Learning to sort waste

You can instill very early in your child the concept of sorting waste. Show him the example. Have several bins at home: one for plastic and metal, one for glass, one for paper and cardboard and finally a regular bin. Teach him to distinguish between different wastes. For example, you can draw the four categories with him and display them on the corresponding box. When you empty a glass can, give it to him to put it in the right place. It is these little practical exercises that will help him on a daily basis and make him proud. His toys surely contain batteries. Explain that they must be placed in specific terminals, for example at the supermarket.

To better understand these principles, organize a visit to a recycling plant. This is the place where we sort the waste and we recycle it. He will discover that with plastic bottles, we can make fleece sweaters.

Inquire: www.ressourcerie.fr

A cooking workshop

Eating raspberries, strawberries in the middle of winter is not an ecological approach. Take the time to do cooking workshops with your child. It all starts with the races. Take a walk in a market organic. It's even better if you are lucky enough to have a vegetable garden. You will find a busy season of fruits and vegetables. Let him choose the menu according to what makes him want. We are in April then asparagus starter, a salty tart broccoli-chives and dessert a fruit salad with bananas, kiwi and grapefruit. This is a balanced and ecological meal! Use imagination to interest him: themed meals, meals with seasonal ingredients starting with P.

Do not hesitate to make a painting on a large sheet by writing every month. In front of everyone, draw or paste stickers representing seasonal fruits and vegetables. Let him color it as he wishes and post it on the fridge. You too will learn how to do your shopping better.

The right reflex with electrical appliances

A child rarely stays in place. Kitchen, living room, bedroom ... Captivated by his imagination and his game, he will not always think to turn off the light when leaving a room. It's a simple gesture he has to learn and you have to talk to him. Explain to him the importance of this approach and opt for low energy bulbs throughout the house. From time to time, offer him a candle meal as before.

Our electricity consumption has increased considerably in the last thirty years. Why ? Because the electrical appliances are more numerous: TV, stereo, computer, DVD player ... So force your child to turn off the TV when he has finished watching. To leave it in standby is to use the same consumption as if it were lit.

A life-size treasure hunt

Nothing like a walk in the nature to understand the issues of ecology. There are many nature reserves so if you have the opportunity to visit, do not hesitate. It's even better if you can go there by bike or on foot ... Before starting a short hike, take some information on the place, the fauna, the flora. You may have to answer a multitude of questions.

On the spot, play the detectives. Your child will have to find such type of flowers, indicate a color, a shape. Take the opportunity to raise awareness about water, one of our sources of life in the process of reducing and to explain to him that we must be careful not to let tap water run when we brush our teeth, by example. Lakes, small streams are essential. Hence the interest of preserving it and take care not to waste it. Make a small hut with the help of branches on the ground in which you can, for example, take the snack.

Finally go on organic farms. Some organize visits, others propose altogether B & B with meals concocted thanks to the products grown around.

An ecology textbook

Everything you teach him about ecology, sustainable development should be kept in a notebook thanks to collages, cutting images, photos. Buy him a nice notebook made of recycled paper, it is now found in almost all paper mills. Thanks to this tool, you will know what he understood and what you will need to come back to.

Learning must always be related to a fun activity to avoid boredom and disinterest. Suggest that you write down or draw what you want to do next time.

To discover other games around ecology and the environment: The Game Guide for the planet (Editions Yves-Michel).

Toys recycled version

We often find that children tend to have more fun with everyday objects rather than with their own toys. He has fun with the box egg that you were going to throw, make a painting workshop. Color each location with a different color and fill the box with small objects of the same color.

The shoe boxes, they can become real chest to the thousand and one treasures in his room. Just help him customize it by sticking shells gathered on the beach, small branches fallen to the ground or draw flowers, a butterfly.

To go further, you can consult the space Games of the site of the Agency of the environment and the energy management (ADEME): //www.ademe.fr/particuliers/jeux_2006/REFLEXE_PLANETAIRE/sommaire. html