Six ways to bring WaterAid into the classroom
From gun control, to period poverty, to plastic in the world’s oceans – around the globe, young people are using their voices and influence to promote issues they care about.
Despite many a negative headline claiming generation Z are the opposite, at WaterAid we think young people are caring, motivated and generous. Every day we’re sent examples of awesome kids doing incredible things to support our cause.
Together, we’re going to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to everyone by 2030. But we won’t be able to do it without the help of younger generations. They are the ones, as future politicians, engineers and activists that will achieve our goal.
So we love talking to kids about WaterAid’s mission whenever we can, especially inside the classroom. Period poverty, toilets, clean water – many of the issues we champion are also relevant to school subjects.
Here are six easy ways you can bring WaterAid’s work into your classroom…
Get moving
Our Pupil Pipeline fundraising challenge is a fun and active way to learn about the lengths some school children have to go to for clean water.
Or, if your students are learning about the life cycle of water in science or geography, why not put a dramatic twist on things with our Water Cycle lesson activity?
Make it fun and games
We have a host of educational games from Angry Turds (yes, you read that right) to Walk for Water, that are light-hearted, but emphasise an important message about toilets and clean water.
Or make a real song and dance about it. Literally. Our songs can teach kids about everything from evaporation to poo.
See our games, films and songs >
Set a challenge
We all know kids love a challenge, and have unlimited imagination when it comes to problem solving. Put it to the test in Water Quest – a game that gets you thinking about how to bring water to a remote village.
Or, how about developing their project management skills? Taking part in our Schools Challenge gives students the chance to organise their own fundraising events.
Show the connection
Having no clean water or a flushing toilet are problems that lots of children in the UK may find it hard to identify with. But what they can identify with are the interests, hopes and dreams that all children around the world share.
Our World Cup activities focus on young people who love football, but struggle to enjoy the game when they can’t drink clean water.
Take it home
Learning doesn’t have to stop at the classroom door (although, maybe don’t tell the kids that). Our online games will keep pupils thinking about the impact of toilets and clean water at home, even if they don’t realise it.
The Water Family in particular helps families realise just how much water they use at home, and how to conserve it.
See our games, films and songs >
Be #PeriodProud
Periods can be an embarrassing and confusing subject for young girls coming into puberty. In developing countries, it’s made far worse by the fact that in many schools there are no toilets for girls to use on their periods. We’re working to break down barriers around periods for girls in the UK and around the world.
We’ve also partnered with The Girl Guides to encourage more open conversations about periods, tackling period poverty in the process.
We think the young people of today are some of our most important supporters. By introducing them to global issues like the water crisis at an early age, you can inspire the passion and determination in younger generations which will see clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene become normal for everyone, everywhere.