Activity 2.2 | Connections to the Land and World

All of our ECE programs are situated in a particular place, downtown, family neighbourhood, country or at the shore. The place in which we live can anchor us. Over time we learn about our surroundings, its smells, sounds, trees and animals. We recognize the smell of rain or welcome the returning warmth of spring and the sound of the birds or recognize which flowers we see in June or September. These memories and experiences help us connect to ‘place’ and we can share this with children. 

Do our inside and outside spaces reflect where we live? Think about the materials and space that you are providing. Do they provide connections to the living, breathing world beyond the fence? Building connections to the land we live on helps children realize the uniqueness of where they live.  

In light of the ongoing climate crisis, in 2023, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child,in their General Comment No. 26, recognized that all children have a right to a healthy environment and urged all countries in the world to meet their obligations to support this right. 

Reference

United Nation News (2023). New UN guidance affirms children’s right to a clean, healthy environment. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1140122