8 Easy Ways to Teach Children about Water Conservation

As parents of small children, we often forget to give them the credit they deserve. The newer generation is more passionate about issues such as climate change, equality and water conservation.

It is easy to teach children about something that their teachers have been drilling into them since forever; save water. As parents, we have to become a good influence for our children to follow and shape their values against.

There is no better way to inculcate a habit of saving water in children than by providing a good example at home.

Here’s how you can get your kids passionate about conserving water:

Educate them about where water comes from:

Depending on where you live, your water may either be sourced from the ground with aquifers, from surface waters like rivers, or a rainwater collection, such as in the island of Bermuda.

In Fort Worth, TX, we get surface water from six sources, which includes Lake Worth, Lake Bridgeport, Cedar Creek, Benbrook Lake, Richland Chambers and Eagle Mountain Lake. Lake Worth is owned by the city of Fort Worth, while Benbrook Lake is taken care of by the US Army.

Take your kids to these spots and make it a teachable moment while they have fun in the water.

Look for water leaks:

Make an activity out of searching for water leaks in your home. Since kids love to play detectives, turn it into a game where they can look for faucets and pipes that are wasting water.

Once you find the leaks, call your plumber to fix the leaks immediately, or fix it at home with help from these tips. You can ask your children to watch, so they understand the importance of proper plumbing for saving water.

Explain the drainage system to them:

Here’s a fact you might not have known either: whatever medications and toxic chemicals we flush in the toilet or pour down the drain have the potential to cause harm to wastewater treatment facilities, pollute our water supplies, and endanger wild animals.

Educate yourself and your kids about what they should and shouldn’t be flushing, and recount memories of flushed objects that caused clogged drains.

Teach children to be safe when disposing of prescription medicines and hazardous waste by showing them how to do it in MedReturn boxes. However, make sure your child does not touch the hazardous chemicals or items themselves.

You can even take your kids on tour to the local municipal water and waste water plant to help them understand how water is treated to remove pollutants.

Take them camping:

While camping is a great outdoor activity to help you bond with your kids and enjoy some fresh air, it can also serve as a demonstration for water conservation.

When going camping, you often need to bring your own water, and hauling eight pounds per gallon can make you want to carry less. Nearby streams, lakes, and ponds also serve as a way to connect with nature and help your child to understand the scarceness of water.

Plant a rain garden:

Harvesting rainwater can help you save on your outdoor water use, as well as keep harmful pollutants or fertilizers from entering your storm drains and water supplies.

You can incorporate water harvesting by planting a rain garden with your kids. A rain garden comprises of a few native shrubs and plants which are planted in a slope to temporarily collect and soak water.

Make sure to include trees and plants that your kids like, and those that attract butterflies, birds and pollinators to create a garden that gives many benefits.

Incorporate more showers:

For babies, use only an inch or two of water when bathing them. When your kids grow up, teach them to switch from baths to showers. Since showers save more water, tell your kids about the importance of taking short baths to use less water.

Water the grass with old water:

Stop your kids from throwing away water bottles that have some water left in them. Similarly, collect water from half-drunk cups, or boiling eggs, and save it in a jar to water your plants with.

This activity teaches kids to be thrifty with their water instead of using a sprinkler or hose every time. Teach your kids why it is essential to reuse water whenever possible instead of throwing it down the drain every time.

Make them excited about World Water Day:

The United Nations has declared March 22nd as World Water Day to emphasize the importance of saving water resources. To get your kids in a celebratory mood while educating them on the importance of water, share some of the following water facts with them:

Only 1 per cent of the world’s total water is drinkable

The human body can survive a month without eating food, but only about a week without water

Over 2 billion people in the world face water scarcity

These facts help your child understand how water is a scarce resource and needs to be saved.

Your plumbing should support your quest to save water. Take care of any leaks fast with a trusted plumbing company in Fort Worth TX such as Pro Serve Plumbing. Let your kids learn by your example.