Teaching young children about climate change might seem daunting. However, it’s something that every setting can and should embrace, says Carley Sefton…
Most people agree that, in today’s rapidly changing world, the need to address climate change is more urgent than ever.
As we witness the effects of environmental challenges unfolding globally, the role of education in shaping young minds towards sustainability becomes increasingly important.
But I am often disappointed when I introduce the subject of teaching climate education in early years. People are dismissive of the impact it can have. Or worse, they underestimate young children’s ability to engage in “big” subjects.
At Learning through Landscapes (LtL), we’ve been thinking a lot about what good climate education looks like in the early years.
In 2023, the Department for Education announced the launch of the National Education Nature Park. It’s led by the Natural History Museum working with the Royal Horticultural Society.
Since then, over 2,200 schools, colleges and early years settings have signed up. They’ve joined a national network of green spaces by improving their schools, colleges and settings for both people and wildlife.
LtL is delighted to be the project’s lead on early years engagement and resource development. As Ali Aspin, LtL’s early years development lead, explains:
“These resources are designed to empower children to make positive green change to their setting by assessing what they have in place already, planning green interventions, and finally taking part in making a change.
“Many of the green interventions that early years children can take part in are changes that continue to be open-ended learning opportunities. They meet and exceed the early learning goals, improve nature connectedness, and leave children with a hopeful outlook on being the change they wish to see in the world.”
Unfortunately, we have encountered some negativity regarding teaching climate change to young children and the impact this could have on climate anxiety.
But all the evidence suggests that the more understanding and agency children have, the more they feel able to deal with their concerns.
By developing nature connectedness at a young age, children are more likely to carry positive environmental behaviours into their later lives. Indeed, UNICEF’s 2022 report Early Childhood Development and Climate Change states:
“The voice of young children remains the most under-represented in most of the decision fora. This presents us with a unique opportunity to shift the current predominant narrative that focuses on children as victims and their vulnerabilities, passivity, and powerlessness towards children with vital voices (as well as their caregivers) empowered as strong agents of change and valuable contributors in a changing climate into the future.
“We need to include children’s rights to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect them.”
We often hear, too, from settings who are worried they don’t have enough green space to get involved. However, most activities don’t need large amounts.
The most important thing is to create regular awe-and-wonder moments in nature, which will foster natural curiosities.
With supportive staff helping children engage in climate education initiatives like the National Education Nature Park, we believe that all settings can provide a solid foundation for introducing climate and nature-based learning.
Climate education in early years isn’t just about imparting knowledge. It’s about fostering a deep connection with nature and nurturing a sense of responsibility towards our environment.
Initiatives like the National Education Nature Park exemplify how settings can become centres of environmental learning and action.
By empowering children to engage with and appreciate the natural world, we lay the foundation for a sustainable future where environmental stewardship is second nature.
Through collaborative efforts between educators, parents, and communities, we can ensure that every child grows up with the knowledge, skills and values to protect and preserve our planet for generations to come.
Become part of the national movement by signing up on the National Education Nature Park website. You’ll receive regular information on activities and grants and access to early years-specific resources.
Children can take part in this reflective journey by looking closely at their outdoor space. You can then add your setting to the national map via the Nature Park website.
Creating healthy soil is a fun activity that can take learning in many directions. Through inquiry and play, learners can explore what healthy soil is and begin to understand the important role it plays in a healthy environment.
Support children to plan environmentally friendly changes to their setting and then help in the process of making them a reality.
Meaningful learning opportunities will abound throughout, and children will gain positive attitudes towards caring for the natural world around them.
Growing food can be a fantastic way to connect with nature and help learners begin to grasp where their food comes from.
The process can be adapted for most settings, whether it’s planting in pots or potato bags in an urban setting or assigning part of the field to be a designated food-growing area.
Plants, which make up a large proportion of our diet, are crucial for our health and wellbeing, and both healthy eating and taking part in planting experiences improve mental and physical health and wellbeing.
So many of the books we use in early years settings have nature connection in them – from the obvious and brilliant Stick Man by Julia Donaldson to The Bear in the Stars by Alexis Snell, which provides a perfect opportunity to lightly introduce the concept of climate change to children through the life of a polar bear exploring an ice habitat.
Exploring ice is a fun and investigatory way to investigate changing states and climate change.
Apply for a grant and your setting could receive £500 of outdoor learning equipment, a climate curriculum pack worth £150, and an on-site CPD training session delivered by an LtL member of staff.
The concept of climate education is rapidly evolving, so the most important thing is to just try it and have fun.
All our research suggests that practitioners and teachers benefit from time outside and making positive changes to nature as much as the children they work with.
Carley Sefton is CEO of Learning Through Landscapes, the UK’s leading outdoor learning and play charity.
