Creation C.A.R.E. as a community project doesn’t just want to shout about caring for creation as an afterthought, or something you do when it’s convenient. In fact, the acronym in its name gives us a clue to what we hope to achieve for the children. C.A.R.E – Children’s Action to Rescue Earth suggests an active desire on the children’s part to want to do something to protect the environment.
We hope that this project will help them to cultivate a God-honouring attitude towards their everyday lifestyle, decisions and habits from a young age. Such an attitude will hopefully stem from a deep understanding of how precious creation is, and be a response to God’s instruction to steward and love the resources and creatures that he has created.
So why teach the children about creation care in preschool? Why not when they’re older, when they have a little more independence and agency? One thing we have learnt over the years in early childhood is to never underestimate a child’s ability to learn, as well as their ability to influence those around them.
Firstly, values and attitudes are cultivated from a young age. There is a saying ‘old habits die hard’, which also alludes to how it is difficult to change the attitudes and habits of someone who is used to a certain way of life – often those who are older in age. We hope to counteract that by introducing the importance of creation care into our young ones while they are still forming their perceptions of self and the world around them. By cultivating an appreciation for the environment and teaching them the importance of caring for creation earlier in life, they will grow up loving the earth that they live in and being self-aware about how their daily actions can have consequences – either positive or negative.
Most importantly, children have the power to influence their community. No child is too young and no voice is too small to make a difference! We hope that our children can become little advocates for Creation C.A.R.E to their family, friends and neighbours. It can simply start from helping to change habits at home – for example, initiating to start a recycling corner or reminding their parents to use water less liberally when washing the dishes.
Children often attract much attention to themselves in public, largely due to their pure, joyful and energetic nature. Imagine how a simple act such as picking up trash that others have left and the ground and throwing it in the bin can impact others. Other children may wonder why they are doing so and ask their parents, and perhaps observing something like that may lead adults to reflect on their own behaviours. Even without saying a word, children can help invoke thoughts, start important conversations, and influence others positively. Little lives can indeed initiate big waves.
Thus, we look forward to nurturing our little advocates for Creation C.A.R.E, whose actions and words come from their big hearts; whose desire is to get more and more people to come along with them on their journey to care for the environment.