Today is the day we focus on and call attention to child well-being and this year’s activity: “Climate in your Hands.” And in the global and national conversations, the topic of child well-being needs to become top priority. This generation is worried and scared about climate change. So it’s our responsibility as educators, parents, and caregivers to offer our children and teens guidance on ways they can take action, show care, and build a reciprocal relationship with the environment.

We will only feel safe on our planet when we see and show that we are part of a larger eco-system and that all choices we make impact that larger eco-system. The problems can seem overwhelming. But our children give us the opportunity to learn together simple ways that we can make a difference each day in how we treat the world around us. Our family started composting all of our food scraps over the past year. And not only did we feel so good about this small step, but also we began to notice how much we were collecting that previously went straight to the landfill.

My son, now in high school, is taking a course in applied chemistry with a focus on learning about climate change. This Spring, he’ll travel with classmates to Costa Rica to experience the rainforests and see how the people of Costa Rica have served as a world leader in sustainability in their tropical environment. At each age and stage, there are important opportunities to educate ourselves along with our children about environmental justice and ways we can care for our planet together.

Here are some favorite recommended books below to get you stated!

Thank you United Nation’s UNICEF and Six Seconds for hosting today’s Pop Up Festival!

It’s not too late to join in! If you would like to submit your own “Climate in your Hands” activity – all ages are welcome! – feel free to send to confidentparentsconfidentkids@gmail.com or post your activity on social media with the hashtags #worldchildrensday and #EQPOPUP.

For School-Age Children:

We are Water Protectors

by Carole Lindstrom

Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption—a bold and lyrical picture book.

Climate Change and How We’ll Fix It

by Alice Harman

This clear, to-the-point, and fully illustrated guide answers kids’ questions—and shows how they can play an important role in solving the problem.  Some of the most renowned climate activists—including Greta Thunberg—are children and teens, for they are the ones who will inherit the planet and its problems. This important guide enlightens kids about why climate change is real, why it’s serious, what’s causing it, and how we can fix it. It explains why grownups aren’t doing enough, why one group of people alone can’t solve it, and what the roadblocks are, from wealth disparity to our dependence on air travel.

Old Enough to Save the Planet

by Loll Kirby

Meet 12 young activists from around the world who are speaking out and taking action against climate change. Learn about the work they do and the challenges they face, and discover how the future of our planet starts with each and every one of us.

For High School Teens:

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults; Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Adapted by Monica Gray Smith

Drawing from her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer demonstrated how all living things―from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen―provide us with gifts and lessons every day. Adapted for young adults, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest the plants around us.

The Thinking Person’s Guide to Climate Change

by Robert Henson

Everybody can be a thinking person when it comes to climate change, and this book is a perfect roadmap.  Start a web search for “climate change” and the first three suggestions are “facts,” “news,” and “hoax.” The Thinking Person’s Guide to Climate Change is rooted in the first, up to date on the second, and anything but the last. Produced by one of the most venerable atmospheric science organizations, it is a must-read for anyone looking for the full story on climate change.