“What is Climate Change and What Can I Do About It?” A Survey and Educational Intervention with 10- to 13-Year-Olds

Young people have an important role to play in the future of the climate crisis, and many start learning about climate change by late childhood in the United States. Critically, research is needed on children’s climate-related beliefs and attitudes, and particularly their everyday climate actions. To fill this gap, we surveyed a diverse sample of 10- to 13-year-old children in California to understand their views and experiences (Study 1, N = 477) and then we tested the impact of a multi-week climate action unit in children’s science classes (Study 2, N = 146). In Study 1, most children demonstrated limited conceptual understanding of climate change, but expressed concern about the crisis and motivation to take action. Those who held more positive attitudes toward climate action were more likely to engage in actions themselves, but a closer look at children’s descriptions of their actions revealed limited overall engagement and an outsized focus on individual-level actions (e.g., picking up trash) over system-level actions (e.g., advocacy in one’s community). In Study 2, the educational intervention did not show significant improvements in children’s conceptual knowledge, attitudes, or actions compared to pretest levels. Children’s open-ended responses in both studies highlighted gaps in knowledge and action (e.g., misconceptions about climate) but also opportunities for climate change education (e.g., school activities that engage action). The findings point to areas for further research on when and how education can support climate action in youth.