Children are naturally drawn to exploring the natural world, yet helping them understand complex topics like sustainability and environmental stewardship can be challenging. How can early educators transform potentially overwhelming discussions about climate change into empowering conversations that inspire young environmental stewards?
A new article by Becky DelVecchio, Ph.D., project coordinator of Early Education Leaders’ Statewide Professional Development Academy, and co-authors Susan Ferguson and David Ferguson published in Exchange magazine’s Spring 2025 issue addresses this challenge by offering early educators a practical framework for teaching young children about their relationship with nature.
The article, “Nature Helps Us: Let’s Help Nature!”, introduces the United Nations’ Ecosystem Services Framework as a valuable tool for developing children’s understanding of and relationship with the natural world. The framework identifies four key types of services that nature provides: provisioning services (what nature gives us), regulating services (how nature keeps us healthy), cultural services (how nature impacts our minds), and supporting services (how nature maintains its systems).
“Some young children may find discussions about sustainability, climate crises, and natural disasters daunting or scary,” the authors write. “However, when these conversations focus on concrete actions and efforts that they and their communities can take to be ‘nature protectors’ who have agency and power to effect change despite the magnitude of the unfolding crisis, children may be more likely to develop lifelong habits oriented toward sustainability.”
The article provides detailed guidance for educators on implementing activities aligned with each type of ecosystem service, from collecting water from rain barrels (provisioning) to mapping natural shade areas (regulating) to building forts and rock gardens (cultural) to studying the water cycle (supporting). Each activity is paired with discussion prompts to help children process their learning.
“The Ecosystems Services framework offers a valuable model for how to think about and develop a relationship with nature grounded in gratitude for all that it provides,” DelVecchio and her co-authors conclude. “Providing children with the language to talk about, and the tools to use, in supporting nature will empower them in their lifelong journeys as good stewards of a healthy earth.”
Read the full article in Exchange magazine’s Spring 2025 issue.
