A child must first begin to care about nature before they develop the desire to protect it( Raja & Carrico 2022). As educators, we can help children build that early relationship. Based on our experience, here are some ideas for how to get started:
› Give children time and opportunity— both structured and unstructured— to build a relationship with nature, no matter how small that nature seems to be. For example, watching a worm, a dandelion, or a robin in your outdoor space will help children make stronger connections than using photos of distant natural species and places.
› Listen to children’ s emerging interests and questions. Then allow room for discussion and group problem solving.
› When discussing environmental issues, including climate change, use matter-of-fact, concrete language, and emphasize hope and solutions, not guilt. Remember to point out what people are doing in your area to help.
› Celebrate your successes together, no matter how small they are, and communicate children’ s experiences with their families and the school community. Every step forward brings you closer to your goal.
› Look for small moments that may not be planned or expected. These moments can lead to incredible growth. No matter how small they might seem, the ripples extend much farther than you can possibly see.
About the Authors
Rina Zampieron is the early education program manager for Mass Audubon and lives in Windham, New Hampshire. She uses her experiences as a teacher in a nature-based preschool to work with early educators across the state and beyond to build the capacity and comfort for teaching young children about nature. rzampieron @ massaudubon. org
Jennifer Feller is Mass Audubon’ s statewide director of pre-kindergarten – grade 12 programs, overseeing school and youth climate programs for more than 50,000 students a year across Massachusetts. Jennifer has more than 35 years of experience teaching and leading outdoor, environmental, and K – 12 science education programs. She has spent recent years focused on integrating climate change into the educational landscape. education @ massaudubon. org
References
Buchanan, J., K. Pressick-Kilborn, & J. Fergusson. 2021.“ Naturally Enough? Children, Climate Anxiety, and the Importance of Hope.” The Social Educator 39( 3): 17 – 31.
Chawla, L. 2020.“ Childhood Nature Connection and Constructive Hope: A Review of Research on Connecting with Nature and Coping with Environmental Loss,” British Ecological Society 2: 619 – 42. doi / 10.1002 / pan3.10128.
DeVille, N. V., L. P. Tomasso, O. P. Stoddard, G. E. Wilt, T. H. Horton, et al. 2021“ Time Spent in Nature Is Associated with Increased Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 18( 14): 7498. doi. org / 10.3390 / ijerph18147498.
Exploratorium. n. d.“ Teaching Climate Change Through Storytelling: Create Classrooms that Link Human Stories to Climate Science.” exploratorium. edu / education / teachingclimate-change? j = 2332209 & sfmc _ sub = 286934982 & l = 59 _ HTML & u = 87779887 & mid = 7227180 & jb = 7 & utm _ source = Exacttarget & utm _ medium = email & utm _ campaign = FY 25 + April + Educator + Newsletter +- + Teaching + Climate + Change.
Ginsburg, J. L., & S. Audley. 2020.“‘ You Don’ t Wanna Teach Little Kids About Climate Change’: Beliefs and Barriers to Sustainability Education in Early Childhood. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education 7( 3): 42 – 61.
NAAEE( North American Association for Environmental Education). 2025.“ What Is Climate Literacy?” naaee. org / programs / coalition / resources / what-climate-literacy.
NAEYC. 2020.“ Developmentally Appropriate Practice.” Position statement. NAEYC. naeyc. org / resources / position-statements / dap / contents.
Raja, U. S., & A. R. Carrico. 2022.“ Childhood Trauma and Other Formative Life Experiences Predict Environmental Engagement.” Scientific Reports 12: 20756. doi. org / 10.1038 / s41598-022-24517-7.
Soga, M., & K. J. Gaston. 2024.“ Do People Who Experience More Nature Act More to Protect It? A Meta-Analysis.” Biological Conservation 289: 110417. doi. org / 10.1016 / j. biocon. 2023.110417. https:// doi. org / 10.1016 / j. biocon. 2023.110417
Spiteri, J. 2023.“ Approaches to Foster Young Children’ s Engagement with Climate Action: A Scoping Review.” Sustainability 15( 19): 14604. doi. org / 10.3390 / su151914604.
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Photographs: p. 34, © Getty Images; p. 37, courtesy of Rina Zampieron Copyright © 2025 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
38 Young Children
Winter 2025