Toddler Talk Thursday-Raising an Eco Friendly Toddler

This Thursday Toddler Talk topic is-How Are You Raising Your Toddler to be eco-friendly.  This had me stumped for awhile.  We do a lot of things in our household that are eco-friendly but our toddler does not really participate in many of them.  We have reusable grocery bags.  We have used them for years.  We used them before they were cool, when the people behind you would roll their eyes and sigh, and the cashier would get all bent out of shape and barely speak to you through the whole process.

We recycle like crazy.  Newspapers, magazines, cardboard, plastic, glass, cans.....if it can be recycled we recycle it.   One can a week is the goal at our house.  I know that could probably be improved upon but we have come a long way from what we used to dispose of.

I also keep an eye out for jars and containers that I can use either for art projects or to hold different objects and help organize our household.  Some containers I like to keep are baby food jars, parmesan cheese containers, and peanut butter jars.  These come in handy a lot!!  Jadon does enjoy using paper towel tubes as a spyglass.  What kid does not? 

In the last year I have also changed the way I clean.  I am trying to use natural cleaning products to eliminate potentially toxic chemicals from our environment.  What started with recycling just keeps going.  I am always trying to create a safe environment for my family and the many wild friends that share our woods.  I tackle one thing at a time but I have not really shared this with my toddler......or have I?

I actually think I have without even realizing it.  See when I saw the topic for the week I was thinking....no I don't sit with my toddler and try to explain why we reduce, reuse, and recycle.  What we are doing however is creating a love for all things outdoors.  A love for the flowers, frogs, and fluffy friends.  A love for the adventures that can be found in the outdoors, in nature.

We are so lucky to live in the woods.  We are surrounded by nature.  We are also members of our local zoo's and frequent them a lot.  We love taking hikes in our woods and at our local wildlife parks.  Collecting things like acorns and other nuts in the fall is exciting to Jadon.  Taking in the sweet smell a flower gives off is a simple pleasure he is learning to appreciate.  Finding a frog stuck to of our windows on a hot summer night can fill the house with the sounds of pure joy.  So I guess that is how I am teaching my toddler to be eco-friendly.  I am teaching him to love nature.  To love frogs, birds, flower, acorns, butterflies, and yes even the ones Mommy finds gross like snakes.  I hope that this love of nature will make Jadon want to protect it.

So we smell the flowers.....

We get dirty.  A little dirt never hurt.

We take walks and hunt for acorns and anything else that catches our eye.....

We run, jump, and roll in a new fallen snow....

We admire God's other beautiful creatures at the zoo.

We explore.

And we grow....

I loved this topic!  Thanks to Crazy About My Baybah, Life Of A Sippy Cup Mom, and Family And Life In Las Vegas for the great topic this week!  I would love to know what are some favorite outdoor learning activities that other mom's of toddler's do with their kids.