Green Minds: Practical Ways to Cultivate Environmental Care in Young Children

By: Temilola Oyenuga

“Childhood is never buried; it lives on in your mind, your heart, your soul.”

— Iris Rose, Fragile Feelings

A few months ago, I hopped on a video call with some childhood friends, wanting to catch up and commiserate about the realities of adulthood. But almost immediately, our conversation turned to childhood memories. We laughed loudly at silly moments and paused thoughtfully over memories that still felt meaningful. As the call came to an end, one of us remarked nostalgically that childhood leaves an indelible mark, and we all agreed.

As adults, we recognize the truth in Iris Rose’s words because long after playgrounds fade, the impressions of childhood remain, shaping who we are and how we see the world. Developmental theorist Urie Bronfenbrenner explains that these impressions endure because they are formed through repeated, meaningful interactions, known as proximal processes, within interconnected systems. Over time, these interactions shape our values, behaviors, and sense of responsibility, including how we relate to and care for the natural world.

This understanding of childhood’s lasting influence underscores why conversations about environmental care should begin in the early years. Accordingly, I position environmental care in this article as a foundational value to be emphasized from the earliest years. My aim is not only to help you, as a children’s educator, appreciate why fostering environmental care matters in the early years but also to provide evidence-based approaches, classroom activities, and resources that can support you in guiding your students toward becoming environmentally mindful adults.

Why is Childhood a Pivotal Stage for Instilling Environmental Care?

To understand why childhood is a pivotal stage for instilling environmental care, it is important first to recognize the reciprocal relationship between children and their environment. As I mentioned earlier, Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory explains that an individual’s development is shaped through ongoing interactions within interconnected systems. One of these systems is the physical environment, which includes natural elements (e.g., land, water), built spaces (e.g., homes, playgrounds), materials and objects (e.g., stones, wood), sensory features (e.g., light, sound), and biodiversity (e.g., plants, animals). Children do not merely exist within these environments; they respond to them, modify them through play and exploration, and assign meaning to them. In turn, the environment, through its materials, spaces, sensory qualities, and living elements, influences how children move, feel, think, and act.

This reciprocity is why early childhood theorists such as Pestalozzi, Froebel, and Montessori emphasized the inseparability of young children and the environment. Through mutual influence, children develop a strong sense of connection, a quality that, according to research cited by Barrable (2019), is a stronger predictor of positive ecological behavior in adulthood than environmental knowledge alone. Ardoin and Bowers (2020) provided more context, explaining that ecological awareness, environmental attitudes, environmental consciousness, and nature-relatedness begin to develop in early childhood, increasing participation in pro-environmental behaviors later in life. Hence, childhood is pivotal for instilling environmental care because this period is when children form their initial connection to the natural world. When that connection is strong, it fosters stewardship and predetermines environmentally responsible behavior in the future.

What Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies Foster Environmental Care in Young Children?

Since the Environmental Education Act was passed in the United States in 1970, countries and international organizations have worked to bring environmental education into classrooms worldwide, including early childhood classrooms (Ye & Shih, 2020). Consequently, researchers have explored evidence-based approaches that teachers can use to foster environmental learning in young children. Some approaches found to have instilled pro-environmental values in children include nature exploration, imaginative play, and storytelling (Ardoin & Bowers, 2020; Hadzigeorgiou et al., 2011; Hsiao & Shih, 2015; Wojciehowski & Ernst, 2018; Ye & Shih, 2020). Let’s briefly explore these approaches and illustrate how they can be applied in the classroom through cognitive frameworks, such as Thinking Routines and Habits of Mind, to create meaningful learning experiences for your students.

Nature Exploration

This approach involves direct interaction with and observation of the natural environment, such as plants, animals, and other natural elements. Exploring nature enables children to ask questions, reflect on human-environment interactions, engage all senses, and develop the knowledge and skills necessary for creative participation in environmental preservation (McClain & Vandermaas-Peeler, 2016). Table 1 illustrates how this approach can be adapted in the classroom.

Table 1- Sample Activity (Ages 4-7)

Imaginative Play

Sometimes, visiting natural sites may not be easily accessible due to location, safety, or time constraints. In such cases, imaginative play offers a meaningful way for children to explore environmental concepts and develop care for the natural world. This approach uses role play, pretend scenarios, and creative problem-solving to help children engage with environmental ideas in a safe and accessible way. Imaginative play fosters respect for nature, builds environmental vocabulary through proper naming, and supports children in representing and communicating what they learn (Wight et al., 2015). Table 2 illustrates how this approach can be adapted in the classroom.

Table 2- Sample Activity (Ages 3–6)

Storytelling

The final approach, storytelling, uses children’s books to introduce environmental ideas and explore how humans interact with their surroundings. Stories help children notice different ways of thinking about the environment, for example, seeing nature as something that benefits people or recognizing that plants, animals, and ecosystems have value on their own. Through storytelling, children can express care, empathy, and respect for living things, helping them develop a deeper connection with the natural world (Yılmaz et al., 2018). Table 3 illustrates how this approach can be adapted in the classroom.

Table 3- Sample Activity (Ages 5–8)

In summary, cultivating environmental care in young children begins with nurturance through immersive experiences, meaningful relationships, and opportunities for personal reflection. When children are supported in this way, they develop a genuine sense of responsibility for the world around them, one that is likely to endure throughout their lives. To further support teachers, I created The Green Classroom: A Toolkit for Nurturing Environmental Care. This resource guides educators in designing classroom environments that organically foster environmental responsibility through a nested system of Education for Sustainable Development principles, classroom relationships, and cultural influences. It also includes recommendations for children’s books and additional resources to deepen practice. For educators seeking to create classrooms that promote student agency within broader, interconnected systems, this toolkit offers a starting point.

References

Ardoin, N. M., & Bowers, A. W. (2020). Early childhood environmental education: A systematic review of the research literature. Educational Research Review, 31(100353), 100353. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7348615/

Barrable, A. (2019). Refocusing Environmental Education in the Early Years: A Brief Introduction to a Pedagogy for Connection. Education Sciences, 9(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9010061

Hadzigeorgiou, Y., Prevezanou, B., Kabouropoulou, M., & Konsolas, M. (2011). Teaching about the importance of trees: a study with young children. Environmental Education Research, 17(4), 519–536. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2010.549938

Hsiao, C.-Y., & Shih, P.-Y. (2015). Exploring the effectiveness of picture books for teaching young children the concepts of environmental protection. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 25(1), 36–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2015.1106203

McClain, C., & Vandermaas-Peeler, M. (2016). Outdoor Explorations with Preschoolers: An Observational Study of Young Children’s Developing Relationship with the Natural World. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 4(1), 37–53. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1120151

Wight, R. A., Kloos, H., Maltbie, C. V., & Carr, V. W. (2015). Can playscapes promote early childhood inquiry towards environmentally responsible behaviors? An exploratory study. Environmental Education Research, 22(4), 518–537. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1015495

Wojciehowski, M., & Ernst, J. (2018). Creative by Nature: Investigating the Impact of Nature Preschools on Young Children’s Creative Thinking. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(1), 3–20. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1193490

Ye, Y.-H., & Shih, Y.-H. (2020). Environmental Education for Children in Taiwan: Importance, Purpose and Teaching Methods. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(4), 1572–1578. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2020.080451

Yılmaz, S., Temiz, Z., & Karaarslan Semiz, G. (2018). Children’s understanding of human–nature interaction after a folk storytelling session. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 19(1), 88–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015x.2018.1517062