Helping the next generation understand energy isn’t complicated — but waiting too long is. Most children can tell you how a plant grows, why recycling matters, or where rain comes from. But if you ask them where energy comes from, or what keeps their home warm in the winter, most won’t know the answer. And it isn’t their fault.
Energy shapes every part of a child’s life, yet it’s one of the most overlooked topics in early education. Children flip light switches, ride in heated school buses, eat food grown with the help of energy, and stay safe during storms thanks to reliable backup systems. But they rarely learn how any of it works.
Today’s world demands something different. Energy literacy can’t wait until adulthood. It needs to start early.
Energy Is Everywhere in a Child’s Life
Kids experience energy constantly — in their homes, schools, activities, and even their favorite traditions. But because energy is “invisible,” they rarely think about it.
Understanding where energy comes from gives children:
• a sense of awareness
• a foundation for STEM thinking
• an appreciation for the systems that support their lives
It also helps them build the critical-thinking skills they will need as tomorrow’s voters, innovators, and community leaders.
Why Energy Literacy Matters More Than Ever
We are living through a moment of major energy change.
Families feel it every day in:
• energy bills
• heating choices
• electric grid reliability
• school transportation policies
• disaster preparedness
• debates about energy sources and affordability
Children will grow up in a world where energy decisions carry real consequences. They will need to understand not only what energy is, but why choice, balanced solutions, and reliability matter.
Giving them that foundation early prepares them to become informed adults who understand the relationship between energy, the environment, and the community around them.
Kids Understand More Than We Think
Children don’t need complicated explanations. They need stories. They need characters. They need relatable moments.
That’s why I created The Adventures of Propane Girl.
Through Propane Girl, children learn about energy by watching a young girl ask questions, explore the past, and understand how propane supported families through history.
It turns energy into something they can see, feel, and talk about. And it meets them at their level — curious, imaginative, ready to learn.
Why Propane Is the Perfect Starting Point
Propane is familiar. It’s easy to understand. It’s used in daily life. And it’s a clean, reliable energy source that supports homes, farms, schools, small businesses, and emergency services.
For children, propane becomes the bridge:
• it’s tangible
• it’s part of their everyday world
• it’s a way to introduce energy concepts simply and clearly
Learning about propane helps children understand the bigger energy picture without feeling overwhelmed.
Early Energy Awareness Builds Stronger Thinkers
When children understand energy, even at a basic level, they grow into adults who:
• ask smarter questions
• understand their choices
• care about reliability and safety
• appreciate the role of diverse energy solutions
• see innovation as something within reach
Energy literacy isn’t just about knowledge.
It builds confidence, curiosity, and empowerment.
A Small Spark Creates a Future Leader
Propane Girl came from my daughter’s own curiosity — an entrepreneurial spirit paired with a genuine desire to understand the world around her. That spark is in so many children, and they deserve the chance to nurture it.
Energy literacy doesn’t require a classroom.
It begins with one conversation, one story, one moment of curiosity.
Let’s Start Early
If we want tomorrow’s leaders to make thoughtful energy decisions, we need to start the conversation in childhood.
Not with fear.
Not with politics.
With clarity, imagination, and empowerment.
That is the purpose of The Adventures of Propane Girl.
A story that helps kids understand the world they live in — and inspires them to shape the world they will one day lead.