It is one of roles as a parent to educate their children about the environment, especially as their generation are the ones who will have to deal with the consequences of global warming, and while they will learn about many aspects of our planet at school, you can help to instil a love of nature by introducing your kids to something like whale watching. You could treat this like an out of school field trip and request that your children do some research on whales prior to actually booking the trip. This would combine learning about the environment with leisure time, plus there are some really great online resources for people that want to learn about the majestic whale, all it takes is a few Google searches and you can find out many things about the different species of whale.
Sydney: The Whale Watching Capital
If you book a trip anytime between May and August, you will see Humpback and Minke Whales on their migratory route to and from the cold waters in Antarctica, and if you Google ‘whale watching in Sydney’, you will have a list of local specialists that organise whale watching trips.
Note: As you can imagine, this is a very poplar activity with tourists and locals alike, so try to book as early as you can, as places are limited and you don’t want to be disappointed.
Project Ideas
If you want your kids to get the most out of the experience, ask them to work together and give them a list of things that you think should be included in the preparation. Here are a few ideas:
- What Are the Different Species of Whale?
- How Long Do Whales Live?
- What Are the Migratory Routes of the Humpback Whale?
- Where Do Whales Feed?
- When Did Humans Begin to Protect Whales in General?
Traditional or IT Presentation
As your kids are Generation Z (born into IT technology), you can give them a choice between creating their presentation in digital form or on a large board with printed media attached, which should add to their motivation. It might be an idea to limit the content to Humpback, Minke and Blue Whales – the main species that pass by Sydney – as this will give the kids more of a focus.
Additional Research
You can also ask your children to research the whale watching excursion and prepare accordingly – that way they will know the right clothing to wear and a little about what goes on during the trip. Of course, the highlight of the project will be the actual voyage out, to observe the whales in their natural habitat, and if your kids prepare some questions, they would gain a lot of data from the crew, who know everything about these spectacular creatures.
Nurturing a Love of Nature
When your kids set out to learn about whales, they will gain a deeper understanding of how delicate the balance of nature can be, as well as learning first-hand just how harmful human behaviour has been to our fellow creatures and the planet in general.
Help your kids to learn and appreciate the nature we still have left by booking a whale watching trip that will be an amazing experience for the whole family.
