Think your toddler is too young to learn about going green?  Think again!  The toddler years are the perfect time to start teaching your little ones about recycling, conserving, and protecting the planet. And starting young helps instill good practices that will last a lifetime.  So try these tricks to help your little bean go green:

Flick the switch: Teach your toddler to turn off the lights when leaving a room and to leave the lights off during the day whenever possible. 

 

Recycling 1-2-3: Make recycling into a game in your house and let your little ones help you sort the newspapers, magazine, plastic bottles, and junk mail.  

 

Squeeze the tap: Teach your child to keep the water flow to a pencil-thin stream when using the sink.

 

Go veggie: Teach your toddler how to pick out ripe fruits and veggies at the grocery store or even better at your local farmers market.

 

Make dirt: Enlist your little one's help in starting and maintaining a compost pile.  Get them used to seeing that food waste is not garbage but rather something that can be turned into soil to grow more food.

 

Use your feet: Walk whenever possible.  Let your toddler ride along in a stroller when you head out to run errands or go to the store and make sure they understand that the car isn't the only way to get around.

 

Get dirty: The best way to helo your little bean go green is to help him create his own bond with nature.  So take your little one outdoors as often as possible and let him play in the dirt, splash in the puddles, and smell the flowers!