Dr Laverne Antrobus observes early childhood signs of caring for environment through play

The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds on Channel 4 believes eco anxiety can be eased if we start talking with kids about the subject early and in a fun and interactive way. The TV show which returned to our screens in July has five-year-olds taking part in numerous tasks and games around themes like environmental sustainability, under the watchful eye of highly trained early years professionals Professor Paul Howard-Jones (Educational Neuroscientist, Bristol University) and our very own Dr Laverne Antrobus (Paediatric Consultant Educational Psychologist at the Tavistock and Portman).

In this week’s episode Mischievous Kids Try To Save Energy | The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds: The Next Generation (youtube.com) Raphe a 5-year-old boy says:

“I don’t want to help the planet, I’m just a business man”

Raphe is reluctant to participate in an exercise with the other 5-years-olds as they learn how to be more energy efficient through teamwork. The facilitator leading the exercise encourages him to participate but he refuses and instead wants to play on his bike.

Paul comments “Raphe is having some difficulty here, regulating his behaviour”

Laverne comments “he is going to have to manage that impulsivity, isn’t he?”

In this episode, the 5-year-olds learn kindness and sympathy, go through plenty of tears and tantrums, and work together find out how helping to save energy at home can contribute to the fight against climate change. All this through play!

For more information on play as a way of learning visit Watch Me Play! – Tavistock and Portman to read about an approach that promotes child-led play and download a fantastic free resource that can help parents to support their child’s development through play.

Watch Me Play! was developed as an intervention to promote child-led play, enhance relationships, and create a better understanding of each child’s strengths and needs.

For more information of how to approach the topic of eco-anxiety and ensure our children feel empowered to take climate action by saving energy at home – visit – https://www.eonnext.com/eco-anxiety