This is a guest post by Christine Maddox.
An eco-friendly lifestyle promotes sustainability. Whether or not the family you sit for follows that lifestyle, as a babysitter you can introduce earth-friendly projects that are also fun and educational for the kids.
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Potato Power
A favorite activity among many kids is discovering that potatoes can become batteries that can be used to power an LED light bulb or clock. This demonstrates that the ability to generate power is all around us. The simple experiment is cheap requiring not much more than a potato, a penny, a galvanized steel nail and a few alligator clip wire units. Experiment with other foods as well; citrus fruits supposedly produce more power than potatoes. Follow these steps for making a potato-powered LED clock.
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Solar Energy
Experimenting with solar power is an affordable option for introducing children to sustainable energy. The cost of solar panels have decreased so greatly that small cells can be extracted from sidewalk lighting devices for $1 a piece at the local dollar store. With a handful of these devices and a computer fan from the store, you can engage the children in making a solar-powered cooling unit. Or skip the cells and use aluminum foil and a pizza box to make a solar-powered oven for cooking S’mores!
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Wind Power
Wind experiments are a great way to teach children that power can be generated without the use of fuel-based technologies like coal and oil. With wind turbines popping up everywhere these days, you might want to demonstrate how they work by making your own. If you’re really into it, you can buy wind power kits for kids online for about $50. These kits include a variety of experiments that you and the kids can perform — without having a degree in engineering! Or try these simple wind energy activities.
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Edible Garden
During the spring and summer months, you can encourage healthier eating habits by introducing the kids to gardening. Take it a step further, and get permission from the parents to create an indoor kitchen garden. Here are some indoor garden tips. Children get excited about eating vegetables they have grown themselves. Some good foods for growing indoors include: herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, beans and small carrots. Involve the children in selecting the seeds, decorating the containers and monitoring plant growth. When harvest time comes, you can whip up a homegrown and healthy meal from the fruits of your labor!
About the Author: With a focus on parenting, kids and nanny care, Christine Maddox blogs for www.4nannies.com while pursuing her Master’s degree from the University of Texas. She can be reached at [email protected].
