Earth Day should be celebrated every day when it comes down to protecting our planet and humanity.
Even if you don’t have a family that regularly travels the globe, there are many ways your children can make the world a better place.
It’s easy to teach your children empathy, compassion and respect for other cultures. Check out our top picks below.
1. You can become a world traveler right in your hometown.
Visit neighbourhoods and communities that are rich in different cultures to expand your children’s horizons.
You can also enjoy traditional cuisine and visit museums and art galleries. Spend some time exploring the city’s Chinatown, attend cultural celebrations and festivals, and teach your children about other races and ideologies.
2. Every Day, get out in the natural world.
Your children will learn that nature is an important gift, and they will be inspired to preserve the planet.
You can go hiking, chase butterflies, swim or surf in lakes, see ants marching along a line, and stargaze.
This will help young minds to realize that Mother Nature is their responsibility and they have to make the world a better place.
3. Maps can be used as decor in your home.
Children may not realize that the world is larger than their neighbourhood.
To help your children think beyond their immediate environment and be global-minded, hang a map of your city and one of the world maps in your home.
4. Get involved in the clean-up of your city.
You can pick up trash on your way to school, or you can sign up to clean up your local river/lake with the local foundation that works in this area.
Once your children see the waste people leave behind, they will understand why littering is wrong.
They’re beautifying the planet, and they are also observing the negative effects that humans have on the environment.
5. Get rid of plastic.
Teach your children they can make a big difference in the planet’s health; you can help reduce plastic use by not using it.
Plastic is responsible for large amounts of land and ocean pollution, as well as causing environmental damage through its production and disposal.
Make sure you teach your children to use Reusable water bottles, Lunchboxes and Straws.
You can do it! Opt for reusable bags instead of plastic baggies Reusable snack bags. To avoid plastic bags, bring cloth shopping bags with you to the grocery store.
Its not just your children who need to learn to avoid using plastic products; you also need to do this to help your kids learn from you and make the world a better place to live for them.
6. Avoid harmful products for the planet.
Your children should be taught how to avoid products that cause harm to animals, humans, and the planet.
For example, plastic six-pack rings kill more than 100,000 marine animals each year (Source).
You can also shop smart and buy products from companies that don’t test animals.
Additionally, you can purchase organic food, clothing, and household goods to support farmers who don’t use toxic chemicals.
7. Spend time with animals.
Your children will be able to respect all animals, from your pet dog to the gorilla in the jungle, and learn about the incredible creatures that live on this planet.
Children can interact with animals every day by walking their elderly neighbour’s dog or volunteering at an animal shelter.
They can also foster animals that are looking for forever homes. Talk to your children about endangered species and how they are being threatened by climate change, habitat destruction, and deforestation.
To learn more about how humans can save endangered species from extinction or endangerment, visit a local wildlife conservation centre.
You can also find great documentaries like Planet Earth; this will amaze children and leave them in awe of the animals that live in their world every day.
8. Help those who are less fortunate, volunteer and do good deeds.
There are many ways kids can help others, even if they don’t leave the house.
You can also do this project as a family. Make blessing bags for the homeless. This will teach children empathy for those who are homeless or lack basic necessities.
Children can also help end hunger by hosting a bake sale and donating the proceeds to an NGO that serves food to the people in need or accepting donations for their favourite charity instead of birthday gifts.
They will be more open-minded if they can do something that helps others. Tell them stories about the children like Greta Thunberg, who are making a difference in the world today to inspire them and show that they are capable of great things.
9. Read!
To help your children learn about the world and humanity, reading books and stories about other races and cultures is a great way to teach them.
Read them books that tell about the culture of people living in other parts of the world, and this will help them to connect with the world emotionally.
When the children hear god things about others as a story from their elders, they develop an emotional connection with them that last long for the entire lifetime.
This will not only help to make the world a better place to live for your kids but also help them in handling many difficult situations that they will face as an adult.
10. Encourage children to support a cause.
It doesn’t matter if your child wants to instil a program for charity at school, help save an endangered species, participate in a women’s march or fight climate change. The world needs their passion for meaningful causes.
There is no limit to the power and influence of a child to do good. So be their biggest cheerleader as they strive to make positive change, and help them in any way that you can.
11. Spend wisely
Finance is an essential part of learning the basics of global citizenship. It doesn’t matter if you are teaching your children the basics of consumption or donating fiscally to charity; they must understand that they can be partners of large agencies to help others in need.
12. Become a Vegan or vegetarian, or do avoid eating meat once a week.
Eating vegetarian food can be a way to save 20.6 million animals if you eat it once a week for ten years.
It’s now easier than ever to include Meatless Mondays into your family’s meals or switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet as there are many delicious plant-based products available in the market.
According to the Meatless Mondays website: When you don’t eat meat, you help save the planet from the “harmful effect of increasing greenhouse gas emissions that results in global warming and exhausting our precious natural resources including land, water and energy.
To make the world a better place to live in, its necessary to save natural resources for future generations.
You can find many good plant-based recipes online to get inspiration for your vegan meal.
You can also make vegetarian dishes from other cultures, such as Thai curry or Aloo Palak.
13. Learn different languages.
One of the many benefits of learning different languages is that doing so allows children to make connections with other cultures and learn according to their values.
Foreign languages foster greater empathy and help children see the world from another perspective.
14. Do a good deed every day
You can be creative and make the world a better place by doing small acts of kindness every day.
You can make a kindness calendar for children of all ages, including toddlers and teens.
You can make it super simple by using a regular calendar on a wall or making a poster board.
You will only need a calendar with days and enough space to write one-act per day.
For younger children, examples of good deeds include:
- Asking for help at home.
- Sharing a toy with someone without being asked.
- Giving mom a hug and high-fiving.
Older children can be more creative: Offer to mow someone’s yard, clean up the parks for an hour, or read to an elderly person at a local retirement facility.
There are many good deeds that you can do. Do what inspires!
15. Practice Kindness in Public
Encourage your children by modelling the behaviour you want to see in the world. You cannot teach your children to make the world a better place without making an effort on your own.
You might not feel ready to do the Free Hugs with your children, but there are many simple gestures you can do, such as holding doors open for strangers or saying “excuse-me” if you see someone in a shop or simply asking how they’re feeling.
These little acts of kindness can be especially important during the busy holiday season.
You can buy a cup for the person in front of you, carry your neighbour’s groceries to their home, or buy flowers for someone who is completely a stranger.
Conclusion:
“What you sow so shall you reap.”
To give your future generations a better place to live in, you need to make efforts by yourself to make the world a better place. The first step to do so is to teach the same to your kids.
When you raise a kid in the right manner, you naturally give your contribution to the world and together, you move ahead in making the world a better place.
If you are a person who understands the importance of teaching your children to do good things to make the world a better place, you need to implement the things we told you in this blog in your daily lives.
“We need good people to make the world a better place to live in; your child should be one of those”
Read More: How To Help Kids Dealing With Disappointment.
