CoCriança: Sustainability for Children
A three-workshop series that reconnects children aged 4-12 with nature through hands-on activities including composting, urban gardening, and water flow, fostering environmental awareness and sustainable living practices.
5 Step guide
Read the guide to start your own CoCriança: Sustainability for Children
5 Step guide
Read the guide to start your own CoCriança: Sustainability for Children
Assemble Your Team
Begin by recruiting three facilitators to ensure proper support during workshops - this ratio allows for effective listening and guidance with up to 24 children. Define clear roles and responsibilities for each team member, whether one person leads whilst others support, or all three share leadership equally.
Simultaneously, identify and gather your group of children who will participate in all three workshops. This could be neighbourhood children, a school class, or building residents. Consistency is crucial - the same children should attend all sessions to build upon previous learning and maintain engagement throughout the journey.
Choose Workshop Spaces
Work with your group of children to select appropriate spaces for the compost bin and urban garden - you'll need an area roughly the size of a stove. Including children in this decision-making process is essential as it guarantees greater engagement, ownership, and validates their voices and opinions from the start.
Consider factors like sunlight, water access, and safety when making selections. The space should be easily accessible for ongoing maintenance and allow children to observe changes over time in their composting and growing projects.
Attend Preparation Meetings
Participate in weekly online follow-up meetings with the CoCriança team before each workshop. These synchronous sessions involve only the facilitator team, not the children. During these meetings, you'll review workshop itineraries and materials, ask questions, and make necessary adjustments for your specific group.
The CoCriança team will provide valuable tips and work through important concepts related to each workshop theme, ensuring you feel confident and prepared to deliver engaging, educational experiences.
Prepare Workshop Materials
After each follow-up meeting, organise your upcoming workshop by gathering or purchasing necessary materials listed in the provided itineraries. Take time to deepen your understanding of topics you consider important, arrange the workshop space appropriately, and re-read the script to ensure smooth delivery.
This preparation phase is essential for workshops to flow naturally with children. Consider the specific needs and interests of your group when preparing, and have backup activities ready in case timing varies from expectations..
Facilitate the Workshops
Deliver each two-hour workshop with complete openness to listen to what children bring to the experience, helping them connect meaningfully with nature. The cycle of meeting-preparation-workshop repeats three times over three consecutive weeks, covering composting, urban gardening, and water flow respectively.
Remember to enjoy, play, and have fun with the children whilst maintaining focus on learning objectives. Watch for developments and ideas that children generate - these could inspire additional nature-reconnection activities beyond the initial three workshops, creating endless possibilities for continued environmental engagement.
About CoCriança: Sustainability for Children
"Each Cocriança workshop is a unique experience. They manage to deal with topics as relevant as sustainability, active citizenship, the right to the city with lightness and fun, fundamental ingredients to gain the attention of young people, and those not so young. It is precisely the fact of uniting children and adults in an experience that mixes playing and learning that enhances the connection with the topic, also improving healthy intergenerational coexistence. With a good mix between the presentation of new concepts and active and participatory learning, Cocriança is able to conduct complete learning of theory, practice, co-creation and mutual help that translate into the success of each workshop's indicators: no one leaves the same as they did when they entered. At least a handful of dirt, a few arms of paint and a mind bubbling with new synapses, everyone will win!"
Great for
- Someone who works with children aged 4-12
- Someone who wants to promote environmental education
- Someone who believes in hands-on learning approaches
- Someone who has access to outdoor space
- Someone who can commit to three consecutive weeks
Time
Five hours per week for three consecutive weeks.
Resource checklist
- Team of three facilitators
- Group of children (4-12 years)
- Outdoor space for garden/compost
- Workshop materials and supplies
- Internet access for meetings