Last year, with the generous support of the Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring, For Our Kids worked with local teams and community groups to host different kid-centric and kid-led actions across the country. Involving kids in climate education and action is a great way to empower kids and show them how much they’re capable of. Through these activities, parents and teachers helped inspire kids to tap into their own power and resilience, and see their own place in building a sustainable, green world!
Here are some of the highlights from the Our Kids Club program:
Kids plant native species and design a community garden in Burnaby!
The Burnaby team ran a native planting event at their local park with two classes of Grade 4 / 5 students. They also supported the school’s Garden Crew, which began planning a proposed community garden at two club meetings. Teachers were very excited to get their classes out to local forest spaces, learning about native plants and getting their hands into the soil. Kids were thrilled to be part of planning their own community garden. As Henry, a Grade 4 student shared, “Designing and drawing makes me excited for the new community garden…I like doing things like this because it’s fun, and it feels like changing the world. It makes me feel powerful, like I can make things change.” Ellis, a Grade 1 student, said “I’m excited about the community garden…I feel happy when I get to plant and pull weeds and be in nature.”
Kids learn about trees and woodworking in Victoria
In Victoria, Parents4Climate helped organize multiple sessions for 23 kids, aged 3 to 5, to learn about the values of trees and how we can care for and protect them. The workshops involved storytelling, conversations, woodworking and direct action like invasive species pulls. Kids created wood decorations, and designed postcards to send to the Forestry Minister. Throughout February, the pieces they made during the woodworking workshops have been displayed as part of an art show! Check out their blog post here.
Kids learn about vermicomposting in Montreal
The Montreal team organized a vermicomposting workshop for kids, where kids got to create their own composting kits with worms and bring them home! Vermicomposting is a way for people in apartment buildings who don’t have access to city composting to divert organic waste, and learn the preliminaries of soil building!
Reading about climate and brainstorming action in Edmonton!
In Edmonton, For Our Kids Alberta gave Grade 4 and 5 students a copy of Kate Messner’s book History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment and held a reading and brainstorming session focused on kid-led action. The classes read passages together, and brainstormed fun ways to get people talking about climate change, which can be a scary issue! Students had great ideas, including making funny memes, writing novels or graphic novels, making videos, making posters, writing catchy songs, sharing circles, and holding big demonstrations!
Learning about plastic pollution and making zines in Ottawa
In Ottawa, World-Changing Kids led a workshop for 20 students from Grades 4-6 who are part of the eco-club at a local school. Kids learned about how plastic pollutes at all stages of its life cycle and the role of fossil fuel companies in pushing single-use plastics. Kids were highly engaged, asked tons of questions, and made artwork collected in a beautiful zine available here.
Nature walk and craft time in Ottawa!
Ottawa South Environmental Action Network collaborated with For Our Kids and Bird-Friendly Ottawa on a nature craft and outdoor walk for 20 kids and 17 parents. First, kids were invited to create 3 different eco-friendly crafts and share snacks. Then, everyone embarked on a facilitated forest walk where they learned about local wildlife and habitats.
Supporting Public Transit in London!
For Our Kids London hosted an art build with kids for their upcoming city-wide bus campaign, and made photo-stands, a banner and custom campaign buttons, as well as facilitating a discussion among parents about public transit.
If you're interested in doing your own kid-centric activities, check out Our Kids Club page for some ideas and resources!
