Following the successful launch of Climate Warriors to mark Earth Day on April 22, this latest Grow With Six Senses children’s program has grown an extra set of wings at properties around the world.
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Climate Warriors is built on simple, tangible things children can do and enjoy doing, to combat climate change and play a positive role in their environments and communities.
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It was first trialed at Vooc Village at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam, as a two-day program with children learning simple eco-friendly habits and experiencing a host of fun activities before achieving their Climate Warrior status in the form of a certificate.
The program itself varies slightly depending on each resort’s location and natural resources – beach, mountain, jungle, or forest, for example – but each is presented in three parts. In part one, children learn about climate change and the connection between people and the environment through quizzes, games, arts, and experiments at the resort’s Earth Lab. Part two delves into the solutions carried out at the Six Senses property, demonstrating the use of renewables, compost, upcycling and more. Part three is all about “being the solution,” showing children how they can shape the future as climate advocates, including writing a letter to a local minister, reducing electricity or air conditioning, cycling or walking instead of taking the resort buggy and taking a shorter shower.
Grow With Six Senses is a much-loved staple of any family vacation, and this latest addition will be presented in the same spirit: happy and hands-on.
A sneak peek of just some of the activities on offer:
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam: Warming up with a climate game before rolling up the sleeves to turn waste to wealth at the Earth Lab, save the reef in the Experience Center, and plant a tree at the fruit farm. There’s a new take on food preparation too, with smoothies made using a Pedimix bicycle and veggies baked in a solar cooker!
Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam: Taking care of the resort’s feathered friends at the chicken villa, learning about composting at the organic garden, making a natural smoothie and exploring solar energy at the Elephant Bar, and playing a “Protect the Ecosystem” game while discovering the importance of trees.
Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, China: Going on a Happy Farm Tour and Woodland Adventure, making a fresh juice with an eco-juicer in the Square Bar, taking a turn at DIY waste upcycling, and learning the art of composting in the Earth Lab.
Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman: Turning waste to wealth at the Earth Lab, plant-based cooking, nature art at Chica’s Club, “save the reef” watersports, planting trees in the organic garden, making recycled jewelry, and getting runway-ready with a trash fashion show!
Six Senses Botanique, Brazil: Recycling old corks and other activities in the Earth Lab, preparing all-natural juices, planting seeds and harvesting fresh greens in the veg garden, and – of course – eating the pick of the bunch for lunch.
Six Senses Kaplankaya, Turkey: Separating waste on the beach, gardening antics including planting a tree, preparing healthy smoothies at the beautiful Sage and Sea Restaurant, becoming a scientist for a day to conduct experiments, and making a glass terrarium containing a selection of miniature but mighty plants.
Six Senses Zil Pasyon, Seychelles: Papermaking at Trouloulou kids’ club, writing a letter to a local minister, playing climate experiment games, making nutritious and delicious juices at the Orchard & Island Café, and learning about pollinators and seeds.
Six Senses Douro Valley, Portugal: Creating candle art at the Earth Lab, playing games with recycling, making seed bombs, learning the art of composting and the science of organic gardening, sharing a plant-based meal, and – the cherry on the eco-cake – studying the native Miranda Donkey.
Six Senses Laamu, Maldives: Brushing up on climate trivia and waste timelines, saving water through reverse osmosis, collecting leaves to blend organic tea, recycling paper, cleaning up the mangrove with local students in Laamu Hithadhoo, and – everyone’s favorite (including the hosts) – meeting the in-house chocolate chef!
Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali: Taking cover for a volcano explosion experiment, making natural playdough and paper or tote bags, touring the Earth Lab, playing climate games, learning how compost nurtures the soil in the organic garden, and spending a joyful moment or two feeding the sea turtles.
Six Senses Ibiza, Spain: Building a bird feeder at the Alchemy Bar, preparing toothpaste at the Earth Lab, learning how to take care of the resort’s marine friends, going on a sustainability hunt, planting a tree, and sharing a plant-based meal that has been freshly picked from the garden.
Summing up the program she has worked hard to introduce, Corporate Sustainability Manager Jennifer Klar said: “As a natural and playful part of our younger guests’ vacation, we invite them to experience everything we do but in a fun way, out and about, not in the classroom. Everything is based on a can-do attitude, often with a task, a tool, and an outcome, ending with a ‘look what I’ve done today’ moment, all in a new setting or environment that they might not experience in their day-to-day lives.”