea turtle could easily mistake this for a jellyfish, and he immediately sprang into action. He realized we needed to throw it away so the turtle wouldn’t get hurt. When children understand the why, they make it second nature to help, and they learn to teach others.

We hope you’ll add a clean-up bag to your adventure gear, so you can clean up trash anytime you’re out enjoying nature. This is an easy way to incorporate sustainability actions into your everyday activities. If you want to get more involved in an organized effort, research cleanups hosted by local organizations in your area and sign your family up to participate. By engaging in such activities, it instills a sense of community, responsibility, and stewardship in kids, encouraging them to take care of the planet and its natural resources.

*Adult supervision is always recommended so kids do not pick up anything dangerous.

Practice the three R’s at home

Teaching kids about sustainable living is crucial for building a sustainable future. One way to do this is by incorporating environmental education into their daily lives. By now, most people have heard of those three Rs…reduce, reuse and recycle. While it’s a catchy phrase and sounds amazing as an environmental campaign, we’ve relied too heavily on the recycling part, which is not the answer to our trash problems. We need to spend a bit more time also reducing our consumption and reusing what we already have.

Reducing your consumption of consumer items is the very best way to reduce the amount of trash your family sends to a landfill. We cannot recycle our way out of excessive consumerism – we need to buy less stuff. Before purchasing something new, stop and ask yourself these questions: (1) Do I really need this? (2) Do I already own something that can be used in this item’s place? (3) Is purchasing this item worth the environmental costs of resources, production, shipping, and landfill space once it’s been discarded?

Reusing what you already have is the most eco-friendly option of all! And it’s budget-friendly. If you want to put the concept of reusing (or repurposing) items to good use, you might have to get creative! Before tossing something in the trash, think to yourself, “Is there another way I can use this item?” Not only does repurposing mean we get to reduce our waste, but we also find ways to be creative, active, and involved. Kids are super creative and great at coming up with new ideas and ways to use things! Be sure to get them involved.

Photo credit: @sara_mccartyPhoto credit: @meghangarriott

Gardening

Gardening is another excellent way to teach kids about sustainable living, as it can help them learn about how plants grow and how to care for the environment. By starting and growing a garden, you can teach children about the natural world and where their food comes from. Kids can learn how to plant and care for seeds, how to compost and recycle, and how to use natural methods to control pests and diseases. Gardening is a fun way to help children develop a sense of responsibility and pride in their accomplishments as they watch their plants grow and thrive.

Growing their own food can also inspire children to try new vegetables and fruits, which can lead to healthier eating habits. By teaching kids to grow their own food, we can help them develop important life skills and instill a sense of respect and appreciation for the environment. Gardening can also help reduce food waste and cut down on food packaging waste and transportation costs.

Photo credit: Anna Stopińska-Lewucha

Earn a Junior Ranger badge

Get kids excited about nature at a national park. Visit a national park in your area with your child. Many have activity books to follow while you explore. The Junior Ranger program is a great way to get kids involved in protecting and preserving local parks and natural areas. By participating in this program, kids can learn about the history, wildlife, and ecology of their local park or reserve and engage in fun, educational activities that help them develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

The Junior Ranger program offers a wide range of unique and location-specific activities, from guided hikes and wildlife observation to ranger-led talks and interactive exhibits. Through these activities, kids can gain a sense of connection and responsibility to their local environment and learn about the importance of conservation and sustainability. The Junior Ranger program is a fun and educational way to get kids involved in environmental stewardship and instill a lifelong love of nature.

Photo credit: @roaminggonzalez

Shop small and local

When you shop at small, locally owned businesses, you’re not only making an eco-friendly decision, but one that’s great for your local community. When you purchase at small locally-owned businesses rather than nationally owned, more money is kept in your community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses, service providers, and farms. Purchasing local helps grow other businesses as well as the local tax base.

Small local businesses usually set up shop in the town center, providing a centralized variety that is much friendlier to a community’s walk score than out-of-town shopping malls. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.

Teach kids about supporting small businesses. Shop local. Here in Florida, we have kids’ business groups that promote kids with small businesses, such as lemonade stands, and craft stands. It instills responsibility and a sense of pride. This helps to protect the Earth from mass-produced materials and aims to keep our landfills free of trash and waste.

We have recently started a small business that focuses on small batches of beach attire for the whole family. Our son loves helping us design and create our products!

Get outside

Perhaps the single most important thing you can do to make your child aware of the environment and want to protect it is to spend time in it with them. Show them the beauty of our planet and let them learn to love it on their own. Parents can also take their kids to parks, nature reserves, botanical gardens, arboretums, zoos, and other outdoor areas to teach them about the importance of protecting and preserving natural habitats and wildlife.

Need ideas on how to get outside or what to do…check out the rest of our website and sign up to get on our weekly newsletter, which is filled with outdoor activities and ideas!

60+ eco-friendly activities for kids
1. Pick up trash at a local park (or on a trail, or in your neighborhood, etc.)
2. Set up a scrap paper reusing station in your home
3. Use a cloth bag at the grocery store
4. Set up a bird feeder (or make a DIY eco-friendly bird feeder)
5. Go for a family bike ride
6. Play in the water (lake, creek, beach, stream, etc.)
7. Start a compost bin (and compost something!)
8. Use a reusable water bottle
9. Start a nature journal (or add to an existing nature journal)
10. Make sculptures, art, or robots using items in your recycling bin
11. Plant something (e.g. garden, flowers, vegetables, tree, herbs, etc.)
12. Identify a new plant or animal (we love the Seek by iNaturalist app)
13. Watch a nature documentary
14. Check out books from your local library
15. Make your own DIY herbal cleaner
16. Attend a local Earth Day festival in your area
17. Go on a nature scavenger hunt
18. Use a magnifying glass or pocket microscope to view nature close-up
19. Go barefoot in the grass
20. Create a mandala using items found in nature
21. Donate unused seeds to a seed library
22. Go screen-free for the day
23. Wildflower bomb your yard
24. Enjoy a meal outside!
25. Visit a little free library (and leave a few books for others)
26. Donate gently used clothes/toys/books to charity
27. Make a terrarium
28. Visit a local farmer’s market
29. Recycle something
30. Go for a hike (or even just a walk around your neighborhood)
31. Forage violets for color-changing syrup
32. Make nature crowns (from leaves, flowers, shells, etc.)
33. Build a fort in the woods
34. Read an educational book about our planet, nature, or wildlife
35. Make seed paper cards
36. Build an insect hotel
37. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth
38. Swap out plastic containers for paper products
39. Repurpose something you were going to throw away
40. Shop local & small businesses
41. Visit a national park and earn a Junior Ranger badge
42. Eat a meatless meal
43. Watch the sunset
44. Turn off all lights in your home
45. Do a nature-inspired STEAM activity
46. Unplug devices you’re not using
47. Make your own nature paintbrush
48. Build your own rain barrel
49. Purchase something second-hand (instead of new)
50. Switch out 5 lightbulbs for LED bulbs
51. Shorten your shower
52. Visit an arboretum or botanical garden
53. Carpool to an event/activity
54. Grow your own herbs
55. Reuse glass jars
56. Eat ice cream from a cone (no spoon or bowl to throw away)
57. Sign a petition online for climate change
58. Donate to an environmental cause
59. Write to your congressman about protecting the Earth
60. Go geocaching at a local park
61. Practice yoga outside with nature poses
62. Display your nature finds in your home
63. Use no single-purpose plastics all day
64. Volunteer
65. Visit a refill station for shampoo, soaps, etc.
Photo Credit: @tiny.adventures.often

Getting kids involved in protecting the planet

We know there is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to climate awareness, waste reduction, and recycling, amongst other environmental issues. Sustainability is a lifelong journey and one that we need to get our kids involved in. Sometimes the best way to start is, to begin with really small, manageable goals. One thing at a time. Take your time and continue your journey by making the next best choice.

While Earth Day is an important event that reminds us of our responsibility to protect the planet and preserve its natural resources for future generations, it’s not the ONLY time to take care of the Earth. By raising awareness about environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices daily, we can all play a role in creating a healthier, more sustainable world.

Let us take action today and every day to make a positive impact on our planet; it starts now, with us and with our children!

Additional resources

If you’d like some additional resources for learning about sustainability with kids and help with making small (but very important and impactful) eco-friendly changes in your house and life, check out the following:
What are your favorite sustainability activities to do with kids?

About the author

Lea is a mom of two adventurous kids and wife to her surfer husband Brandon. She is an Army veteran, Registered Nurse, photographer, and small business owner. Lea has lived in Hawaii, New Mexico, and now resides in Florida, where she and her family are enjoying endless ocean adventures. She has traveled to Costa Rica, South Korea, and many states across the US. Lea and her family love to surf, fish, hike, skate, and travel to new places. She is passionate about teaching her kids about nature and protecting our planet.

You can find Lea online in the following locations:
Instagram: @oceanmamalea
Website: Wild Stoke Fam
RWMC posts: Lea Reynolds
BOOKS, FALL, GOOD FOR NATURE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
World Kindness Day: 20+ Outdoor Acts of Kindness for Kids & Ways to Be Kind to Nature
- November 12, 2021
World Kindness Day is November 13 and we can’t think of a more deserving recipient of our kindness than our planet. Nature is all around us and benefits us in more ways than we can imagine. Our planet needs our help, protection and kindness. This weekend, we hope to inspire you to get outside with your kids and perform some of these outdoor acts of kindness and discover new ways to be kind to nature.

Celebrating World Kindness Day outside

World Kindness Day is right around the corner and what better way to inspire kindness than to take a moment and be kind to our planet. Each year on November 13th, people all over the world come together and give kindness to each other, themselves, and the world.

World Kindness Day was designed to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness for good. Kindness is a fundamental part of the human condition which bridges the divides of race, religion, politics, gender, and location.

This shared movement reminds us all that compassion really does bind us together on this planet. This year, we encourage you to reach out with acts of kindness to your families, neighborhoods, communities, and to our shared planet.

Photo credit: @kidsdelmundo

20+ kid-friendly ways to be kind to nature

Of course, we want you to be kind to everyone, but since we’re all about getting kids outside and into nature, today we’re going to share some ways that you and your kids can be kind to nature and our planet. If you are in need of a little inspiration and some ideas for ways you can be kind to nature, we’re sharing over 20 ideas to get you and your kids started. And the best part…you can do a lot of these acts of kindness outside!

1. Pick up trash

This is probably one of the easiest ways to get your kids involved in giving back to your community and nature. As you walk through your neighborhood and local parks, pick up the trash you see. Make a point to go out on a hike or walk with the sole intention of cleaning up. Kids love being helpful and it really is so beneficial to the maintenance of the natural areas we all love and enjoy. Plus, you’re setting an example of a lifelong love of their planet and instilling a personal responsibility to take care of nature.

2. Practice Leave No Trace principles

While out in nature, teach your kids Leave No Trace principles and practice them together. Unless you have specific permission to do otherwise, stay on the trail, leave nature treasures where you found them, don’t build rock cairns, don’t litter, and respect wildlife. Always leave a place better than you found it. Make sure that you also explain why you should (or should not) do things when you’re with your kids so they understand the implications of your actions and the reasoning behind them. Not sure where to start? Learn more about outdoor etiquette and manners for kids with this post.

3. Join a community cleanup

Bring your kids along and join in on a local community trash cleanup. These are almost always kid-friendly and event coordinators will be happy to find a child-safe area for you to help in the cleanup efforts. Kids love to be involved in adult projects and they are sure to be rewarded for their volunteer efforts with smiles and kind words by other adult volunteers. If you don’t have a community clean-up project in place, organize your own! Gather some friends and go out together to make a difference.

4. Plant a tree

Give back directly, by planting a native tree or shrub in your yard. Fall is a great time to plant trees. Visit a local nursery to get the best advice on which tree to plant and how to care for it. Let your kids be part of the process from beginning to end. Not only will kids love digging the hole and helping care for the tree, but they get to watch their tree grow for years.

Photo credit: @dimples.and.the.blonde

5. Plant a wildflower garden

The bees, butterflies, and other pollinators love native flowers. Planting (or planning if it is the wrong time of year) which flowers are beneficial to your local environment is one wonderful way to spread a little kindness to nature. Here’s a great post on planting a pollinator garden with lots of native plants and flowers.

Or, if you’re looking for a fun way to explore native wildflowers with your kids or make a fun homemade gift, you can create seed bombs with your kids (in paper or ball form): DIY Eco-friendly Plantable Seed Paper and How to Make DIY Wildflower Seed Bombs with Kids.

Photo credit: @c_l_allofus

6. Feed the birds

Winter can be rough on wildlife, especially birds. Spread some kindness by feeding the birds this fall and winter. It’s simple and even provides hours of entertainment. Make your own bird feeders and then watch the birds together. Gather some ideas on making bird feeders for your backyard birds with these two posts: Eco-friendly Bird Feeders to Make with Kids and Easy Bird Feeders to Make with Kids.

7. Compost

Anytime is a great time to dive into the world of composting and recycling your food waste scraps. Your kids will learn all about food waste, get to see how food breaks down, and less food waste ends up in the landfill. If you have space, you can create a composting station directly on the ground. If you don’t (or if you live in a city or neighborhood), this composting tumbler is a great option. When you start your compost project, make sure to include a few bins for little hands so the kids can help out, too! Mother Nature and your local landfill will gladly accept that kindness.

Photo credit: @robbs_rule

8. Start a wormery

Kids love worms! And so does the earth. If your kids are super into worms, we have a great project that will be fun and beneficial. Creating a wormery with kids is the perfect way to learn about food scraps and food waste with kids. Your kids will learn a ton, the worms will be well-fed, and keeping food waste out of trash helps our planet. It’s a win-win kindness activity for all.

9. Join a seed swap

If you garden every year, then you know that you never (or rarely) use all the seeds you buy! Or maybe you have varieties of plants that are wonderful and you save the seeds each year. Instead of tossing the extra seeds in the trash, donate your extra seeds to your local seed swap. Seed swaps are very educational and are a great way to teach kids the difference between plant hybrids and heirlooms. Heirloom seeds are often handed down through families and might hail from other parts of the world. Take your kids with you to the swap and let them help you find the perfect seeds to plant in your garden.

Photo credit: @kirsten_alice_photography

10. Join or start a community garden

Interested in gardening and don’t have the space or have no idea where to begin? Join a community garden! If one doesn’t exist, you could even start one. This is a great way to volunteer with your kids, learn about growing your own food, and even eat locally grown food.

11. Reduce your use of single-use plastics

Teach your children all about how single-use plastics end up in giant piles of trash and how cutting back (or eliminating) these types of plastics is beneficial to nature. Not only will your family be helping the Earth right now, but you are helping to teach the next generation a better way to care for our planet. Examples of single-use plastics are straws and plastic utensils, water bottles, baggies, single-use coffee pods, takeout containers, coffee cup lids, etc.

Learn more about how to dive into the topic of sustainability with your kids with this post: Garbage Collecting, Recycling, and Sustainability for Kids.

Photo credit: @okoshifarm

12. Volunteer with your kids

There are so many ways to be kind to nature and volunteering with your kids is one of the best. Your community likely has environmental groups, animal rescues, wildlife conservation groups, and other nature-focused organizations you can spend your time helping. If your kids are not enough to tag along, set an example by volunteering yourself and sharing your experiences with your kids. Learn more on how to volunteer with kids here.

13. Save water

The little efforts we put into our everyday activities really do add up. Teach your kids all the little ways they can reduce the amount of water they use each day. Water is a precious resource on our planet and learning how to conserve it is a kindness our Earth and everyone on it will appreciate. Some quick ideas for conserving water: turn off the water when you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, wash the dishes at least once a week by hand instead of using the dishwasher, and don’t water your lawn during the summer (or better yet replace your lawn with native plants or a wonderful garden).

14. Reduce electricity usage

As with water, reducing electricity usage is beneficial to our planet and kids can learn a lot of ways to do it. Easy ways include turning off the light when you leave a room, spending an hour each evening together in one room (or outside) with all the other lights and devices off, installing energy-efficient light bulbs, not standing with the refrigerator door open (keep warm air out), hang drying laundry, unplugging unused devices, and using natural light when possible.

Photo credit: @sage.and.summit

15. Shop at a farmer’s markets and u-pick farms

Shopping local and small is a wonderful way to spread kindness in your community and help out our planet too. When you buy food and other goodies from farmer’s markets or local farms, you are reducing the carbon footprint of the food you eat. Local food travels significantly less far from the farm to your plate. Plus, children get to interact with local farmers and food vendors, which spreads smiles and good cheer. Learn more about exploring farmer’s markets with kids here.

16. Raise and donate money to the local environmental group

Spending time raising money for a good cause is such a great way to spend time with your kids. Maybe you bake cookies and make hot chocolate together and sell them on your street corner. Rake leaves and donate the money. Host a yard sale. Maybe have your children come up with a goal and use social media to help them reach it. There are so many options out there and plenty of time to make it happen. After all, teaching and learning kindness through giving is a wonderful life lesson.

Photo credit: @jannaprange

17. Write a letter to elected officials

Get your children involved in politics and help them write letters to elected officials sharing their thoughts on ways to help our environment. Everyone likes to get mail, especially from kids, right?

18. Carpool

This time of year is incredibly busy with sports and school. Offer to carpool with another family to reduce car emissions. Not only will you be helping another family, but you are being kind to Mother Nature too.

Photo credit: @stacey.raising.boys

19. Ride your bikes

If you live close enough to school or community businesses and events, consider riding your bikes instead of taking the car. Talk to your kids about why you are opting for the bike lane and set an example by using your bike whenever you can. Biking or walking just one mile a day for a year could save 330 pounds of carbon dioxide—that’s the same as planting four trees and letting them grow for 10 years! This also helps kids be active, connect with their neighborhood and gain a sense of direction.

20. Use public transportation

Not all of us have this option, but you absolutely should give it a go if you can. Kids love riding buses, trams, subways, other public transportation options. This is especially true for little kids who require car seats in the car but get some freedom when taking public transit. Not only are you reducing emissions (for which nature thanks you), but you get to spend time with your family and give your kids an eco-friendly adventure.

21. Shop second-hand shops

There is so much clothing, toys, and other products sitting in trash dumps all over the world. Our consumer culture creates a ton of waste. Did you know that so many things you want and need can be bought second-hand? Instead of buying a bunch of new gifts for the holidays this year, buy some gently used items instead and encourage your children to do the same. Or when your children need new clothing or your family wants a new board game, puzzle, or book, go to a thrift store or used book store and see what you find. You are helping to reduce waste by reusing items and that is a kindness nature needs.

Photo credit: @jhennyloouuu

22. Use libraries and Little Free Libraries

Sharing is caring and what better way to spread kindness than through sharing books? Instead of buying new books, utilize libraries to find new-to-you books. Your local library is sure to carry the majority of books you could ever want to read and almost all of them have ways to request books they do not yet carry. Plus, Little Free Libraries are all over the place and are such a fun way to share books you are done with and grab new books too.

23. Help your kids organize a clothing and toy swap

So many of the toys we buy our kids and the clothing we wear are in great shape when we are done with them. This is especially true of children’s clothing because kids outgrow them so quickly. Your kids will love to spread kindness by helping you organize a clothing or toy swap between their friends and families. Maybe a school, your place of employment, or a local community organization would like to host or you have space in your garage or yard. It can be between friends or a whole community event. Get the kids involved with sorting and set up and then let them find some new-to-them items for all their hard work.

24. Organize a craft supply exchange

Similar to a clothing and toy swap, a craft supply exchange is a great way to be kind to nature and lets you re-distribute craft supplies you are no longer using. Your kids will love to help organize, sort, and find new craft supplies. Not only are these sorts of exchanges spreading kindness within your community, but Mother Nature will be happy the items were utilized instead of tossed in the trash.

Photo credit: @thespencersadventures

25. Set up a scrap paper station

So much paper gets thrown away that could still be put to good use. Be kind to nature by getting more use out of scrap paper. Instead of throwing out (or even recycling) perfectly good paper that’s only been used on one side, set up a scrap paper station in your home. Add all the worksheets and papers that come home with your kids from school. Add printed paper that you no longer need. If the paper has a blank side, you can still use it for lists, notes, drawing, coloring, and jotting down messages. It’ll give that paper a little extra life before going into the recycle bin.

26. Know what’s recyclable (and what’s not)

Knowing what can and cannot be recycled in your area is one of the smartest things you can do to ensure that you are diverting as much of your waste from landfills as possible, while avoiding recycling contamination through proper separation. Here are the different categories of waste. Some of these categories can be recycled and others cannot. (1) Organic waste: food waste, grass, leaves, eggshells, coffee grinds, tea bags. (2) Glass: white and colored glass. (3) Plastic/metal: plastic bottles, plastic packages, jars, cans. (4) Paper: cardboard, paper bags, paper cups, paper. (5) Toxic waste: printer ink, lightbulb, batteries, electronic waste. (6) Residue: whatever doesn’t fit the others, such as used diapers, animal waste.

27. Spend time outside

Yup, even just spending time outside as a family in all the green spaces is being kind to nature. The more time you spend outside learning about nature and being a part of it, the more you’ll learn to respect and appreciate it. Just make sure to leave the areas you enjoy better than you found it and Mother Nature will be happy.

Kindness and nature books for kids

If you want to help inspire your children to find ways to give back and be kind to nature on their own, reading them books about kindness and the ways our planet needs help is sure to set them on the right track. Here are just a few of the many wonderful books available to get you started.
- I Choose to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Elizabeth Estrada
- Kindness Grows by Britta Teckentrup
- Manu The Kiwi of Kindness by Rosie Chenault
- The Mess that We Made by Michelle Lord
- Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby
- One Earth by Eileen Spinelli
- Save the Ocean (Save the Earth) by Bethany Stahl
- You Can Change the World by Lucy Bell
- We Are the Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
How do you plan to be kind to nature with your kids?
ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, FAVORITE GEAR, GOOD FOR NATURE
Letters to the Earth: A Photography Challenge
- September 8, 2021
** This photography challenge is sponsored by and in collaboration with Vivobarefoot Kids. **

Letters to the Earth is a global campaign to raise awareness about climate change. We want to help bring your messages to life and share them with people around the world. We’re co-hosting a photography challenge with Vivobarefoot Kids to raise awareness for the Letters to the Earth campaign, as well as the climate crisis in general. All the info you need to be a part of this is below. We hope you’ll join us!

Image credit: @swissmountainlife

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”

Khalil Gibran

Image credit: @dimples.and.the.blonde

How the Letters to the Earth campaign began

In the early spring of 2019, a small group of women came together around a kitchen table to talk about the increasingly dire news of climate and ecological collapse. They were inspired to bring that news to the forefront of the public conversation and get people thinking and talking about the state of our planet.

In collaboration with Culture Declares Emergency, the British public was invited to put pen to paper and write a creative response to our planet regarding climate change. The invitation was open to interpretation and open to all. Within a month, thousands of letters poured in from all over the world – from 4-year-olds to great grandparents, artists, scientists, nurses. The Letters to the Earth campaign took off!

Now in 2021, Letters to the Earth continues to be a huge success, thanks to the efforts of the coordinators and the support of Climate 2025, a small team of educators, creatives, and publicists, and people like YOU with a voice and a passion for change.

Image credit: @kristcx

The power of a letter

Writing a letter to the Earth can be a simple and powerful way to deepen our connection with the natural world and the people we are sharing it with. Writing a letter is an opportunity to bring out all your fears, your frustrations, and your love, to process what is happening to the world, and to create something new and beautiful and powerful.

A letter can express your hopes or fears for the future. What future do you want for your children? What do you want to say to the government policymakers about their decisions for the Earth? How can you thank the Earth? What is your love letter to the Earth?

The letters that came in were powerful. They were beautiful and haunting, inspiring and heart-breaking. They expressed love, anger, gratitude, humor, awe, despair, and hope. And most importantly, they all send the message that it’s time for change.

Image credit: @sara_mccarty

How the Letters are used

In 2019, batches of Letters to the Earth were sent to over 50 venues and community spaces worldwide. They organized their own readings on a day of joint action. Some venues opened their doors free of charge to the public, others live-streamed and others took to the streets to read the letters aloud. High-profile readers alongside young people and local communities were involved in the presentation of these letters.

Musicians such as Yoko Ono, journalists such as Rebecca Solnit, and poets such as Kae Tempest contributed their words. Actors such as Andrew Scott, Paapa Essiedu, Alex Lawther, and Emma Thompson read letters at live events and on camera.

The campaign facilitated hundreds of cultural organizations and artists to Declare Climate & Ecological Emergency as part of Culture Declares Emergency; the first sector to ‘Declare’ globally.

This November at the next UN Climate Summit, decisions will be made that will determine the rest of our lives and the lives of generations to come. Now is the time to act to let our world leaders know that we need an answer to climate change and action now.

A select number of Letters to the Earth will be read at the Summit to showcase a diversity of voices and experiences so as to raise awareness of the climate and ecological emergency and stimulate the will to act.

Image credit: @wildstokefam

A letter in photo form

This year, we want to encourage and inspire you to take action and write your own letter to the Earth. A letter to the Earth can be written to or from anything – another species, a person, or a moment in time. It could be the Earth, the future, a person in a position of power, the sea, or an animal. You can submit your letters to http://www.letterstotheearth.com and add your voice to the campaign

And it doesn’t have to be a physical letter…how about a photo?

The Run Wild My Child community is filled with photographers, artists, storytellers, musicians, and creatives. We want to see (and share) your IMAGES inspired by this campaign. We hope that your photos will serve as a visual way to inspire others to write letters.

If a pen is mightier than the sword and if a picture is worth 1,000 words, just think of how powerful your image will be.

Together we can encourage even more participants to write their own letter and tell their story.

Feature image credit: @usalongtheway

Image credit: @meghavelaarphoto

Letters to the Earth photography challenge

We are so excited to be pairing up with Vivobarefoot Kids to host a Letters to the Earth photography challenge on Instagram.

Starting today, September 8, 2021, we will be featuring your images representing your interpretation of a Letter to the Earth. All you need to do is post a photo that visually shows your message to our planet. You can be as creative as you want! We only ask that your kids be wearing Vivobarefoot shoes or be BAREFOOT in the images.

In order to participate in the challenge (with a chance to win prizes listed below), all you have to do is:
1. Post your image to Instagram
2. Be sure you’re following and tag@vivobarefoot.kids, @runwildmychild and @letterstotheearth_
3. Use the hashtags #letterstotheearth and #barefootletters
That’s it! We will close the challenge on October 8, 2021 and work with Vivobarefoot Kids to select winners. Grand prize winner will receive Vivobarefoot shoes for the whole family (up to 5 pairs) and a copy of the Letters to the Earth book, which includes a collection of letters. Select runners-up will win a copy of the Run Wild My Child Earth Day Action Guide. Winners can be worldwide.

Feature image credit: @roaminggonzalez

Image credit: @sara_mccarty

About Vivobarefoot

We are thrilled to once again be working with Vivobarefoot as a co-host of this photo challenge. Vivobarefoot is a B-Corp-certified footwear brand that aims to reconnect people and the planet. They believe that human health depends on the health of our planet and we are proud to partner with a company that shares our mission of connecting kids to nature in a sustainable way.

You can find Vivobarefoot online in the following locations:
Instagram: @Vivobarefoot and @Vivobarefoot.kids
Website: http://www.vivobarefoot.com

Image credit: @dimples.and.the.blonde

We can’t wait to see your messages for a better future.
What do you have to say?

** This photography challenge is sponsored by and in collaboration with Vivobarefoot Kids. **