Global warming is having a huge impact on our planet - the ice caps are melting, landfills are filled to the brim, and average temperatures are increasing all around the world. As parents, we have a responsibility to educate our children on the importance of protecting the planet for future generations. Getting kids interested in the environment can be a challenge, but there are plenty of ways to make going green fun!

At thelittleloop, we place a special focus on encouraging little ones to become eco-friendly. Our Big Planet Little Hero initiative is all about teaching our kids to appreciate the planet and take care of the environment. Over the coming weeks we'll be sharing with you a whole range of ideas for educating raising earth-friendly kids. Here are a few to get you started:

Spend time in nature

Family time is extremely important and we should all make time for our families. We've been blessed (in most cases) to have a lot more family time over the past 6 months as a result of lockdown. If you're starting to run short of ideas of what to do with each other, then spending time in nature is a great family activity that can bring about a wealth of amazing benefits. Spending just five minutes in a natural setting can reduce stress, boost mood, and strengthen family relationships, according to Thriveworks Counseling. Experiencing the beauty of nature is also a great way to get your children interested in the environment and encourage them to take steps to protect the planet.

Here are a few ideas to get your children outdoors enjoying nature:

• Visit a National Park and take part in fun outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, or sailing. 

• Enroll your children in outdoor organisations such as Scouts, Guides, or sports clubs.

• Allocate your kids a patch in the garden where they can practice growing plants.

• Schedule nature activities like a walk in the woods or a trip to a nature reserve.

• Plan an exciting nature scavenging hunt in the garden.

• Go for a walk in your local park and feed the ducks.

• Visit a working farm or wildlife centre. 

• Organise a family camping trip.

• Go fruit or vegetable picking. 

Make recycling fun

Learning how to recycle your waste can be a challenge at first, but recycling doesn’t have to be a boring or onerous task. There are plenty of ways to make recycling fun for your kids.

• You can help your children learn about recycling by creating a family recycling centre with different boxes and colours.

• Turn recycling into an exciting game and get your kids to guess which box different items should go in.

• You could even make up a recycling song and have a family sing-along while you sort your recyclables.

• Starting a compost bin is another fantastic way to make recycling fun and get your children thinking about the environment.

• Composting will reduce your family’s waste, save you money, and encourage your kids to learn about nature and waste disposal. Starting a compost bin at home is super easy. We'll teach you how to start your own compost bin at home in one of our upcoming blogs.

Reuse everyday items

Reusing items that you would usually throw away is an easy way to become greener and teach your children about the importance of recycling. Being less wasteful should also save your family money in the long-run. This means you’ll have more cash to put toward fun activities like family outings and holidays. Upcycling unwanted items is a fun and eco-friendly activity that you can do with your children. You can transform a huge variety of waste items into exciting new things for your home. For example, wash glass jars and use them as storage or apply your creativity to turn them into quirky home decorations. You can also transform old clothing items into new textiles such as cushion covers or teapot covers. We’ll be giving you lots more ideas on fun upcycling projects to do with your kids in our upcoming blog. 

When it comes to clothing your children, make sure you spare a thought for the environment by choosing sustainable brands and swapping or reusing old clothing wherever possible. At thelittleloop, we understand that it can be difficult to be eco-friendly when designing your children’s wardrobe. This is why we’ve created a sustainable clothing solution that is affordable, fashionable, and eco-friendly. You can visit our site to find out more about how our subscription works and check out our collection. If you have old children’s clothing that you no longer need, then we can take it off your hands with our sustainable Loopback scheme. We will take your old clothing items and refresh or repurpose them to rent. This helps to ensure that your clothing gets the longest life possible.

In return, you’ll receive cash or credit to redeem against a thelittleloop subscription.

Final thoughts

Global warming is having huge environmental consequences and it’s time for us all to join the fight against climate change. As parents, we are responsible for raising a generation of eco-conscious children. Fortunately, sustainable brands are on the rise and it’s easier than ever to get your hands on sustainable clothing and other green everyday items. Raising earth-friendly kids takes time, but it’s definitely worth putting in the time and effort to lead a greener lifestyle. Take a look at our Big Planet Little Hero initiative for more useful tips on how to get your little ones interested in the environment.