How do you explain the term “sustainability” to children?

At first glance, the answer to our title question seems complicated. After all, the topic is already difficult for us adults to grasp. Moreover, we confront our children with a world that in reality does not resemble the colorful children’s books and from which we want to protect the little ones as long as possible.

Nonetheless, we think it’s important to explain sustainability and give you a little incentive here. To put it simply, what sustainability means above all is that we should think about the future in everything we do. That was many hundreds of years ago when it was first used to describe not cutting down more trees than were growing back. However, today it also means much more, such as ensuring that our consumption of resources (food, raw materials) happens harmonizing with nature, that people are paid fairly and can work safely, and that we think about all the people, animals, and plants in the world, not just those on our doorstep.

Seven ideas for teaching kids about sustainable practices

Ready to dive into the topic with your kids? Well, we’ve collected five ideas for doing just that. They show that even small changes can have a big impact and raise awareness for looking at the world with open eyes. And best of all, many of them are easy to implement on vacation.

Sustainability at home

Where does your food come from?

When shopping for groceries, you can talk to your kids about where the food comes from. Long transport routes by truck or plane mean higher CO2 pollution, which is not good for the environment. You can also visit a farm together to learn more about how animals are kept, how vegetables are harvested, and so on. During such visits, children get a good sense of the fact that we as humans are dependent on farmers.

Of course, during the visit, you should also not hide the fact that the cute little calves or chicks will probably end up on the plate. Because that is also reality and sustainability. At the same time, it clarifies it that we have to treat the animals well, after all, they contribute to the fact that we have something to eat.

Everything to do with insects and bees is also a great introductory topic. Because without them, nothing or very little would grow in our country.

Second Hand is cool

Many clothing and toy production facilities are located in low-wage countries. That means that the people who make the things earn very little and often have to work under poor conditions.  That’s the only reason we can buy cheap T-shirts here.

If you explain this to your children, then maybe it doesn’t have to be a new shirt after all, if the old ones still fit. And it helps to explain that second-hand (or the older sibling’s old clothes) is actually totally cool.

 The same rule applies to toys.If something is no longer being used, you could give it to a friend or neighbor, or you could sell it at the next neighborhood flea market.

The garbage game

You can take a playful approach to the topic of waste separation. First, you explain which material belongs in which garbage can. In everyday life, you can then make an ongoing puzzle out of it: Whenever something is thrown away, you can ask the children in which bin they would sort the waste. With your kids, you can also consider which items in the home are made of plastic and whether you can replace some with an alternative. Shopping at the unpacking store is also a great way to pick up on the topic of (plastic) waste.

Environmentally friendly to daycare and school

Usually,children know from a very early age that car exhaust pollutes the environment. Including them in your own decisions about why you take the car for some journeys and the bike or public transport for others can raise awareness of the issue even more.

Walking to kindergarten or school, for example, is a great way to start a conversation about this. And by the way, you will perceive your immediate surroundings in an entirely different way.

Sustainability with kids on a family vacation

Nature instead of television, carriage instead of car

Vacation time, when there are no appointments on the calendar, is the perfect time for families to teach their children about sustainability. The Hotel Weihrerhof in South Tyrol is perfect for this. It is located in the middle of the Rittner nature on the shore of the Wolfsgrubner Lake. Here, your kids can immerse themselves fully in the natural kingdom while observing various animals, from frogs to dragonflies, or participate in farm afternoons or treasure hunts in the surrounding area via the local tourism association.

Zermatt’s two hotels, Bella Vista and CERVO Mountain Resort, are also happy to welcome you with your children in the midst of the Alps. The Swiss resort is completely car-free. There are carriages and electric vehicles, but you can also reach the village in 5 minutes on foot. Especially if you and your family live in a big city with a lot of car traffic, such a car-free experience is especially formative for children. And maybe for you, too.

Another car-free experience, but with a sea view instead of a mountain panorama, is the North Sea island of Juist. Every summer, the island hosts a children’s university on the theme of “sustainable living,” where children learn about the climate and climate change. And they do so vividly with experiments.

Get out and experience

The most valuable experiences children have  been when they are out in nature and can feel and touch it. Because then they (and we) become aware of how valuable it is. At The Dreamer’s Club hotel on the Croatian island of Korcula, your kids can freely explore the garden with all its trees, plants, and insects. In addition, a small playground and a trampoline, guests are ready to romp.

For exploring in natural surroundings, Maslina Resort on the Croatian island of Hvar also offers a 7,000 square meter garden. You can also explore together where the food that ends up on your plates in the evening comes from, 😉 The hotel’s Kids Club also regularly offers activities that address the issue of sustainability.

To explore the islands without having to get into the car, you can rent bikes for you and your family in both hotels and make emission-free and sustainable excursions.

Children at the center

Brightly colored rooms and a family atmosphere make Eco Park Hotel Azalea a true sustainable family retreat. Guided children’s hikes in Val di Fiemme, children’s meditations or simply exuberant indoor and outdoor play: your kids are busy, and you can relax. At the end of the day, they will proudly tell you what they have experienced and learned.

By the way, the rooms at Azalea are named after flowers and even color-coordinated with the respective blossom. So, automatically you’ll all learn something new, and maybe you’ll rediscover the blossoms as a delicious detail on your plates at the vegetarian dinner 😉

The Naturhotel Outside is located in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park and thus offers an entirely different impression of the spectacular mountain world. Through the cooperation with the National Park Office, you can offer your children a profound insight into the Alps with its exceptional flora and fauna. For example, at the Forest-Wilderness Camp (two days) or with the Junior Rangers, who get to know the work of the National Park Rangers over several days.

Nature up close

At Hotel Klosterbräu, your kids can experience nature firsthand. In the daily Kids Club, for example, they make lavender syrup from their own lavender, which they will be proud to present to you in the evening. During the “witch hunt” over the parish hill, the children discover various hiding places and learn in passing what a great playground nature is. Crafting with natural materials also teaches appreciation for our environment. But an absolute highlight for young and old is the visit to Sigi’s pigsty, the farm and vegetarian farm that belong to the hotel. The rabbits, goats, donkeys and ponies make not only children’s hearts beat faster. Promised 😉

Still feel like sustainability is a difficult topic for kids? No? Excellent! Then together, let’s show our kids a sustainable way to interact with our world in a fun, creative way. So, they and their children and grandchildren can live on our beautiful earth for a long time to come!

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What do you think: When did the first national park exist? As early as 1872! The Yellowstone National Park in the United States of America became the first park to be established in the nineteenth century. In fact, there was the very first protected area nearly ten years earlier: 1864 in today’s Yosemite National Park. 

Widespread nowadays, after a hesitant start

Soon after, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand joined in and founded national parks to preserve their indigenous nature.

In Europe, this nature conservation trend didn’t arrive until the following century. Which country started it all? In 1909, it was Sweden. Switzerland followed in 1914. 

The idea caught on this side of the Atlantic, especially after World War II, leading today to more than 2,200 National Parks in some 120 countries, which are coordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources worldwide. Moreover, there are also smaller nature conservation sites under the jurisdiction of the individual countries. Did you know that?

In order for you not to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, we have compiled a small selection of vacation destinations in or at a nature reserve. 

Nature parks in the mountains

The HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu lies right in the middle of the Nagelfluh Nature Park. It covers 24,700 hectares with a mountain range of 24 kilometers and 13 peaks across two countries. The National Park is one of the cultural landscapes full of species, and it has its own unique rock outcrops made of boulders. If you want to shine on the site with your insider knowledge: In the Allgäu, it is also called “Herrgottsbeton”. 

In case you wonder when you should travel here: The Nature Park has much to offer during all seasons. From hikes to mountain bikes in summer up to ski touring, snowshoeing and cross county skiing in winter. Should you get the chance, visiting in the off-season is especially recommended. 

Naturhotel Aufatmen has been in a nature park since 2022. Why is that? The municipality of Leutasch was included in the largest Nature Park in Austria as late this year – Karwendel Nature Park.

Particularly worth seeing in this area is Gleierschklamm gorge. A trail leads up close by the water, letting you immerse into nature.  You can explore Karwendel and discover its beautiful places and alpine pastures also by bike.

Not to forget is the origin of the Isar. There, the Isar rises from a small spring, and you can hike or bike along the river through the entire valley. 

High up to the glaciers

Finally, if you’re interested in glaciers and the high alpine life, then you might want to visit the Ötztal valley. Sölden and with it The Peak and the LENI MOUNTAIN are perfectly located as starting point for these ventures.

The NATURE PARK ÖTZTAL includes a whole range of nature protection areas in the Ötztal valley. The park stretches from the valley floor up to alpine and high alpine landscapes shaped by glaciers. 

In this natural park, you can go high up: The highest point is the Ötztaler Wildspitze with 3.774 m. Vent and Obergurgl (Tyrol’s highest church village) as well as Niederthai/Umhausen and Gries/Längenfeld are located in the heart of the NATURPARK ÖTZTAL and are ideal starting points for exploring the area.

There’s also a lot to explore in one of the largest national parks in Germany—the Harz Mountains. The Harz is also the first transnational National Park in Germany. Ninety-seven percent of the National Park area is covered with forest. Explore it from the Schlosshotel Blankenburg or from the Naturresort Schindelbruch. You can discover some landmarks here. Around the Devil’s Wall, for example, there is a special myth. 

Exciting habitats on the coast

Exceptional National Parks can also be discovered at the coast. Close to Gut Nisdorf is the National Park Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft – Germany’s third-largest national park.

Gut Nisdorf is located directly at the Grabow, which is a lagoon at the Baltic Sea. There you can uniquely observe the dynamics of the coastline. The energy of wind and waves carries away the sand at one place and redeposits it elsewhere. Thus wind mudflats and sand hooks, dunes and beach lakes are created. As a result, the landscape looks different every year. 

Protected White-tailed eagles make their circles and raise their young here. Several pairs live in the area, and you can even watch them from the terrace at Nisdorf Manor. 

A great attraction is the crane rest in autumn. Up to 80,000 cranes rest in the Rügen-Bock region. Every morning and every evening, the birds fly loudly calling from their roosts in the shallow water to the fields and back. You should definitely experience this once!

Rare animals in the Wadden Sea

But the German seascape has even more to offer: the Wadden Sea, for example. And that is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island of Juist is right in the middle of it. Certain parts of the island, for example the east end, may only be accessed outside the breeding season of the local birds. 

The mudflats themselves boast a wide variety of species: Lug worms, cockles, shore crabs, mudflat snails and North Sea shrimp—to name just a few. Seals, of course, are particularly popular. And quite honestly, how can you resist those big beady eyes? 

An incredible natural scenery has been created by the Wadden Sea, and between tidal creeks and salt marshes, flat land and sandstone, the island of Juist offers a lot to discover.

In between two nature reserves

Eco-Aparthotel The Dreamers Club is located near two nature reserves: Kocje Reserve Park and Mljet National Park. 

Kocje Reserve Park stretches across an area of about 10 hectares, which includes unusual large rock formations. That protected area is home to a small canyon with several unexpected features such as dolomite rocks, cave, moss and a small spring.

The moss-covered rocks and trees create an exceptional, magical atmosphere here: a perfect place to practice energy healing—if that’s what you’re interested in.

The National Park Mljet is not far from Korcula either. It is one of eight National Parks in Croatia and located on the island of Mljet, which is one of the largest islands in southern Dalmatia. The Mljet National Park covers an area of 5300 hectares in the Northwestern part of the island of Mljet. Ninety percent of the Park area is covered by forest. You can feel like a dwarf in a fairy tale wood because most of the forest consists of Aleppo pines—which can reach up to twenty meters in height.

Is there any national park you have always wanted to visit? Tell us!

If you are interested in our hotels, please have a look at this article: SUSTAINABLE GREEN PEARLS® HOTELS FOR A HOLIDAY WITH GOOD CONSCIENCE

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But for those who have more flexibility, we took a closer peek at the advantages of traveling this way.

• Soft Travel: Unquestionably, traveling impacts our environment. In fact, as more people are in one place, traveling has a greater negative impact. You can see the damage mass tourism is causing in various places around the world. Traveling in the off-season will contribute to the conservation of resources.
• More booking flexibility: You can wait to book and make last-minute changes to your itinerary
• On site: By traveling against the tourist streams, you can enjoy empty cities, beaches, and mountains. You will not be annoyed by endless lines in museums, queuing for hours at tourist attractions or people disturbing the peace and quiet of nature.
• Less expensive: Masses of tourists are frequently an issue for the residents of the destinations visited around the world. Fewer tourists mean more relaxed local people, who will certainly be happy to provide you with advice and are open to conversations. By choosing a counter-cyclical travel strategy, you support locals because seasonal variations pose significant economical strains on them. Many people lose income or jobs during less popular times of the year.
• Pleasant weather: Now some of you might be thinking about cold, rain and bad weather. But this is not true in many places, on contrary, weather is often more pleasant. And the rainy period doesn’t imply that it’s raining cats and dogs all day long, typically only a brief shower during the day. Particularly if you travel to Thailand, the green season, like the word indicates, will welcome you with rich colors and a sea of flowers. To provide you with some practical tips as well, our green pearls were asked for their recommendations.  

Lonely strolls along Timmendorfer beach 

Marion Muller, the hostess of the SAND Lifestylehotel SAND at Timmendorfer Strand, suggests the period from autumn to spring for a vacation at the Baltic Sea. No matter if it’s lonely walks on the beach, special nature experiences in the backcountry or long bike tours on the sustainable myBoo bikes that you can rent at the hotel, one thing is for sure, you experience the Baltic Sea in a calm and authentic way.

Croatia in fall

In autumn, when peace returns to Croatia after the long summer, enjoy the slowness of being at the Eco Aparthotel The Dreamers Club with plenty of sun, seabreeze and the relaxing island of Korcula.

Thailand during green season

Juist the pearl of the Northsea

The North Sea Island Juist is especially worth spending a vacation off of the beaten track. There is much to discover. Be it the obligatory wadden hike or an excursion to the bird sanctuary island Memmert, a hiking on the beach or in the dunes, the list is long. And when you return to your accpmdation with chilled legs, with luck a true eastfrisian ceremony of tea is waiting for you.

Try it out and if you like, share your experiences with us.

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