Van Mahotsav, an annual tree-planting festival is celebrated from July 1 to July 7 to spread awareness about forest conservation and environment. Well-known preschool education organisation, TreeHouse however believes that early and sustained exposure to Nature can help children cultivate a deep and lasting environmental awareness.
As Rajesh Bhatia, Founder and CEO of TreeHousesays, “Usually we celebrate the environment on certain days but it is important that children are sensitised to Nature right from preschool so that they can grow up to be responsible earth citizens. Even something as basic as simple gardening, guided tours in the garden, learning about how important trees are for our well-being can help kids forge a strong bond with the environment. We have also seen first-hand that outdoor activities and gardening help improve motor skills and also teach children to relate to the world with all their senses.”
Treehouse, a leading provider of pre-school education services in India, true to its name, tries to bring a green sensibility into teaching with specific methodologies including the creation of shaded areas where kids can learn and play.
Early education, says Rajesh, must incorporate easy-to-understand facts and practical lessons for kids to not just find purpose and joy in planting saplings but to develop a sense of responsibility towards Nature. When children learn how to grow fruits and vegetables, they are also encouraged to eat healthier, he adds.
Treehouse follows an advanced teaching methodologies and a unique education model dedicated to holistic development of the child in a learning environment. It believes that nature-centric education makes children more compassionate, enhances childhood development and has a positive impact on physical and mental health.
Concludes Rajesh, “Industrialization and urbanization have disconnected us from our forests, parks and lung spaces. The price of this disconnection is paid by us collectively when pandemics arrive unannounced and natural disasters become frequent. Our children will inherit this earth and it makes sense that we teach them to take care of it. Our goal is to create future citizens who have the patience to watch something grow, to nurture it and to think of the planet as an extension of themselves. And not as an unfamiliar entity that exists in isolation.”
