Year 2025 | Vol XVI | Issue No. 1 (August – November 2025)
Author: Sunanda Mishra
Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015, provide a global blueprint for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. While much of the discourse around Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focuses on higher education, governance, and policy- making, the foundational years—from Anganwadi to primary education—hold equal significance. Early Childhood Education (ECE) lays the groundwork for nurturing empathetic, responsible, and globally minded citizens. This article explores the importance and applicability of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in early childhood settings, from Anganwadis to formal schooling, emphasizing their role in shaping global citizens. The article provides detailed classroom activities, projects, and examples that educators can integrate into learning to make sustainability meaningful and age-appropriate.
Introduction
Early childhood is a period of rapid growth and development, where values, habits, and worldviews begin to form. According to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for Foundational Stage 2022, nurturing values, life skills, and socio-emotional learning at this stage is vital. Aligning these goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- especially, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education), Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (Gender Equality), Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 (Responsible Consumption), and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 (Climate Action) can help young learners develop a global outlook from the grassroots level.
Anganwadis form most of the foundation of India’s education system. There are approximately
1.4 million (14 lakh) Anganwadi centres across
India as of 2025, working as the country’s vast network for early childhood care, nutrition, health services, and pre-school education. It serves as the first institutional space where young children receive care, nutrition, health services, and early learning opportunities. They are not just centres for preschool education but also the holistic platforms for child development, family awareness, and community engagement.
Introducing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Anganwadis can amplify their impact by aligning early childhood care with global priorities such as health Sustainable Development Goal(SDG 3), quality education Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4), gender equality Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5), and reduced inequalities Sustainable Development Goal(SDG 10). Through simple, play-based activities like teaching healthy eating habits (linking to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger), water conservation Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6), or respect for diversity, children can begin to internalize values of sustainability and global citizenship from their earliest years.
In this way, Anganwadis become the seedbed for nurturing responsible, aware, and empathetic citizens while bridging local needs with global goals. The practices introduced here gradually blossom into lifelong habits, eventually preparing children to act as global citizens who contribute meaningfully to society and the planet.
Importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Early Childhood Education
| 1. Holistic Development: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize not just academic skills but also values like empathy, responsibility, and equity-key to holistic child development. |
| 2. Early Habits, Lifelong Impact: Environmental consciousness, respect for diversity, and healthy practices formed in the early years last a lifetime |
| 3. Bridging Local and Global: Children learn to appreciate their immediate environment (local water, trees, festivals) while gradually connecting these to global sustainability issues. |
| 4. Foundational Citizenship: Grooming children as ‘global citizens’ begins with small actions like sharing, conserving, and caring for community resources. |
Applicability of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): From Anganwadi to Primary School
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Anganwadi:
- Weekly Healthy Food Day where children bring one seasonal fruit/ vegetable from home, identify its colour, taste it, and talk about its benefits.
- Handwashing song activity before meals to instill hygiene practices.
Classroom Project (Age 5–7 years):
- ‘My Fitness Chart’, where each child records daily activities like walking, skipping, or yoga with teacher guidance.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education
- Anganwadi Example:
- Sharing household chore stories – boys and girls draw pictures of how they help at home ( washing vegetables, folding clothes).
- Classroom Project:
- Picture Sorting Game: Children categorise images of men and women doing different roles (doctor, teacher, farmer, engineer) to challenge stereotypes.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Activity in Anganwadi:
- Water Drop Patrol: Children check if taps are closed after use and receive a ‘Water Saver Star’ badge.
- Classroom Project:
- Creating a Rainwater Harvesting Model using clay, bottles, and small tubs, showing how water can be collected.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Anganwadi Example:
- ‘Best Out of Waste’ crafts using old boxes, newspapers, or cloth pieces.
- Classroom Project (Age 6–10):
- Food Plate Activity: Children draw their plates and discuss how they should avoid food wastage. Teachers encourage composting leftover peels in a small pit or pot.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action
- Anganwadi Example:
- ‘Adopt a Tree’ activity, where each child waters and cares for a plant outside the centre.
- Classroom Project:
- Weather Calendar: Children record daily weather with teacher guidance-sunny, cloudy, rainy-and discuss patterns.
- Energy Savers Club: Students switch off the lights and fans and earn stars for conserving energy.
Grooming Global Citizens through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Local to Global Connection: A child learning to save water at the Anganwadi connects it later to global water scarcity.
- Values and Empathy: Storytelling on topics like ‘A Day in the Life of a Farmer’/ ‘From farm to platter’ builds empathy and gratitude.
- Skills for the Future: Activities that foster collaboration, critical thinking, and responsibility-skills needed for global citizenship.
| 1. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, provide a Policy Perspective The SDGs provide a global framework for education reforms, while NEP 2020 contextualizes these within India’s socio- economic realities. Example: SDG 4.2 (quality ECCE) becomes concrete in NEP 2020 through Anganwadi |
2. Child-Centric Perspective
From the lens of a child, SDGs ensure the right to learning, health, and equality.
Projects like ‘Little Gardeners’ or ‘Healthy Plate’ give hands-on experiences that make SDGs visible in their daily lives.
Perspective: SDGs should not remain abstract global goals but become more flexible.
3. Teacher Perspective
Teachers act as the bridge between policy and practice.
They interpret SDG values (equality, sustainability, inclusion) into play-based pedagogies.
Teachers face challenges too-lack of resources, large class sizes, or varied readiness levels-but they are key change agents.
| 4. Parental/Community Perspective SDGs emphasize partnerships (SDG 17); ECCE success depends heavily on parents and communities. Example: NEP 2020’s School Readiness Modules encourage parents to participate in storytelling, play at home, and organise ‘parent-interface’ to involve parents in the school-initiated SDG activities. Perspective: A whole- community approach ensures equity, bridging gaps in dis-advantaged contexts. |
NEP 2020 stresses inclusion of children with disabilities (CWD), tribal children, and those in rural/urban slums.
Perspective: SDGs and NEP together provide a moral and ethical obligation to democratize early education.
6. Global vs. Local Perspective
Globally, SDGs represent common aspirations across nations.
Locally, NEP 2020 interprets these goals within India’s diverse contexts (multiling- ualism, socio-economic divides, cultural values).
Example: Play-based ECCE is global, but India’s NEP includes mother tongue- based learning as a local adaptation.
7. Sustainability Perspective
Early years education is critical to instil habits of sustainability (SDG 6: water conservation, SDG 15: care for nature).
Simple practices like waste segregation, reusing classroom material, and planting trees lay foundations for eco-conscious citizenship.
8. Research & Future Perspective
Research highlights that 90% of brain development occurs before age 6.
Investing in ECCE (SDG 4.2) is the most cost-effective pathway to achieving multiple SDGs (poverty reduction, gender equality, health).
Perspective: ECE is not just an education goal but a cross-cutting enabler for the entire 2030 Agen
Conclusion
Integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into early childhood education is not an abstract idea but a practical necessity. Starting from Anganwadi centres, where basic habits arecultivated, to primary school classrooms where critical thinking develops, children can be guided to internalize values of sustainability, equality, and global responsibility. By embedding Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-linked activities-like water conservation patrols, healthy food days, and gender-neutral role-plays-educators not only prepare children for academic success but also nurture them as future-ready, empathetic global citizens. The journey from Anganwadi to grooming global citizens is thus a continuum, aligning India’s educational vision under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 with the global vision of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
References
- United Nations (2015). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN.
- Ministry of Education, Government of India (2020). National Education Policy 2020.
- NCERT (2022). National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage.
- UNICEF (2019). Early Childhood Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- UNESCO (2021). Education for Sustainable Development: A Roadmap
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sunanda Mishra brings over three decades of experience and dedication to her role as a Pre- School educator at Salwan Public School. In addition to her teaching expertise, Sunanda has showcased her literary talent through Odia short stories and shared her insights on Early Childhood Care and Education through presentations.
