Explore Tide Pools with Your Children This Summer

If you live near a beach, or are vacationing near one this summer, don't miss the chance to explore them with your kids! They are a fun way to experience nature, and a great learning opportunity.

Tide pools present a unique opportunity to see an ocean environment up close and personal.  Their easy accessibility makes them an ideal learning experience for young children, who can explore ocean animals and habitats without having to take them scuba diving.  Here are a few tips and strategies to explore tide pools with your children.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#1.  Learn the tide schedule and go at low tide.  This is important; you won’t have anything to study or explore if the tide is in.  When it goes out, however, little magical wonderlands are left behind.  Make sure you know when to expect the tide to come back in and the predicted weather.  It’d be a shame to become caught in a storm and watch your tide pool wash away before your eyes.

#2.  Use the low tide to explain to your children the gravitational pull of the moon and how it affects our seas.  This can be a complicated concept to understand for little ones, but they can comprehend the basic idea.

#3.  Make sure children are wearing protective shoes.  Water shoes or sandals are a good choice because they move easily when wet, but will still protect a child’s feet from sharp shells and stones. 

#4.  Consider preparing your children for the animals they are likely to encounter.  That way they can be on the lookout or make a scavenger-type hunt out of the trip.  They can look for one of every type of creature on their list.

#5.  Explain the general rules of nature.  Take only pictures; leave only footprints.  Make sure children understand they are witnesses of nature, not shoppers. 

#6.  For older children, encourage them to bring a sketchbook or a camera to document the wildlife they view. 

Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, & Sea Anemones in Tide pool. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#7.  Use a tide pool to teach children about how animals survive.  Show them animals that have weapons, animals that use camouflage, and animals with exoskeletons to protect them.

#8.  Make sure everyone, parents included, is wearing sunscreen or long clothing to avoid sunburn - particularly on sunny days.

#9.  Make sure children, and adults, use caution when reaching into the tide pools to retrieve a creature.  Additionally, make sure each creature is put back where it was found.

#10.  Consider taking a pair of gloves and a small net so you can easily retrieve life, coral, shells and other items from the tide pool without risk of injury to yourself or to the environment.

Tide pools offer a wealth of learning opportunity and they’re fun to explore.  Children will have a wonderful time exploring these small worlds and learning about the ocean, and parents can enjoy a fun family outing while sharing this learning experience.

3 Tips for Teaching Your Kids To Help Save Our Earth

You've probably heard about practical things we can do to help the environment, but have you thought about how our state of mind can affect the earth? One of the most important ways to help the planet is to teach the next generation to appreciate it.

While teaching our children about practical methods such as recycling is important, promoting a humble state of mind can have a deeper and more lasting effect. If you plant the seed of environmental humility in your children, perhaps those children will recognize the quiet importance of nature and grow up to develop innovative ways to preserve the planet.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What are some ways to elicit a humble attitude and a love of nature in your kids? How does self-reflection and humility lead to a greater respect for the environment? And what can our children learn from nature that will help them develop a love for it?

1. Treat your children with respect

Most parents know that children will do what their parents do more than what their parents say. Children are going to treat others the way they are treated. If children are treated respectfully, they will develop a respectful and compassionate attitude which is one of the building blocks of environmental awareness. They are then more likely to treat the planet and other things in their lives with respect, and not exploit the earth's resources.

2. Strive for a "natural" lifestyle

Children who are not connected to nature will have a hard time loving and appreciating it. Breastfeeding, babywearing, natural childbirth, and other natural parenting approaches are a child's first connection to nature.

Consider natural foods as well. Children love to forage for edible plants and fruits. A trip to the library will reveal many excellent books on the recognition and harvesting of wild foods. Children will see nature as a provider if they participate in this way. Just be sure you know what you are picking!

Alternatively, you could grow your own food or visit a neighbor's farm or garden in order to show them where food comes from. Once again, your kids will see that the earth is a provider of sustenance. Point out to your children that without good soil, air, and water, there would be no food. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Get away from TV and computer screens and out into nature

Experiencing nature through a screen is more likely to elicit a love of technology than a love of nature (not that a love of technology is necessarily bad; but it's a good idea to balance it with an appreciation of the natural world). Take your kids outside on a starry night and show them the enormity of the night sky. Show them large, sweeping spaces, high mountains, deep woods and ancient, massive trees. They will begin to see their respective smallness, and the seeds of humility are sown.

Go hiking or camping, and encourage your children to write, draw and discuss the experience and how it made them feel. This will encourage self-reflection and a personal identification with nature.

The future of the planet begins with teaching our children to love it. And in doing so, we'll come to love and appreciate it more ourselves as well.

How to Raise Environmentally Responsible Kids

If you are concerned about the future of the environment, it makes sense to raise your children to be environmentally responsible. After all, the future belongs to them. Investing in your kids and making them aware of the planet is one of the most environmentally responsible things you can do.

Image via WikipediaHere are some ideas on how you can raise your kids to respect the planet and want to preserve it!

* Foster a love of nature in your kids. Get out into it and go on hikes, field trips (literally), picnics, cookouts, camping, and fishing trips. Consider getting bikes for the family and going out biking in the woods or on trails. Take your kids to play in a nearby park or encourage them to play outdoors in your yard. This means limiting television and other electronic pursuits.

* Identify plants, animals, constellations, leaves, and other things in nature. Check out some field guides and take your kids to a natural area. Then collect and identify flowers, leaves, feathers, rocks, and so forth.

* Encourage your kids to participate in local clean-up projects. Consider beginning one if your neighborhood or community does not already have such an event. It's very eye-opening for your kids to see the extent of the trash and litter that builds up in a given area.

Image by woodleywonderworks via Flickr* Grow your own food if possible, even if it's just a few plants in containers. Your kids will be enlightened to see what it takes to grow food and how the natural elements (air, water, sunlight) come together to produce food. (Check out our Sustainable Gardening blog, where we do occasionally feature articles on including your kids in creating your own sustainable garden.)

* Recycle with your kids. This doesn't just mean having them help organize recyclables into bins and taking them to the facility. It also means teaching them creative recycling - how to fix and refurbish, for example, instead of throwing something out and buying a new replacement. Encourage your kids to make their own toys and crafts, especially out of recyclables, rather than going to a craft store or buying new toys.

* Gather wild foods. Children usually love this. Get a good book on gathering wild foods, or find an expert in your area who can show you. Whether it's raiding a blackberry patch, gathering nuts, or picking dandelion greens to cook as a potherb, harvesting nature's gifts really fosters a sense of appreciation for everything nature has to offer.

* Include your kids in your household energy-saving goals. Make sure everyone is on board with shortening showers and turning off lights. Make sure they know why - it's not just about lowering the utility bills.

Helping your kids learn the impact of their decisions, and their responsibility for their environment, will equip them to move forward into this new century in a responsible and sustainable way. Remember that our kids will be the scientists of the future, developing innovative ways to keep our species alive and well for centuries to come. Give them a good start by teaching them how they can have a positive impact on their planet.