Eco-Friendly Kids: Inspire Your Children With the Wonders of Nature

Connect children of all ages with the Earth ... and watch them take your lessons with them into adulthood

7 September 2014
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
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A simple childhood inspired by nature may not only give your kids some of their happiest memories, it may also pave the way for a happier planet. And best of all, these ideas will be as fun for parents to implement as they are for the kids.
Rustic Patio by Jean Longpré
Jean Longpré
1. Make a fire pit
Roasting marshmallows (or damper on sticks) around the fire is the stuff of happy childhood memories, and a great thing for parents and kids to have fun doing together. Be sure to get them involved in building the fire and safely putting it out – you never know when they might need bush survival skills!

More: Light Up the Night: Houzz AU’s Lowdown on Fire Pits
Garden by Sippican Partners Construction, LLC
Sippican Partners Construction, LLC
2. Get out into nature
Ranger and mother of two Dindy Boutagy says all kids love bushwalking if they’re given the chance to explore and play without a time limit. Set the safety boundaries first – no running off the track or dangling over cliff edges! – then let them be, she advises. “As long as it’s safe I’m all for them exploring and getting their hands dirty and playing in creeks and having fun,” she says. “They totally get into it.”
Contemporary Exterior by Sandberg Schoffel Architects
Sandberg Schoffel Architects
3. Take simple holidays
Overseas holidays to five-star resorts are nice, but you might be surprised how much joy you see in your kids when you take them to a humble holiday house on a farm, by the beach or out in the bush. Given the chance to spend unhurried time outside, Boutagy says kids get to be creative and imaginative and develop their physical skills as they explore their surroundings. Boutagy should know – part of her role is to take school children out on bushwalks and expose them to just how magical the outdoors can be. “You instantly see happy and inspired kids,” she says.
Contemporary Living Room by Christian Zambelli Architect
Christian Zambelli Architect
4. Take the time to stop and listen
Out on a bushwalk, Boutagy gets kids to be quiet for 30 seconds to tune into the sounds of nature all around them. “Afterwards, I ask them how they feel and they always say ‘calm’ and ‘relaxed’ and ‘peaceful’,” she says.

Plan regular daytrips to national parks, a river or the beach, and have picnics as a family. And make it a habit for everyone to take off shoes and socks at some point. “I think just letting kids have their feet on the earth is so important. It’s so simple, but so important,” Boutagy says. As for smartphones, tablets and other devices? Use the day trip as an opportunity to go on a tech-fast – leave them at home.
Contemporary Exterior by Michelle Walker architects
Michelle Walker architects
5. Turn off the lights
It can drive bill-paying parents to despair when kids leave the lights on throughout the house without a thought for what it might cost the earth (or you). The only solution is to devise a plan to make it matter to them – an adjustment to pocket money every time the bathroom light is left on, perhaps?
Contemporary Kids by User
User
6. Give them a global outlook
If kids can picture where they are in the world, they’re sure to grow up with a better understanding of the bigger picture … and how important it is for us all to look after our precious home. As author Richard Louv says in his book The Nature Principle: “The future will belong to the nature-smart – those individuals, families, businesses and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real.”

Louv coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” and says kids need time in the great outdoors to truly thrive. “A growing body of research links our mental, physical and spiritual health directly to our association with nature,” he says. “The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”

Read more: Global Roaming: Give Your Kids the Travel Bug With Maps
Modern Kids Modern Kids
7. Let them get bored
Too much screen time, an overload of toys and too many scheduled activities means kids don’t get the chance to let their imaginations flourish as much as they could. When kids find themselves without anything to do, they soon find a way to come up with their own fun – and engage all their senses in the process.
Eclectic Kids by Mud and Wood
Mud and Wood
8. Jump on the DIY bandwagon
Imagine the pride your kids will feel sleeping in a bed they helped to make themselves. It doesn’t have to look as amazing as this to be a worthwhile project … even upcycling an old bed will do the planet a favour and get kids thinking about other projects to take on.
Traditional Garden by Staab & Olmsted LLC - Landscape Architecture and F
Staab & Olmsted LLC - Landscape Architecture and F
9. Let them grow their own food
Encouraging kids to help you out in the vegie patch may seem obvious, but how about taking it a step further and only eating out of the vegie garden for one weekend a month? Eating seasonally the rest of the time will have your kids relishing the fruits and vegetables they don’t get to eat all year round.
Garden Sunflower
If you can’t convince your brood to become enthusiastic about the vegie patch, let sunflowers win them over. They grow quickly and deliver a happy reward at the end – a beautiful flower, and seeds to munch on, when it’s finished blooming.
Country Kitchen by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
10. Shop locally
The next best thing to growing your own food is to buy organic vegies from your local farmer’s market or co-op. Take the kids shopping with you and talk about organic farming versus the practices of modern agriculture. Arming them with accurate information will mean they’ll naturally make earth-friendlier choices when they grow up and start doing their own shopping.
Beach Style Garden by Prairie Blue Landscapes
Prairie Blue Landscapes
11. Explore your own garden
Little kids will love heading outside with binoculars and a magnifying glass to see what they can see. Gather leaves, seed pods, feathers and other treasures to make a nature table inside (on a coffee table or hall table works a treat), and make it a family tradition to change it along with the seasons. Or why not try building a shelter out of sticks and leafy branches? It’s sure to become a favourite hangout space. If you don’t have the branches you need to build it, turn it into a day trip. Gathering building supplies will be half the fun.
Traditional Family Room by Rill Architects
Rill Architects
12. Embrace climate change
Watch your energy bills plummet when kids are discouraged from adjusting the air-conditioning or heating on a whim. Have them put on a jumper if they’re cold rather than relying on artificial heating to warm up. As for cooling off, rubbing an ice cube on their wrists or giving them a quick spray with the hose outside will do the job in a flash – running around under the hose or garden sprinkler is a universal childhood delight.
Contemporary Garden by Phillip Withers
Phillip Withers
13. Encourage local wildlife to call your garden home
Lizards, birds, bees and beetles will appreciate native plantings, and your garden will soon blossom with colour and life – so much more interesting for kids with a fledgling interest in the natural world. “If they fall in love in nature, they will be tomorrow’s conservationists,” Boutagy says.

See more of this garden
Contemporary Bathroom by elaine richardson architect
elaine richardson architect
14. Set limits on showers
If children have never had to think about conserving water, they won’t grow up with an appreciation for how scarce it can be. A timer in the bathroom will let them know when to finish up – it’s a far more effective method than relying on them to remember, or you having to keep tabs. Better still, encourage baths – they use far less water.
Eclectic Garden by Whitney Lyons
Whitney Lyons
15. Build a cubby worth playing in
It doesn’t have to be fancy – any adult-free zone in a tree will fit the bill. Involve them in the design and building process, and they’re sure to remember it fondly forever.


TELL US MORE
What do your kids love doing outdoors? We’d love to hear your tips on how to get them to switch off and play outside. Share your ideas in the comments section.


MORE IDEABOOKS
Dream Spaces: Branch Out Into a Treehouse
10 Super Sandpits Worthy of Digging in
Outdoor Project: Beautiful Bird Houses for a Garden That Sings
How to Keep Kids Entertained During the School Holidays
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Tasha Harris
We go camping near a river at least twice a year with friends, all the kids love it, cook on the fire and eat simple meals, we all get to relax or get as much exercise as we like... Lots of wildlife , fishing , swimming , they learn so much about nature and science... It's awesome... I can't imagine them not having these experiences :)
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Doné Hanekom
During school holidays we have a "create your own fun day". No screens and no help from mom. In the beginning they were moaning and crying but it got better. This week my 5 yr old asked me when the next "create your own fun day" is. I told her she can create her own any day!!!!!
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maudiej
What a fascinating and useful article. I especially love the 'let them get bored' advice. Well done.
   

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