Green Efforts in Preschools: Collaborating for a Sustainable Future
Building a Sustainable Future: A Team Effort
As a preschool teacher who’s been privileged to collaborate with incredible organisations like the Singapore Environment Council, Little Green Dots, Green Sproutz, SembCorp, and even co-leading SSDB projects, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of working together towards a common goal. Teaching children the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility isn’t just about having discussions—it’s about creating tangible experiences that they can see, touch, and be a part of.
The journey towards a more sustainable future is one that requires everyone’s involvement, and when parents, communities, and schools come together, the impact we can make becomes enormous. Plus, making sustainability fun for children doesn’t hurt—whether we’re showing them the wonders of composting or teaching them how to reduce waste through creative activities. It's truly a joint effort and one that’s sure to pay off in future generations of eco-conscious individuals!
My goal, with the collective support of these amazing partnerships, is to continue fostering an eco-friendly environment within our preschool—one where every child, parent, and community member plays a role in ensuring a brighter, greener future. By collaborating with organisations like SembCorp, Little Green Dots, and others, we are providing children with the tools they need to become environmental stewards of tomorrow. With hands-on projects, exciting activities, and ongoing support, we aim to instil these green habits early on, building a strong foundation for both their development and the planet’s wellbeing. Together, we can make sustainability second nature—one small action at a time!
Children: Hands-on Learning with Eco-Friendly Activities
What to do: Start small by incorporating sustainability into everyday learning. Introduce eco-friendly activities like composting, gardening, or waste separation, where children can actively participate in reducing, reusing, and recycling. Children can plant seeds, grow their own vegetables, and watch how composting works, helping them develop an early understanding of where their food comes from and the importance of taking care of the environment.
Why it's effective: These hands-on experiences make learning real and tangible, allowing young children to engage with sustainability in ways they can see and touch.
Partner organisations:
1.Little Green Dots offers educational resources, workshops, and hands-on activities that can help introduce these green initiatives in the classroom, along with the tools for getting children excited about protecting the environment.
2.NEA itself provides environmental awareness campaigns for children, such as workshops on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and guides on energy efficiency that can be brought into preschool classrooms for hands-on learning.
Parents: Interactive Sustainability Workshops and Resources
What to do: Organise workshops or parenting sessions focused on how families can adopt eco-friendly practices at home. These can range from energy-saving tips to reducing plastic waste. Parents can be taught how to engage in sustainable activities with their children at home, like crafting with recycled materials, setting up a home composting system, or exploring zero-waste alternatives. Providing easy-to-use guides or a list of resources will help parents actively support sustainability beyond the school.
Why it's effective: Parental involvement is crucial, as sustainability practices need to be reinforced at home to be effective. It’s also an opportunity for parents to share their own ideas and strategies.
Partner organisation:
1.Singapore Environment Council (SEC) provides a wealth of resources for businesses and schools, offering tips on creating eco-friendly environments both in the classroom and at home. They can also support you in conducting workshops tailored for parents.
2.NEA has numerous online resources for parents, such as the SG Green Plan, a roadmap for sustainable living, and other environmental guidance materials that schools can provide to parents as handouts or references.
Community: Environmental Initiatives with Local Collaboration
What to do: Engage in community-wide sustainability efforts that involve both children and their families. For example, organise a local "Clean and Green" event where children and parents join forces with community members to help clean up local parks, or create a community garden where everyone can contribute and learn about growing food sustainably.
Why it's effective: When the school becomes a part of a larger community effort, children feel like they are contributing to something bigger, which encourages a sense of responsibility and pride. Involving families and local organisations makes the initiative even more powerful.
Partner organisation:
1.SembCorp offers corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and community engagement activities, often focusing on sustainability. They could partner with schools to host community events or offer environmental training for parents and children alike.
2.NEA provides community-centric sustainability programmes, such as the Keep Singapore Clean movement and various tree planting initiatives. By collaborating with NEA, schools can integrate local environmental efforts with national campaigns.
My Preschool Shines @ South West is an initiative by the South West Community Development Council (CDC) in collaboration with the National Environment Agency (NEA)
The programme aims to instil environmental awareness and responsibility in preschoolers aged three to six. Each year, the curriculum focuses on different aspects of sustainability; for instance, the 2018 curriculum spotlighted energy conservation, educating young learners about climate change and actionable steps to mitigate its effects.
Essentially, Preschool Shines aims to involve both children and their families in understanding sustainability through fun, hands-on activities that you can integrate into everyday learning. What I love most is how accessible the programme is—it provides educators with tons of resources, activities, and ideas that make embedding sustainability into the curriculum feel almost effortless.
The initiative encourages practical learning in areas like recycling, conservation, and environmental awareness, all of which fit naturally with the preschool setting. For example, you could teach children about recycling through art projects, or engage them in planting activities to connect with the natural environment. These activities help children build a meaningful relationship with sustainability, and the bonus is, they can share what they've learnt with their parents. It's such a wonderful way to get families involved and working together for a greater cause.
With everything I’ve found out over the past year, I genuinely believe this is an initiative worth pursuing, especially for schools that are keen to boost their eco-friendly credentials. As teachers, we’re in the perfect position to help shape the environmental leaders of tomorrow, and what better way to start than by giving them the tools to make a difference today?
So if your school hasn’t quite taken the leap yet, I’d say—let’s get onboard. It’s more than just a nice-to-have project; it’s a chance to empower the next generation of green thinkers. Let’s make it happen!
So far, it’s been quite a journey. Within two years, and now entering my third year of co-leading the green efforts and sustainability projects, I’ve truly learnt the value of resilience. Planning and implementing these initiatives with the team hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge has contributed to my growth. Now, I’m proud to say that I feel ready for new collaborations and projects ahead. Leading a team can be demanding, but I’m confident that together, we’ll navigate through any hurdles and make this year a successful one for sustainability!