Sustainable Parenting: Simple Ways to Nurture Young Minds

Why Start Early?

Kids learn and adapt quickly from a young age. By teaching sustainable practices early, these actions can become as routine as brushing their teeth or saying "please" and "thank you." Children observe and mimic their parents. If you model the sustainable behaviours you want to teach like turning off lights or unplugging electronics, they’re more likely to pick up these habits. Starting young helps build lifelong habits, setting them up to make responsible, eco-friendly choices as they grow into adults.  

The Basics

  • Encourage turning off lights when leaving a room.  
  • Teach them not to let the tap run unnecessarily.  
  • Encourage compassion for all animals, not just pets.
  • Make it fun! Kids will love unplugging devices, switching off fans or TVs, and sorting trash when it becomes a game.  

Age-Appropriate Sustainability 

Teaching sustainability can be tailored to suit your child’s age:  

  • 3–4 years: Simple instructions, like letting them watch you turn off the lights or taps.  
  • 5–6 years: Basic waste sorting, such as separating dry (plastics, paper, cardboard, wrappers) and wet trash (veggies, fruit waste or egg shells).  
  • 7–10 years: Fun DIY upcycling projects or small composting.  
  • Pre-teens and teens: Understanding deeper concepts like the impact of waste on the environment and the importance of reducing consumption.  

Start Small, Start Simple:

Use two labeled containers in different colours:  

  • One for dry waste, like candy wrappers or chips packets.  
  • One for wet waste, like fruit peels.  

Show them how to reuse small chocolate wrappers to make crafts like butterflies and explain how fruit waste can be composted. Hands-on activities help children see sustainability in action.  

Games and DIY Projects

What better way to catch the attention of a 5-year-old or a 10-year-old, regardless of how small they are or how much they've grown, than with games and fun DIY upcycling projects or waste-sorting games? So, use this to your advantage. These activities are educational and also a great way to bond with your kids.

Leverage the Visual Medium

Kids are highly visual learners, so use animations, videos, and shows to teach them:  

  • Importance of Recycling for Kids by Nuevo Pictures.
  • The very famous British animated tv series, Peppa Pig – Recycling episode for ages 4–6.
  • Loop Scoops Garbage Recycling by The Story of Stuff Project for fun and learning.

Gift Upcycled Items  

Gift upcycled toys or stationery items to your children and tell them how they are made in simple terms. Imagine you're getting your child an upcycled puppet, like this one by Suguna Rangaswami on Refash made from surplus materials, and explain to them how leftover materials were not thrown away but were instead reused to create the toy.

You can create a short story using this puppet to explain waste management. Use storytelling as a creative means to teach, as kids learn quickly through live visuals. Plus, you get to spend quality time with them – a win-win for sure!

Reuse and Donate Toys

Reusing toys is an age-old sustainable practice, like passing down toys from older siblings to younger ones. Encourage kids to repair and share, teaching them the joy of giving by donating unused toys. Be patient when answering their questions or helping them understand why it’s important to continue reusing what they own. When gifting used toys to others, please make sure they are clean and in good condition.  

Show the Hard Reality

For older kids and teens, gradually introduce them to the bigger picture. Explain why sustainability matters and how their actions make a difference. Share insights like this from the United Nations Environment Programme - “Every child on Earth is exposed to some combination of the climate crisis, pollution, or biodiversity loss. Children from poor, vulnerable, and marginalized communities face the worst environmental threats.”  

It starts at home. It starts with you. 

Explain why we don’t always need something new, and if things look old, help them see that they are still beautiful. Show them that saving an old toy can still bring joy and that an old dress can be worn again. Teach them that these small habits can help protect the planet and turn them into little eco-warriors. Helping kids understand the global impact of their actions empowers them to become role models of change.

Share your sustainable parenting tips with us in the comments below, and help others by spreading the knowledge. Don't forget to tag @refash_ to expand the connection and make a bigger impact.


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