Teaching Sustainability to Primary School Children
The education system prepares children for the future by teaching them essential skills and information that will serve them well as they grow into adults. While key academic subjects such as English, Maths, and Science are often touted as being among the most important educational assets, an understanding of the world they will be living in is equally important.
In 2023, environmental issues have never been more in focus. The news cycle is filled with stories of climate change, pollution, extreme weather events, record-breaking heatwaves (as well as record-breaking cold snaps), land erosion, and so much more. This is the world that our current primary school children are set to inherit, and it’s our responsibility as educators to prepare them for the future.
Sustainability for Young Children
Of course, we don’t want to scare them with apocalyptic visions of doom and gloom, but it’s important that they understand the cause and effect of using the earth’s natural resources and what can be done to turn the tide.
One principle that is easily understood by even the youngest students is sustainability. With so many modern products seemingly built to be disposed of in short order, the familiar slogan of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is more important than ever.
reduce, reuse, recycle
Children should be taught the benefits of sustainability and how it affects communities at a domestic, local, national, and global level. From renewable energy sources and sustainable building techniques to ethical farming practices and land preservation, there is much that can be taught in a fun and engaging way, even at the EYFS level.
Our Sustainability Workshop
Here at Teach Rex, we are committed to ensuring the children that attend our workshops enjoy an exciting and fun-filled time that they will remember for years to come. We believe that a positive learning experience when they’re young will stick with them well into adulthood, helping them develop and reinforce key skills throughout their lives.
This has been the case with our dinosaur and dragon workshops, which promote an interest in science and storytelling as well as emotional awareness and development. We hope that the same will be true with our sustainability workshops featuring our life-size gorilla, Thomas. In these workshops, children visit Thomas in his rainforest home and learn how human behaviour impacts the environment—for good and bad.
Our gorilla workshops have proven immensely popular, promoting lively discussion among the children in attendance and expanding their vocabulary as they get deeply involved in the idea that they have a role to play in our planet’s future.
Get in touch
For more information about any of our workshops or to book us to appear at your school, get in touch with the Teach Rex team today. Call us on +44 7585 705 967, or send us an email to educate@teachrex.co.uk to learn more.