The Fayette County Green Team

Teach your Children

How does time spent with your children help the environment?

A typical child growing up in North America today spends an average of 3 hours per day watching TV. In many cases, this is more time than spent with his/her own parents.

TV presents our children with a constant barrage of commercials and consumer values. Children today are obsessed with the things money can buy – do they understand the cost to the environment of needless consumerism?

Go outside and play with them.  We are so lucky to have places like the New River Gorge for hiking, playing in the water, and learning about the beauty that is all around us.

Here are some other sites which offer activities, ideas and inspiration for parents and children to explore and enjoy together:

Apogee Model Rocketry
Do you build or want to design your own model rockets? Do you need some help getting started? Even if you do design your own models, would you like to make them even better and more unique? This web site offers basic information on model rockets, construction plans, parts, flying tips and technical information.

Curious George
Here are some simple ideas for hands-on engineering, math, and science activities that you and your child can try at home. Use them to encourage your child’s natural curiosity and to have fun making discoveries together.

Hunkins Experiments
Hunkins’ experiments were designed by a cartoonist for inquiring minds. Using cartoon-like examples in topics like food and clothes and light and sound, families can make an edible candle, learn to use a watch as a compass, drawing water from a desert or making a rubberband, for instance. Simple but engaging.

Seadercraft
Inexpensive wooden model sailboat kits with realistic sailing action. Actual sailing models are controlled by line from shore. Learn about sailing and sailboat design with this unique hobby and craft. All ages. “What kites are to air, our model sailboats are to water.”

Flying Pig
A unique range of animated models for the parent/child to cut out, paste and assemble. These paper craft kits are especially appealing as father-son activities. A good way to learn the principles of levers, cams, ratchets, linkages, gears and more. The creator of these kits is a British school teacher who uses the models in classrooms to teach kids about mechanics.
Suitable for children aged 12 and up, younger with adult help.

Detailed Play Systems
Wooden forts and swingsets. Detailed plans and kits you can assemble yourself for backyard play. Large assortment of designs which can be downloaded instantly from the site. Good pictures and thorough explanations of the play systems offered.

Adapted from eartheasy.com.