Climate Education
8 Ways Adults Can Learn from Children About Caring for the Earth
November 20, 2025
Every November 20th, we celebrate children’s rights on World Children’s Day – their right to learn, to dream, and to grow up on a healthy, livable planet. However, growing up in 2025 means that children are coming of age at a time when the Earth is crying for care.
When we look at the climate crisis through their eyes, we see things differently – and perhaps we adults can learn a thing or two from children.
Here are eight lessons children offer us, not because they have all the answers, but because their way of seeing the world reminds us what really matters.
1. Be Curious About Everything
Children ask “why” a hundred times a day; in fact it is a precursor to some of the most common questions asked by kids 6 and under. That curiosity is where we can learn about the world around us. When we ask more questions about things, like how our energy sources are created, how products are made, or where our waste goes, we become aware of the systems that shape our planet and what changes need to be made. Curiosity keeps us open-minded and ready to learn. As new research from the University of California, Santa Barbara shows, people who nurture their curiosity tend to stay more engaged with the world around them, exactly the kind of mindset that helps us care more deeply for the planet.
This is the foundation of environmentalism: understanding how human choices impact the Earth and engaging in mitigation of the harm we may cause.
2. Paper Beats Rock, Rock Beats Plastic
We don’t come out of the womb with a Christmas wish-list – but we are born with our imagination. Children can build a rocket from a box or a sword from a stick. They teach us that happiness can be found in keeping things we already have rather than purchasing new items. Repurposing the things we already have in our hands cuts down on waste and uses our imagination. The circular economy works the same way, it reminds us to give materials like plastic bottles or packaging a second life, keeping them in use instead of sending them to waste.
3. Outdoor Play Is How We Learn
Kids don’t just play outside, they soak it all in. Evidence from 2020 shows that kids who spend more time in nature have better mood, concentration, and ability to empathize with others. Whether it’s noticing the smell of rain or the buzz of bees, connecting with the natural world helps kids — and adults — feel happier, calmer, and more motivated to protect the planet.
4. Turn Feelings Into Action
Children don’t hide their feelings about climate change. Climate anxiety is so prevalent that in 2021 more than half youth across the world report feeling sadness, anxiety, anger, powerlessness, helplessness, and guilt about the changing climate. These feelings affect their daily life, causing such symptoms as fatigue, insomnia, and panic attacks. ; We cannot let kids roll over and take this way of life; they must act on these feelings instead. Research has shown that when young people express what they feel about climate change and engage in climate action, it strengthens their sense of agency – and that’s where climate education plays a role. Learning about solutions and sharing knowledge can turn these feelings into purpose. A reminder for adults that caring out loud is powerful.
5. Don’t Let your Ego Overshadow Your Message
Children don’t need big words to explain why we should take care of the Earth. They know: “It’s our home.” and that could be all the reason they need. Children tend to simplify things, adults tend to overcomplicate things. Sometimes simple language is much more effective in inspiring people to act on climate issues. In the United States, for instance, where 99% of the population is literate, the average reading level is a 7th-8th grade level. It is more important to be understood than to be perceived as an all knowing expert.
6. What’s Gonna Work? Teamwork!
Change doesn’t come from one person doing it all, but from all of us doing our part. A national survey study from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that while many Americans care deeply about climate change and would take actions like signing petitions or attending rallies,only about 6-16% actually do these things. The researchers discovered this by analyzing how people’s sense of shared responsibility influences their willingness to act. The study shows that we’re more likely to take action when we feel part of a collective effort rather than doing it all by ourselves. It’s through working together, asking questions, experimenting, and sharing ideas that we find the most effective ways to mitigate climate change.
7. Empathy is as important as Science
Children not only absorb information; they experience stories. This unique mix of empathy and knowledge fuels lasting dedication. As for grown-ups, empathy means compassion in policies and practices that safeguard other people, and more specifically those hit hardest by the crisis. One effective way to build empathy is through reading stories and narratives that help us understand different perspectives. Developing emotional intelligence is just as important as understanding science. After all, Emotional intelligence is a crucial climate skill, one that is often overlooked in efforts to tackle climate change.
8. Celebrate Small Wins
Children celebrate when they complete a puzzle or harvest their first tomato. Adults can use more of that happiness. Small wins can build momentum. Psychologists say that recognizing progress can help individuals sustain new behaviors.In taking climate action, it’s all about celebrating small wins to keep ourselves motivated. Whether through planting a garden, diverting waste, or creating art that reflects hope and concern, these activities help us connect with the planet on an emotional level. Art lets people envision the change, communicate their emotions, and could inspire others to begin the important work of healing our planet.
World Children’s Day is a time to remember that children have a right to a safe future.They also remind us that learning can go both ways. They demonstrate that caring for the planet doesn’t have to be a complicated task, it can start with curiosity, play, empathy and hope. Perhaps saving the planet isn’t always just about science or politics. Sometimes it’s about learning again, to see the world like a child does, as something worth loving.
But understandably love alone isn’t enough. Children deserve strong climate education and strong national climate commitments that safeguard their future. To help make that possible, sign EARTHDAY.ORG’s Pledge to Support Climate and Environmental Literacy, urging governments to include climate education in their NDCs. Every signature helps turn big goals into real classroom action and a more climate-literate world.
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