Education is the base of everything in this world and educating our children about the environment must be of utmost priority when environmental threats of pollution, deforestation, global warming is ever increasing, making this world an unsafe place. Environmental education for children will impart knowledge on today’s situation and be an effective way to understand future prospects of mother nature. It allows the students to be aware of the environmental problems and learn ways of preservation.
There are schools that are taking initiative to include practical knowledge on environmental education to students along with imparting theoretical knowledge. Students learn the impact of our (human) activities on the environment. Students are taken out on fields to participate in ecological activities like gardening, meditation in parks and watering plants. Education is the best medium to get young minds indulge in productive activities towards nature.
In today’s modern world, our environment is under threat with many species of plants and animals being on the verge of extinction, with the polluted air, water and contaminated food. By making environmental studies a part of students’ education in school, we can make our next generation ready to take responsibility of protecting nature. By spreading awareness on the importance of environmental education, we can make children more sensitized and support them to create innovative solutions and ways of preserving and protecting the environment.
As per the words of Ms. Campbell, the Superintendent of San Mateo County Schools, California, “Environmental education provides important opportunities for students to become engaged in real world issues that transcend classroom walls. They can see the relevance of their classroom studies to the complex environmental issues confronting our planet and they can acquire the skills they’ll need to be creative problem solvers and powerful advocates.”
Environmental education importance for children
Helps improve academic achievement: Environmental Education enhances the students’ test scores by rendering them engaging lessons on natural world that is applicable to different subject areas.
Helps break the indoor habit: With all the digitization and modernization prevailing across the world, children have less encounter with the outside world, with nature. Environmental education is the key to encouraging them come out on school playgrounds, parks, making them physically active, more creative, more civil and more aware of right nutrition.
Helps improve their health: As Environmental Education makes children more active, common health issues like depression, obesity and attention deficit disorder are likely to limit among children.
Helps supporting STEM: It offers an engaging platform for the students to gain and apply their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
To conclude, promoting environmental education among children is the key to address the current ecological imbalance and make them ready to taking initiatives to protect and preserve nature.
