Childhood conservationism

By Rechell McDonald
It can be difficult to get your children interested in nature beyond going fishing or sledding in the winter. Sure, the outdoors are fantastic and, certainly, spending time outside being active is great, but what about helping our children to develop a healthy concern for the environment?
It’s hard, right? As adults, many of us have real concerns about the environment and the future of our planet, it’s hard not to, but too few of us take an active role in conservation outside of ensuring we sort our recycling. It’s true, we are busier than ever, and so are our children, but half the battle is finding a fun and interesting way to get them involved – after all, sorting the trash from the recycling isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a good time.
This is where the Earth Rangers Program comes in. The Earth Rangers is a group of children across the country that commit to making a difference by ‘bringing back the wild’. Children join the online community for free, and then have the opportunity to accept missions and challenges through the website. A mission could consist of picking up trash from a public place, planting a small garden, or creating a bird feeder for your yard. Children can also select a species they want to protect and then fundraise for their cause. Whenever children meet their fundraising goals, the Earth Rangers award them with fun prizes to commemorate their achievements. Not only is this an excellent way to get children interested in taking care of the planet, but it makes them more socially responsible by exposing them to volunteer opportunities and encouraging them to get out in their community.
Earth Rangers is something your children can participate in year-round, and the website provides all the guidance you need to help them be successful with any mission or challenge. To learn more about the program, visit them online at www.earthranger.com.