Teach Generosity to a Child Through Examples in Nature

Various studies suggest that children have innate tendencies toward generosity, showing that those as young as 14 to 24 months will spontaneously help others with tasks, and offer personal items like a blanket or toy without being prompted to. That being said, a child’s generosity is also shaped by social and cultural factors, and their giving behavior becomes more complex and selective as they grow older. Additional studies indicate that not all are born equally, so to speak, with some having a “generosity gene” while others may not. Whatever the case may be, we can all agree that teaching kids generosity is important. It fosters empathy, responsibility, and strong social connections, while concurrently building their self-esteem and a sense of community.

As a parent, you want to do all that you can to promote a giving spirit in your child. Taking advantage of the observational learning phenomenon is a great place to start, so be sure to let your child see you get involved in worthy causes. Beyond that, there are outside-of-the-box steps that take you and your child outdoors where observations can be made that pertain to Mother Nature and her own propensity for altruism. The most obvious example is to look towards plants which take in carbon dioxide and give us oxygen along with nutritious food. While apt and absolutely true, it’s a bit like watching grass grow (literally) when it comes to engaging a child with an interesting illustration. To better pique their intrigue, our Foundation has pinpointed other observations from nature that will serve today’s worthy goal.

Engaging Observations in Nature that Will Teach Your Child to Embrace the Act of Giving

I. Pollinators Giving Life to Plants

How to Teach Generosity to a Child Through Examples in Nature

A far superior and more engaging exhibition of nature’s generosity than watching plants produce, is to spy their pollinators in action. A wide variety of cute, weird, and crazy-looking animals, insects, and other creatures visit a flowering plant for nectar, collect its pollen (albeit inadvertently) and carry the fine powdery substance to other plants where it can germinate, fertilize, and promote growth.

Pollinators can be found in your backyard, community garden, local park, eco-reserve, and forested hiking trail. They can be monitored by the naked eye and/or using binoculars depending on which creatures your child may be most interested in. You may even need a pair of night-vision goggles, as per one of the linked articles that we have featured below:

II. Animal to Animal Altruism

You may need to take your child to the zoo and aquarium for this one. That, or tune into Animal Planet, BBC Earth, Discovery Channel, the National Geographic and other channels that feature the wonderful wild kingdom. Within the motley crew that wander the yards, forests, jungles, skies, and waterways of the planet are those who are shining examples of generosity, not just among their own, but recipients that are outside of their species. Below is a list of those that are known for their innate generosity, so that you can plan your family zoo/aquarium visit or nature program viewing accordingly.

a) Humpback Whales and Dolphins

Both humpback whales and dolphins exhibit an unselfish and giving nature by intervening in predator attacks to protect other species. In fact, there are well documented instances where dolphins have saved humans from sharks by creating a protective barrier. One of the most notable events took place in 2004 off the coast of New Zealand, when a pod of dolphins surrounded four lifeguards for nearly an hour to shield them from a great white shark. In other instances, humpback whales have been observed staying with friends that have become entangled in fishing nets.

How to Teach Generosity to a Child Through Examples in Nature

b) Meerkats

Your child likely knows the meerkat because of the quirky animated character Timon from The Lion King. And while Timon isn’t exactly the most shining example of generosity, his species absolutely is. Meerkats exhibit sharing behaviors. For one, they take turns as sentries on the lookout for predators when others in the pack are fast asleep. They also babysit for and feed the young of other group members, and dig communal burrows.

c) Crows

Crows have questionable reputations as mischievous winged creatures, but they can actually be quite generous if your household takes the time to observe and get to known them. Crows show a form of generosity by leaving gifts for people who feed them regularly. The highly intelligent and socially aware bird has the ability to recognize and remember individuals and acts of kindness. As a token of appreciation, they return to the scene (your backyard) with small and shiny items such as beads, buttons, bits of metal, and even jewelry. So the next time your family finds some a pretty trinket on the patio that no one in the household can claim responsibility for, take note that you may have just experienced the generosity of a local crow.

How to Teach Generosity to a Child Through Examples in Nature

d) Cats

We conclude the list of examples of generous animals with a look at one your child knows well. And if you have one in your household (the outdoorsy type, that is) then you are probably familiar with one generous habit that probably makes you a bit squeamish. Yes, cats are known for presenting their human companions with birds, mice, large moths and dragonflies that they capture in the backyard and from around the neighborhood. Up until now, you may have chastised them for doing so. But in recognizing that what they are doing is in union with the circle-of-life, and is also a sharing behavior, you and your child can better learn to appreciate a feline’s penchant for generosity. Just make sure they leave their gifts outside.

How to Teach Generosity to a Child Through Examples in Nature

We hope everything above was helpful. Meanwhile, please note that the Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation inspires and promotes healthy living and learning for kids across Canada. You can help us help the next generation by pledging your support too! View more on how you can get involved.