Environmental education aims to encourage children, especially those in urban areas, to experience and appreciate nature’s wonders. A key goal is to instil a lifelong dedication to maintaining a high-quality environment, often built upon positive early experiences in natural settings. Understanding how children, particularly urban children, perceive nature and what makes them comfortable is crucial for designing effective environmental education programs.

Research indicates that children differentiate natural settings and form preferences based on characteristics like content (e.g., vegetation, topography) and spatial arrangement (e.g., openness). They also interpret potential activities in a scene, and the perceived desirability of a setting is directly linked to the opportunities it offers for engagement. For urban children, settings like school sites and urban nature scenes (with a mix of green space and buildings) tend to receive high preference ratings, while more “wild” nature like deep woods might be less preferred. Children appreciate elements like trees, animals, open space, and water in natural settings. However, they also express fears related to nature, such as encountering animals, trees or branches falling, drowning, or even threats from other people hiding in these spaces. Therefore, environmental education experiences need to consider both attributes that enhance preference and the activities a setting affords. It is essential to directly address children’s fears and concerns and provide them with imagery of suitable activities they can engage in. Developing environments, such as school yards, to encourage children’s natural inclination for exploration is also important.

Sesame Workshop India has recognized the importance of environmental education for young children and developed the ‘Mera Planet, Mera Ghar’ initiative which aims to build environmental stewardship in children aged 5-12 years, starting in Delhi’s government schools. The program seeks to integrate environmental lessons into daily learning, emphasizing sustainable practices and active environmental leadership. Mera Planet, Mera Ghar utilizes a STEM-based educational kit that includes various materials designed to build children’s awareness and curiosity about environmental issues and solutions. The initiative also includes training for educators and a social media campaign to encourage families and adults to adopt eco-friendly practices.

Ultimately, environmental education for young children is vital for equipping them with the knowledge, values, and skills necessary to navigate and contribute to a sustainable future. Initiatives like Mera Planet, Mera Ghar demonstrate practical approaches to engage children in environmental issues through interactive learning and encourage them to become environmental champions in their communities.