Green Cleaning Activities for the Young Child
Environmental Care and Conservation in the Early Years
Jun 29, 2009
Practical life exercises are popular in Montessori preschools. Through these activities, children learn how to control and coordinate their movements as they develop skills to use every day objects such as spoons, bottles and jugs. They learn how to care for themselves and this care is subsequently extended to their environment.
In the activities that foster care for the environment, young children learn to carry out household chores including washing, mopping, sweeping, dusting and polishing. Clear demonstrations of the cleaning up steps and right sized tools allow the young children to pick up these cleaning skills. Children, in fact, take great pride in being able to look after their immediate environment. Parents therefore are encouraged to involve young children in clean up activities at home, and to go further to share green cleaning experiences with them.
Re-Use and Conserve Natural Resources
One of the key attractions of the cleaning up activities is the opportunity to use water. It is important that parents ensure that water is used wisely in these chores. Parents can also show children how to collect and re-use water whenever possible. Minimize as well the use of paper towels in cleaning activities. Turn old clothes instead into cleaning rags, and save trees in the process.
Buy Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products
The cleaning products used can determine air quality at home and can affect health conditions. These need to be selected with care.
On shopping trips for cleaning products, parents could show children how they read labels to find items that are non-toxic, biodegradable and petroleum free. Parents can indicate critical signal words such as poison, danger, warning or caution. Be seen to check out the ingredients and avoid items with phosphates, chlorine, phenol and other toxic chemicals that one can barely pronounce.
Turn Household Items into Safe and Healthy Cleaners
Cleaning homes can also be healthier and safer when parents use ingredients that are harmless to humans and animals, and also to the land and water supply. Here are some examples of how household items can be used to clean homes:
- Shine windows using crumpled newspaper and vinegar or lemon juice.
- Clean cars (including lights, tyres and floor mats) using baking soda.
- Deodorize carpets by sprinkling baking soda or cornstarch onto the carpet before vacuuming.
- Remove dirt from wood surfaces with lemon juice and white vinegar.
- Rub toothpaste onto silver to make it shine again.
- Remove tea and cover stains using salt and white vinegar.
- Polish leather shoes with the inside of a banana peel.
Make Garbage Enzymes
Another popular and natural household cleaner is garbage enzyme. Developed by Thai alternative medicine practitioner, Dr. Rosukon Poompanwong, garbage enzyme is a mixture of brown sugar, organic kitchen waste (such as fruit peel and seeds) and water. The mixture is left to ferment for three months. Parents, together with the children, can make and use this cheap and convenient cleaning alternative in the homes, and help to safeguard the environment from the harsh chemicals that may be present in commercial cleaners.
In short, parents should encourage young children to clean house with them. They enjoy doing so. Further, when children learn from young to green clean – i.e. to care for their immediate environment and exercise responsibility in how they do so – they will grow up to be adults who can be entrusted with the stewardship of the earth.
 |
