Ensuring your children understand the importance of conserving energy will not only reduce your electricity bills, but it will also encourage a new generation of environmentally conscious humans. Here are some easy ways to teach your children to be more energy conscious:
Education
Depending on the age of your child, the most important thing to begin with is education. Explaining how electricity works is a great first step. Begin by discussing what electricity is, how it works, how it is used in our homes and encourage your children to enter into the discussion by asking questions! Let’s be honest, many adults don’t understand these concepts either and that’s okay – it’s a great way to learn with your kids. In this electricity introduction video, kids can learn how electricity is generated and also learn the different types of electricity. Tip: Brush up on your basic electricity knowledge before speaking to your kids, so you’re not caught off guard.
Be the example
We hear it all the time, children will follow your example and not your advice. Children are excellent imitators, so give them something to imitate. Get into the habit of switching off the lights when you leave a room, unplugging devices that are no longer in use and switching the TV completely off. Don’t be afraid to be vocal about your actions i.e. if you’re switching off the light, tell your child that you’re doing it, explain why and then encourage them to do the same thing in their room.
Responsibility and Rewards
Everyone loves being rewarded, especially children. Start a healthy competition with all the family members through an energy-saving challenge. You can create a chart where everyone can add in things they did to save electricity that day or week. Reward them with stickers for each action they did which could then accumulate to extra pocket money or a special treat like ice cream.
Some of the things could include:
- Limited screen time (TV, tablets, computers)
- Shorter showers
- Switching off the lights
- Swapping to something that doesn’t require power like playing outside or reading a book
Not only are these are great ways to save electricity, it can help reduce screen time dependency in children and foster creativity.
Make it fun
Children love games and they learn very well through creative play. Make environmentally friendly activities a part of play time to help them learn about energy savings. Here are some great activity suggestions for you to try.
You’re never too old or too young to learn how to save energy at home and we hope you’ve enjoyed these tips as much as your kids do. To continue learning about saving electricity, read our blogs about the 6 appliances that use more electricity than you think and the 7 ways to save on electricity costs with Citiq Prepaid.
