How to Get Your Kids Excited About Joining Our Battle Against Plastic

With our oceans in an increasingly vulnerable state as plastic takes over all seven seas, a change in society’s attitude towards both consumption and the planet is needed. Many argue that the saviours of the sea will be the next generation, with our current cheeky toddlers hoped to grow up into eco-conscious citizens. With the fate of our coral reefs, deep sea creatures and golden sands depending largely on our children, as well as ourselves, it is important to teach our young ones not only to tidy up their toys around the house but also to tidy up the rubbish strewn in the natural environment. For some this may sound like a struggle, kids are renowned for making a giant mess and wanting the latest plastic toy, right? Yet actually, recent surveys have shown that 53% of children didn’t think adults were doing enough to save our planet. A similar number were more worried about global issues, such as our unhealthy environment, than they were about school or events happening at home. So if children are already keen to save Earth, how can we give them a helping hand and give them the chance to grow up into the eco warriors our planet so desperately needs?

One great way to get your kids to care about the plastic problem as much as you is to set them a good example. If you share your enthusiasm for the planet with your children it will most likely encourage them to get excited too, whilst getting kids involved in plastic-free habits can help them settle into an ocean-friendly routine which, hopefully, they will keep up for years to come. For example, when you go shopping with your children, let them carry your reusable bags to the shop and explain to them the importance of using the same bag time and time again. Once inside the shop, let them help you pick out the best fruit and vegetables from the plastic free section or if you visit a zero-waste shop, you can let them pour out pasta and oats into your reusable containers. Not only will kids find this form of shopping a little bit more exciting but they will learn why avoiding plastic wrapping is so important. At home, you can make sure you always give them either a reusable or paper straw and make their packed lunches as plastic free as possible. If you want to get more creative, let your children help you come up with ideas of how you can reduce plastic at home and each week allow them to sort the washed rubbish into the different coloured recycling bins. By letting them decide what they think can be recycled and what cannot, children can quickly learn what materials are better for the planet and which ones we should avoid buying. For rainy days, you can help show them how rubbish can be reused by creating plastic art, upcycling old tin cans into plant pots or bird feeders and by transforming old clothes into brand new items. Children love being creative so why not let them write stories about the ocean, create plastic inspired paintings to share with the rest of your family or draw posters to pin up in school to share their enthusiasm with their friends. Many schools are doing a great job of educating children about plastic but if you wish your school was doing more, why not get your child and their friends to petition against plastic milk bottles served at break time, create campaigns encouraging reusable bottles and water refill stations or organise an afternoon litter pick around the school grounds. Not only will this educate your children, but it will also help reduce plastic in your community and let your kids have fun with their friends.

Whilst teaching children how to be kinder to the planet in everyday life is important, it is also essential that we teach them why it is so crucial that we care for the planet. One of the best ways to teach kids is to give them information about the ocean and plastic in a way that they can easily understand but also in a way that is positive which will, hopefully, leave them feeling empowered and determined to do something. For example, when you are out walking and see a piece of litter lying on the ground, you can ask children some of the following questions to get them thinking: ‘where should that plastic bottle have been placed?’, ‘what would it look like if everyone dropped their litter?’, ‘where will that bottle end up when it rains?’ and ‘what might a bird think that plastic bag is?’. These questions hope to get kids thinking about the consequences of littering and aim to encourage them to place their litter in the correct bin. If you are spending a family day on the beach, why not include a mini beach clean into your day? A quick scour along the sand for plastic between a picnic and a game of frisbee is a simple way to get children engaged in the issue of plastic and many kids love the excitement of a scavenger hunt and the prospect of finding washed up treasure. Once you give kids a litter picker and some gloves, they will get even more into their role of an ocean guardian and be patrolling across the beach with purpose for ages.

Whilst out and about on the coast, or in any natural environment, you can take the opportunity to help kids appreciate the beauty of our planet by turning them into wildlife detectives on the hunt for some of our most iconic species such as grey seals, common dolphins, puffins and scuttling crabs. Spending time in nature is not only a great way to learn about the species we share our doorstep with but it is also a sure fire way to fall in love with the environment that surrounds us and this passion for the outdoors is often the greatest motivator behind sustainable behaviour.

So, you’ve decided you want to educate your child on the environment but knowing where to find the resources can be difficult. Big Blue Ocean Cleanup have recently released free educational materials on our website including videos and illustrated fact pages covering all types of marine pollution from plastic to oil to noise. Some other great online resources are National Geographic Kids website which has everything from videos to games to quizzes whilst the Plastic Pollution Coalition web pages have a great list of educational resources aimed at ages 5 to 22 and covering subjects from maths to science to art. For younger children, illustrated books full of daring adventures and wacky facts are a great way to get them excited about the ocean. Here are some of our top ocean-friendly, child-friendly books:

·       All the Way to the Ocean by Joel Harper

This tale follows the story of two kids who discover that the plastic bottle they dropped in the gutter has made its way all the way out to the ocean. This book has been so successful that you can also find the cartoon version on YouTube.

·       The Brilliant Deep by Kate Messner

This book tells the true story of an environmental scientist who was determined to save our coral reefs and build a brighter future for them. With great writing and beautiful illustrations, this story focusses on the power of nature, the power of one individual and the power of one idea; the perfect way to inspire your young ones.

·       Somebody Swallowed Stanley by Sarah Roberts

A funny tale of Stanley, the stripy plastic bag, who sea creatures somehow keep mistaking for a tasty jellyfish.

·       Old Enough to Save the Planet by Anna Taylor and Loll Kirby

This book is filled with the real stories of inspiring young people who are taking action to save planet Earth.

·       The Big Book of the Blue by Yuval Zommer

A great book filled with cartoon creatures and crazy facts which will make children fall in love with the creatures living in the deep blue sea and will also help you answer some of their never-ending, burning questions.

·       Nelson’s Dangerous Dive by Ellie Jackson

The tale of a whale who got entangled in some stray waste and the brave divers who saved him. If you like this book, you can also follow the story of Duffy the turtle and Marlis the puffin, all of which are great stories which explain the impact of rubbish on our marine species.

·       What a Waste by Jess French

A book packed full of facts, ideas for activities to do at home, information on recycling and our Earth’s limited resources as well as examples of how we are already saving the world. A complete children’s guide to waste.

Once you and your children have enjoyed these books, you could test your knowledge as a family by doing the crosswords, code games, anagrams and puzzles in the Planet Protector activity sheets compiled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency which are available free online. Maybe you could even draw up a certificate for your child to praise them for their dedication to saving the ocean and remind them of the importance of tackling the waste which surrounds them. Whatever you decide to do, make sure your child is having fun and allow their imaginations to run wild as all it takes is one idea to generate a massive difference.

By Neve McCracken-Heywood