To help protect and care for our environments, we must promote sustainability practices to children at a young age. EcoMarines strives to create a generation of environmental heroes, and where better place to start than in your centre! There are plenty of easy, effective ways to promote sustainability and educate young children about environmental conservation and preservation.
Watch this video to get a glimpse into the EcoMarines Early Learning Program. See our Mini Marines from Avenues Sunnybank Hills engage in fun eco-challenges, from gardening to recycling and much more!
Use waste items for craft supplies, for example: plastic bottles, bottle lids, cardboard rolls, paper, boxes, clothes
Use waste items for the garden! Plastic containers such as yoghurt containers, plastic bottles, cans and more can easily become plant pots. Old tires and pallets can be donated and made into planters as well
Reuse rain water by collecting it in buckets for watering the garden or water play
Parents can bring in items from the home that could have a second life at your centre such as furniture or toys
Recycle food scraps through composting or worm farming
As well as recycling bins and containers for change bins, why not add bins in for soft plastics (recycled through REDcycle at Coles and Woolworths), bread tags (recycled through Bread Tags for Wheelchairs) and oral care packaging (through Terra Cycle)
Ensure recycling bins are placed in high traffic areas of your centre and educate your centre on correct use of the bins
A big part of EcoMarines programs is to promote kids teaching kids. This is great way for children to learn and build relationships! Here are some ways you can incorporate kids teaching kids at your centre:
Once your children have learnt about helping the environment, you can organise for children to present their ideas to younger classes to share the information.
If you would like to connect with an EcoMarines primary school either virtually or for a visit, please email!
When completing our challenges and activities, buddy up older children with younger children! This is great way to allow children to make friends with others outside of their normal classes.
Teresa and the other amazing educators at Avenues take pride in reducing, reusing and recycling at their centre. Here are some amazing sustainable ideas they have come up with:
Wearable artwork made out of waste items
Farmers market swap stall: families bring produce or baked goods to a stall in their foyer
Upcycling any items for use within the centre
Collecting rainwater for use in the garden
Candice and her amazing team at Avenues Norman park take pride in their projects to help make their centre eco-friendly. Here are some projects they have achieved:
Reusing bottle caps for art
Growing veggies in garden beds
Re-growing potatoes from cuttings
Developing a sustainability officers on duty role for children to help with initiatives
Having a native bee hive
Making Christmas trees out of recyclable items
Daarah and her team at Avenues Jindalee incorporate sustainability in all classrooms and with children of all ages. They aim to inspire children to care for our environments through hands-on activities. Here are a few examples:
Using upcycled rain gauges to help water the garden
Teaching children about waters pollution through upcycling jars and filling it with clean versus ‘murky’ water
Including children in composting and worm farming
Growing seedlings for the garden
Leigh and the children in her day care incorporate many sustainable and environmentally – focused projects and activities every day. Here are a few examples:
Using natural materials for toys and craft items
Learning about sea animals
Creating artwork out of rubbish items
Growing seedlings from seeds found in produce such as capsicums
Re-using food scraps for the garden including making fertilizer out of banana peels
We want to know! Send us an email with your ideas below and you can be featured on our Centre Spotlights!
Tangalooma EcoMarines Foundation Ltd is a registered Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) and has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR1) status with the Australian Tax Office (ABN 40 168 034 008). All eligible donations are tax-deductible.
