Make Them Aware of the Problem

First, you have to make your kids aware of the problem. Depending on your kids’ ages, you may or may not have to explain climate change. For instance, if your kids are already following science standards in school, then they have likely already started covering climate change. However, if your kids are younger, it is up to you to teach them about climate change using age-appropriate vocabulary and real-life examples. NASA Climate Kids is a great way to introduce the topic to even the littlest learners.

Get Outdoors

Possibly the most effective way to get your kids to embrace the climate change movement is to instill a love of nature. How do you do this? To put it simply, you get outdoors! Kids who spend time playing outside and exploring in nature have a greater appreciation for it.

Watch Reputable Films

There are several educational films about climate change that are designed to teach children of all ages. Young kids can be introduced to climate change issues from animated films like Happy Feet, whereas older kids may be ready for documentaries such as An Inconvenient Truth. Check out Common Sense Media’s Movies That Teach Kids About Climate Change and PBS’s 17 Films about Sustainability and Climate Change.

Embrace Positive Habits

As a household, try your best to embrace habits that are good for the environment. For instance, teach kids not to leave the water running or the lights on and explain why these things matter. If your family recycles regularly, your kids will grow up recycling as well. Start by calculating your household’s carbon footprint. Likewise, as a family, do all you can to reduce your carbon footprint, such as carpooling. GoKid is proud of the way we are helping families in this way – GoKid families have already saved 5M pounds of CO2!

Volunteer as a Family

Look for opportunities to volunteer on eco-friendly projects together. Spend an afternoon cleaning up litter from a park or stream. Work together to plant trees or build a community garden. Dedicate some of your time to helping at a local farm.

Encourage them to be Young Activists

Finally, encourage some positive peer pressure. Green clubs and student organizations are popping up at schools all across America. Encourage your kid to join their school’s club or to create one of their own! Climate Generation offers several youth action ideas to help young people become climate change activists in their communities.