Big Energy Saving Week runs from 17th to 23rd January 2022. Here we share some fun ways you can teach your child about the importance of saving energy and what they can do to help. By saving energy they are looking after our planet and also lowering your household bills.
What is energy?
You could kick off Big energy Saving Week 2022 by drawing your child’s attention to the ingenuity behind energy production. This may help them to appreciate the energy we all take for granted and to be more committed to saving it.
You might share books about how renewable energy is produced, such as:
Renewable Energy Sources – Wind, Solar and Hydro Energy Edition by Baby Professor
How Does it Work? Solar Energy by Baby IQ Builder Books
Wind, Rain, Hydro and Renewable Energy by Baby IQ Builder Books
Renewable Energy Sources – Wind, Solar and Hydro Energy Revised Edition by Baby Professor
If you type ‘how energy is made’ into YouTube you will find a wealth of free films on everything from nuclear power to how energy reaches our homes. Always watch films all the way through yourself before sharing them with your child.
On E.ON’s Energise Anything website you will find lots of activities you can do with children aged 5-18. They can even make their very own lightning storm!
Life without electricity
Show your child how much we rely on power by turning off electronic devices for a couple of hours (or a day if they would really like a challenge).
Ask your child to help you carry out household jobs by hand instead of using the washing machine or dishwasher. This helps them to appreciate how much we rely on energy and they may think twice before putting clothes they have worn just once into the washing basket.
Your child could watch A day in the life of a regency servant from BBC Teach shows which shows what life was like for people before electricity.
Save energy in the house
Each day you could play a game where your child races around the house turning off lights in empty rooms and devices nobody is using. It is important not to leave machines on ‘standby’ as it is a potential fire hazard.
You could turn this race into a family competition to see who can turn off the most unused equipment. If you have a smart meter at home, you could use this to show your child how their efforts are really saving energy.
For an overview of how saving energy protects the environment and what we can all do to help, we recommend watching Protecting our environment by conserving energy from BBC Teach.
Go outside
Playing games outside in the garden or in the park is a great way to save power in the house. Show children how they can warm up outside by running around or cool down in hot weather by sitting in the shade and enjoying the breeze rather than switching on a fan.
Stuck for games to play outside? Read our blog post 10 equipment free outdoor games for ideas.
Save water
A major part of saving energy is using less water. To find out why it is vital to save water you could read Why we should all be saving water from the Energy Trust. Water is a scarce resource and supply in the UK is already struggling to meet demand. People often think our rainy climate means water supply here is not a problem, but this is far from the case.
There is plenty we can do at home to save water. Showers are the biggest water users in the home, and we also use lots of energy heating them up.
You could turn water saving into a game for your child by keeping a tally. Each time your child saves water they could give themselves a point on the tally.
Here are some easy, water-saving ideas:
- Take showers instead of baths and keep showers short.
- When brushing your teeth turn off the tap.
- Use cold water instead of warm water when possible. According to Unicef cold water and warm water are equally effective at killing viruses such as Covid-19 as long as you wash your hands for 20 seconds, use soap and dry your hands completely afterwards.
- Only use washing machines and dishwashers when they are full.
Did your child enjoy Big Energy Saving Week 2022?
Our specialist science tutors at TutorMyKids can build on your child’s interest in the environment to extend their science skills and knowledge.
All our tutors are science enthusiasts who have a strong academic background and proven track record in teaching. They will adapt their teaching to your child’s learning style, boosting their confidence, which in turn drives achievement.
To find the right science tutor for your child today, please contact us on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk