Earth Care and Kids
Bible Verse
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (NIV) Genesis 1:31
When our kids were growing up, we spent our summer vacations exploring state and national parks. We enjoyed hiking through forests, around lakes, along rivers, and up mountains while we wondered at God’s creation all around us. Those experiences gave my kids a unique perspective on the world God created for us and our responsibility to care for it.
Earth Day isn’t a “Christian” holiday, but it is a day when we can learn more about who God is and who God created us to be. And while we can experience God’s care for us in creation every day, we can set aside time to take special note of this world and our responsibilities in it and for it.
As adults, we model good creation care to our kids. If we don’t acknowledge the blessing that God gave us by creating and sustaining a good world for us to live in, our kids won’t either. And if we don’t take seriously our responsibility to follow God’s command and care for the world around us, our kids won’t learn how to care for it either.
Here are a few things to do with your kids this week to celebrate Earth Day, and remember that God created this good world and gave it to us to steward.
Enjoy creation! Spend time outside this week exploring God’s creation. You can do this in big and small ways. Explore your yard, and look at the plants, bugs, and animals that call your yard home. See how intricate each is and wonder at God’s incredible creation and how he cares for everything each day. Expand your exploration and walk around your neighborhood. If you have time, go for a hike at a local park, state/provincial park, or national park that might be close to you. As you explore the world together, take some time to share what you see and what you appreciate about what you are experiencing with your kids, and ask them to share as well.
Creation care. As a family, you can take care of creation in many ways in your setting. When my kids were younger, we would volunteer at our local recycling center, and we participated in regular river clean-up days. Research an activity your family can do together to care for creation where you live. If your household doesn’t recycle regularly, explore what options are available in your neighborhood, and work together as a family to recycle the trash you generate. Work together to reduce the amount of trash you produce regularly by reusing some things you might use once and then throwing them away.
Whatever you do this week, remind your kids of the blessing and the task God gave us when he created this world for us and put us in it to care for it. Enjoy the benefits of creation together, and take on the task of caring for creation. Through all of that, you will learn more about God, who cares for us so much that he created an incredible world for us to live in. And you will learn more about yourself and your kids as you explore this world together each day.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Learning to Care for God's World
Bret Lamsma
Bret Lamsma is the Director of Faith Formation at First Christian
Reformed Church in Denver, Colorado. He has also served churches in
California and Michigan. He has a passion for youth ministry and
intergenerational ministry in the local church. When he isn’t working at
church or writing he enjoys hanging out with his wife and 2 children,
hiking, woodworking, and watching movies.
