Environment for Kids

I wrote a Green Life column this week about kids who are environmental activists.Some schools are doing a great job of teaching kids about environmental issues, with in-class composting systems, garbage-free lunches, and sending out emails to parents instead of sheaves of paper home with children. But kids can learn a lot about the environment at home, when parents talk to them about things like recycling and water conservation. Explain to them why your thermostat is set low during the winter and why you don't use pesticides in your garden. Try to leave your car at home and use public transit or cycle or walk to your destination - with them.A great way for kids to learn about the environment is to get out into it. There are large parks and other natural areas in the Montreal region where kids can see native plants and animals, ranging from the provincial parks on Mont St. Bruno and the Iles de Boucherville, to Mount Royal and the shores of the St. Lawrence River in Lachine, Lasalle and Verdun."For children to learn more about the natural world, they have to get out into the natural world," Hilary Inwood of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education told TV Ontario recently.Ten years ago Canadian artist and naturalist launched a contest to encourage kids to learn more about the flora and fauna around them. The contest, called , urges kids outdoors, or to local zoos or aquariums to see what kinds of plants and animals are around them. They can enter their artwork, photography or writing inspired by nature in the Get To Know contest and win prizes of cash, digital cameras and others. The deadline for entries is May 28. More info at .There are other great resources for learning about nature here too, such as Montreal's nature museums - the , and . For animals found in the Montreal region, head to the in Ste. Anne de Bellevue and see deer, raccoons, porcupines and bears. The , on Ile Ste. Hélène, is in a cool building with lots of hands-on learning experiences for kids, including water toys where they can get their feet, hands and sometimes other parts of their bodies wet.