A more sustainable future will be in the hands of today’s children. By introducing them to the concepts behind its development and explaining the world of electric cars in a simple and engaging way, we can embark on a shared journey toward ecological transition. This is why raising awareness on the topic from an early age is crucial. However, sparking children’s curiosity about such a subject can be challenging. Fortunately, there are activities, exercises, and games that can help capture their interest and make learning fun.
With a bit of imagination, it’s possible to come up with fun ways to start talking about electric mobility and, more broadly, sustainability. Concepts like energy, power, and current can be connected to everyday metaphors or references, or we can use drawing and the power of storytelling to create an engaging and accessible introduction to these topics. Let’s explore how together.
Why explain electric mobility to children?
Talking to children about electric mobility and sustainability is a way to integrate these topics into their everyday lives. Beyond sparking their curiosity, introducing concepts like clean energy, respect for the environment and sustainable innovation will help them grow into more conscious adults, capable of working together to protect the planet. For example, discovering how the sun can charge a car can serve as an engaging starting point to understand how solar energy works.
Initially seen as abstract, these concepts will transform into foundational knowledge: growing up with an environmentally conscious mindset will become something spontaneous and natural. Just as it is unthinkable for recent generations to buy and discard plastic bottles every day, carrying a reusable water bottle has become second nature, so too will environmental responsibility feel natural, not burdensome, to the adults of tomorrow.
However, all of this starts with a concrete and shared commitment. More and more parents, teachers, and adults are doing their part to foster sustainable awareness in children. Simple and fun tips can help achieve this goal.
Tips for a simple and engaging explanation
With a few clever tricks, electric mobility can become a collective game. You can explain that electric cars “eat” energy just like we eat food, and that instead of drinking gasoline like traditional cars, they recharge with a ‘plug,’ just like children’s toys.
The battery of an electric car can be compared to a magical backpack that stores all the energy needed to make the car run. The more energy there is in the backpack, the farther the car can go without stopping. A simple way to explain this concept is to compare it to a game, like when you charge the batteries of a robot or an electronic stuffed toy to make it work.
To engage children even more, you can explain that driving an electric car is like riding a scooter or a bicycle with electric assistance: there’s no noise, and everything happens smoothly and quietly. To make it even more exciting, you could suggest playing with child-sized electric cars: a perfect game to entertain them while also helping them understand firsthand that a vehicle can move without producing smoke or making noise.
Explaining that electric cars also help the planet because they don’t pollute the air can be very simple. For example, we can say that electric cars are ‘friends of nature’ and that by using them, we help trees, animals, and even ourselves live better.
Practical exercises for parents and teachers
Children’s curiosity about electric mobility can be further sparked through hands-on activities. For example, encouraging them to draw an electric car and imagine how it works is a creative way to start. During the exercise, ask the children to design their own electric car. What would it look like? Would it have glowing wheels or a hood shaped like an animal? And where would they place the charging plug? This activity helps them think creatively and practically.
Another interesting idea is to involve them in building a “battery” using everyday objects. With simple materials, like a battery and a small lightbulb, you can demonstrate how energy flows from one point to another to light up the bulb, just like how it powers an electric car.
You can also engage their curiosity with a fun quiz or anecdotes related to electric mobility. For instance, invent a story about a brave electric car that embarks on an adventure to help the planet breathe better. In this story, the car could encounter gasoline vehicles in trouble and convince them to take a break. It could explain how switching to clean energy would help them feel better and protect the environment, turning the adventure into a lesson about teamwork and sustainability.
It can also be fun to build a model electric car using recycled materials such as cardboard, plastic bottles, and bottle caps. In addition to effectively and memorably explaining how electric cars work through play, this activity helps children understand the concept of reusing materials in a practical way.
Electric cars for a more sustainable future
Teaching children about sustainability is a key step in preparing them to live—and design—in a world increasingly focused on electric mobility and smart cities. That’s why it’s important to start talking about sustainable mobility at home or in school, using the suggested metaphors and activities.Engaging them with stories, games, and hands-on activities is a great way to make this topic both accessible and exciting. After all, the future of our planet begins with them.