My daughter is only five, but she already seems to like science a lot. Well, she’s really interested in a lot of things, but I think she has a special curiosity for science and the way our world works.
I leave the science discussions to my husband who loves to teach our daughter about nature and the human body, among other topics. The one thing I can do that my daughter and I love, is to read aloud together.
Ever since we implemented recycling in our home and I explained why we were doing it to my daughter, she’s been very interested in the environment and how we can care of our planet.
Children’s Books That Teach About Clean Air
Since joining the Moms Clean Air Force, I’ve been trying to introduce the topic of air pollution in the simplest way possible for a kindergartener to understand. So, I was really happy when I found The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up. This book was the result of a collaboration between Scholastic and the EPA to promote the Clean School Bus program. This program aims to reduce children’s exposure to school bus diesel exhaust and emissions.
If you have elementary school children, you’ve surely heard of The Magic School Bus book series and Ms. Frizzle. My favorite thing about these books is how easily complicated topics are explained. The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up is no exception. My daughter doesn’t ride a bus to school – we’re lucky enough to be able to walk her to school every morning – but she sees them parked outside her school every day.
The book first explains the effects of particulate matter from the Magic School Bus’ diesel exhaust. It illustrates how it gets into our lungs, and then explains how things can be different if old school buses are fitted with particulate matter filters. The book also includes a clean air checklist with tips like “ask your bus driver to turn off the engine when the bus is parked.”
One of my favorite parts of belonging to MCAF is that it has made me more aware of how important it is to teach my daughter not only about the importance of clean air, but also about why we need to take care of our environment. While I love how The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up tackles the subject of clean air, we also own other books in Spanish that help us talk about the topic of keeping our planet clean.
One of my daughter’s favorite books is called, I Know the River Loves Me which tells the story of a little girl and her special relationship with a river. Written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez, this bilingual book is the perfect way to talk to children about the beauty of nature and why it’s important to preserve it.
Another really great book we own (in Spanish) is called Verde Navidad – or Green Christmas. I love this book because it allows me to not only teach my daughter about a Latino tradition known as Reyes Magos (or Three Kings Day), but also about what could happen if we don’t take care of our environment. And just how leave out a cookie and milk for Santa, those Latinos who celebrate Reyes Magos leave grass out for the camels the three kings to ride. The book is about three little children who have a really hard time finding grass for the camels because the city they live in has gotten rid of all the green areas in exchange for new construction.
How can you begin to teach your children about clean air? I suggest you get educated first. One of the easiest ways of doing that is by JOIN MOM CLEAN AIR FORCE, read our blog, and follow MCAF on Facebook and Twitter!
What clean air books do you love to read with your children?