How to Teach Kids Energy Efficiency

… If my kids leave the playroom and bathroom light on one more time! Anyone else want to scream that with me?! I must confess I’ve been guilty of leaving my closet light on however I’ve become incredibly more conscious of it since partnering this summer with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and learning the best ways to save energy and lower your energy bill.

With school back in session, it had me thinking about fun ways we can teach kids about energy efficiency, plus help them understand how our house works.

It’s something I, as a parent, somewhat take for granted and it would be cool to help them understand the science behind it. For example, I’d love to give our kiddos more perspective how our lights, appliances, air conditioning and hot water, for example, work, with literally… a flick of a switch. Super cool if you think about it. I’m also a nerd about stuff like this (I mean, I’m still fascinated by the fax machine and it’s a super irrelevant piece of tech!). I digress.

To help kiddos understand energy efficiency and power, have fun with it:

Play Would You Rather!

Especially for the younger kids, have fun playing — or just ask at the dinner table — “which do you think uses less power?” Think about examples around your house: Bike vs. electric scooter, a desktop computer or laptop, daddy’s electric razor or mommy’s regular razor, legos or Nintendo, candle or light bulb, vacuum or broom, etc. The list goes on… it’s even fun to play when you’re traveling or exploring a new place.

For a few examples:

Showers vs. baths: It could take 25 gallons of hot water to fill the bathtub, compared to only seven gallons for a quick shower.

Laptop vs. desktop: laptops require 50 to 80 percent less power than a desktop… that’s huge!

Dinner prep: Use the microwave, toaster oven or Instant Pot instead of the stove top or stove. Saves time, money and likely clean-up!

Have a Camping Night — In or Out!

Turn off all the lights inside or even have a camping adventure in your backyard for a few hours for a night of family fun, and a chance to demonstrate how often they likely use electricity and don’t realize it. Roast smores, make arts & crafts, tell stories and play board games. It’s an awesome way to connect as a family and have them start thinking about all the energy they’d typically use without realizing.

Create a energy efficiency rewards chart!

Create a quick rewards chart where they earn a star, sticker or check every time you catch them saving energy — turning off a light, fan or taking a shorter shower, for example. Not only will this make them more mindful, it reminds me about what our behavioral therapist said about complimenting and focusing on the good our children are doing. It’s so easy to not mention appreciation for turning off a light switch. Once they earn a certain number of stars, reward them with a treat or activity of their choice.

South Florida idea: Attend FPL’s Family Fun Day!

Here’s a fun event to take them to this Saturday, Sept. 1: FPL will be on-site at the Museum of Discovery & Science(MoDS) in Ft. Lauderdale for a fun family day — I personally am VERY excited for the giant ice cube! We’re taking our kids to MoDS — it’s been on our summer bucket list — and going via Brightline train (Evan is going to freak!).

At the FPL Cooling Station, you can #BeattheHeat by “chilling out” by walking into a larger-than-life ice cube featuring music and a blast of liquid nitrogen, cooling you down 15-20 degrees (psss: can I get one for my house?!). Plus, get a video of your experience, check out the FPL storm center, create a human circuit & more.

And, there’s a few more weeks for #BEATTHEHEAT CHALLENGE — WE CAN BOTH WIN!

I’m participating with a few bloggers throughout Florida in FPL’s Beat the Heat challenge. The influencer with the most engagement, love, shares, etc., will gift one reader at random an energy efficiency pack valued at $450 (!) that includes: ecobee4 smart thermostat, LED light bulbs, smart plugs/power strips, and a Home Depot gift card. So comment below or on social media how you #BeatTheHeat, if you found this post helpful or if you have any more ideas that can help the Savvy Squad. Be sure to use the #BeatTheHeat hashtag, and definitely feel free to tag me, @themodernsavvy.

 

Thank you to FPL for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100 percent my own.