Building a connection with nature is a critical first step toward climate literacy( NAAEE 2025). Children who care about and take notice of the world around them are more likely to continue this nature connectedness, becoming adults who are empathetic and aware of environmental changes( Soga & Gaston 2024). By“ anchoring lessons in local phenomena,” early childhood educators can help children build relationships with their surroundings that include“ joy, reflection, and a lasting appreciation for the natural environment”( Exploratorium 2025).
The effects of climate change— massive forest fires, intense storms, and other distressing trends in weather patterns— can feel overwhelming. Yet educators can teach children about the issue without imparting fear. Building on the idea that“ small can be big”( United Nations, n. d.), early childhood educators can support children in small acts that effect change. When individuals engage in actions that positively impact the environment, they realize that others can do similar small things and together, make a difference( Chawla 2020).
As we discussed how best to teach our children about invasive species and the black swallow-wort, we leaned on NAEYC’ s“ Developmentally Appropriate Practice” position statement( 2020) and its core considerations of commonality, individuality, and context. While our class shared a common concern about the ways climate change was affecting the monarch butterflies’ food supply, we acknowledged that each child would have their own feelings and understandings about this concept. Not every child would be ready to take part in the conversation or join in an action— choices we wanted them to have the space and freedom to make. In addition, we knew that families would have their own experiences and views around the subject of climate change.
With these considerations in mind, we moved forward as a class community, supporting individual children’ s concerns and ideas and being conscious of families and their cultural contexts. We also acknowledged our own uncertainty(“ I don’ t have all the answers on how we fix the problem, but together we can find at least one thing we can do that will help!”) while sharing with the children that their efforts would make a positive difference. This is called a“ pedagogy of hope”( Buchanan et al. 2021, 17).
Small Hands, Big Efforts: Eradicating Black Swallow-Wort
As my coteacher and I( Rina) began talking about the black swallow-wort, we focused on sharing facts in a clear, concise way:“ These plants aren’ t supposed to be here, and they make it hard for monarch caterpillars to survive.” Using the phrase“ Humans were part of bringing these plants here, and we can be part of getting rid of them too,” we invited the children to take part in asking about the problem and brainstorming what to do about it. We found that the children weren’ t scared; they were inspired. Or, as Louise Chawla would say, our children held the belief that their own actions and the actions of others could make a difference( 2020).
We wanted to honor the children’ s wishes to help the monarchs, connect new information and skills with what the children already knew and could do, and enable their successful actions. The children shared ideas— everything from posting warning notes for the butterflies to mowing down the plant. To build their knowledge, we printed photos of black swallow-wort, which we took on our daily walks. We reached out to naturalists to share about the plant, and we read about it online.
At last, we found the answers we sought: For most invasive plants, the best way to control them is to remove them by hand, which builds both gross motor skills and community connections. We could help the butterflies by removing the black swallow-wort’ s seed pods before the seeds were released.
Armed with our knowledge and sharp-eyed children, we walked about 15 minutes to the field near the preschool to search for this invasive species. We found a fence covered in black swallow-wort vines, and for an hour, the children picked every pod they could reach. By the end of the hour, we had collected a bag bulging with pods that would no longer be able to spread their seeds. But as we proudly made our way back to the classroom, I wondered: How could we demonstrate that the children had accomplished something worthwhile?
Back in the classroom, we laid out our bag of seed pods and asked the children to put them into groups of 10. Soon there were plates, cups, bowls, and baskets strewn across every flat surface in the room, holding 528 seed
36 Young Children
Winter 2025