Ecological games for children

When we talk about ecological games, we refer to those recreational activities through which we can understand the functioning of our planet , enriching our knowledge and promoting, at the same time, awareness of current environmental problems. Some games can even allow us to collaborate and put into practice some actions that help curb these problems , such as recycling, saving energy and resources or cleaning green areas.

On the other hand, it should be noted that playing is not just for children and much less ecology. Respect for the environment is something that concerns us all, so in ecological games they do not have a certain age range, they can participate from the oldest to the smallest.

The ecosystem

In this game, each player will choose a living or inert being and play their role, so that one player can be, for example, a lake, another a deer, another a mountain, another a flower, another the sun, and so on. Next, one of the players is given a ball of wool, and he must approach each element of the environment with which he is related without releasing the ball, so that a kind of spider web or net is formed. Once the participants are connected by the wool thread, questions or unknowns can be asked to make them think and understand the importance of maintaining each and every element of the ecosystem . We can eliminate, for example, one of the elements and check how it affects the restor play to move the thread, raise it, lower it or pull it and observe how the rest of the members will also move. With this game children will learn the importance of the interrelationships of an ecosystem .

The detective

We present the children with a case, and we give them a fairly wide margin of time to develop their research, such as, for example, Where does our garbage go? Where does the toilet water go? How do birds communicate? This will awaken the interest and curiosity of the little ones who will develop their own conjectures. Once they explain their theory, we will correct them if they are wrong and we will provide them with videos or tools so that they understand how it really happens.

Pick up trash

This game can be set up as a competition. Groups will be made and there will be a natural space, which is slightly affected by human contamination, such as a picnic area in which there are food containers on the ground. Each team is given a few garbage bags and utensils to collect waste, such as gloves or brushes and is given a limited time for each team to collect as much garbage as possible. The winning team will be the one that has collected the most trash.

Recycled crafts

There are many crafts that can be made from items that we consider waste or that are “no longer worth”, such as wallets with newspaper, using glue, thread and sewing needle. Convert food containers into other products, such as making a piggy bank or pencil pot from a used soda can or toys and decoration items such as Christmas decorations from bottles, tin cans, and other containers. Through this practice, children learn the double use of objects and to focus in a different way of view everything that we throw away or that we get rid of. In the following articles we explain how to make musical instruments from recycled materials orideas to recycle colored straws .

Toxic water

It consists of a game of catch. One of the players is the polluted water and has to catch one of the other players, once they catch it they will shake hands and continue trying to catch people and reaching out until practically all the players are trapped. With this game, the aim is to understand the ability of a toxic or polluting substance to expand and affect the environment.

Deforestation

One of the children or players will be the forest ranger , while there will be three lumberjacks . The lumberjacks will begin to touch the rest of the children, which will be the trees. Each child touched will be a felled tree, so they will have to sit down. At the same time, the forester will touch the felled trees so that they grow back, however they cannot be incorporated directly but will need at least three touches to fully incorporate. With the first touch they will have squatting, with the second on their knees and with the third finally standing. With this game, children can appreciate the devastating effects of uncontrolled loggingNo matter how much the forester tries to alleviate the effect. In the following AgroCorrn article we explain the consequences of deforestation for children .

If you want to read more articles similar to Ecological games for children , we recommend that you enter our Environmental Education category .