One of the main tasks of preschool education is to teach children to realize that people are a biological species that lives on the planet along with others, no less significant. The child must learn: nature must be protected because it is valuable in itself. A man cannot exist without her, but she can exist without him.
Goals
Environmental education of preschool children includes the formation of a positive attitude towards nature. The child is instilled with love for the world around him, they are taught to take care of everything living. He also receives basic environmental knowledge.
During the first seven years of life, the child develops self-consciousness: he distinguishes himself as an independent unit, gradually realizes his place among close and simply familiar people, begins to navigate the world around him, isolates his values. It was at this time that the foundations of a future personality were laid, including the attitude to nature. With the help of adults, the child realizes it as a common value for all people.
Integrative approach
Carrying out environmental education, it is best to adhere to an integrated approach. This is the interconnection of research, visual and theatrical activities, music, literature, games, physical education, etc. That is, the ecologization of various activities of children is carried out.
An integrative approach in the implementation of environmental education of preschool children is important because it is at this stage of life that the period of its intensive development and rapid growth, continuous improvement of mental and physical capabilities falls.
Tree lives life too
Preschoolers need to be introduced to the development of animals and plants, their seasonal characteristics in the process of life. This will help the child understand the features of the development of the world. It’s not enough to just say: “Cutting down a tree is a bad deed.” We need to make him understand why this is so.
Man is not the master
It is also important to instill in children the feeling that people are not masters of nature at all, who are allowed to do as they please. Let them understand that they are part of it. Show children examples of disgusting, possessive, consumer behavior of people and publicly condemn those responsible.
Why so early
It is necessary to start giving environmental education precisely at preschool age because during this period children are very emotional and easily give in to the suggestion of adults. Only preschoolers will ask you a huge number of questions about animals and plants, as well as wonder at natural phenomena. For young children, animals are friends, they empathize with them and sympathize with them. It is these feelings that need to be developed in them.
Don't let the kids get bored
Classes should be very emotional and intense. Environmental education should not be boring. The interest of children needs to be constantly maintained. To increase the effect, you can involve characters from fairy tales in the training. Associative thinking will help to better understand the lessons.
Combine
Professionals advise combining environmental education with aesthetic. This is necessary to educate children about good ideas about the world. For example, you can draw, cut out figures from paper, do modeling - to get a more visual representation of nature.
Let the child sculpt the studied objects during the explanation of the lesson: trees, various animals, or even our planet. By drawing, the preschooler will also receive special knowledge that will help him better learn the lesson. In addition, thanks to such classes, he learns about color, the shape of other features of the student.
Music
Music is of great importance for the development of the ability to emotionally perceive children around the world. Indeed, it is not without reason that the greatest composers of past centuries and modernity devoted much of their work to the theme of nature. We all know the famous cycles of Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi. Using music, their authors draw poetic, vivid and colorful pictures of nature.
What's next?
The next stage is the environmental education of schoolchildren. Basically, it should be carried out by teachers with appropriate education. But, still do not forget about the role of parents.