How To Teach Kids About Recycling

How To Teach Kids About Recycling

We all need to do what we can for the good of the planet, and who better to carry on with the good work than the next generation? If we teach kids how to recycle and how to take care of the planet, they’ll carry it with them in the future and preserve the earth and its resources for everyone.

But it’s not enough to show them how to put a plastic bottle in the recycling bin, they need to know why they are doing it.

Why is recycling important?

Natural resources are in decline, the climate is changing, sea levels are rising, and plastic pollution is choking the life out of our oceans. Recycling is a simple thing to do which has far-reaching benefits for the environment, and the best thing is, you can start from home.

Teaching kids how to recycle

Here are some easy and fun ways to teach kids about recycling:

Lead by example

Make sure your kids see you recycling and being environmentally conscious. Explain why you’re doing it and why it’s important.

Do your research

Don’t give your kids a lecture on recycling but learn some new facts and information you can tell them about recycling which might engage their interest.

Help them get creative

Remember the children’s TV shows that used an old washing up liquid bottle and a cereal box to create something? Encourage the kids to make things from household recyclables so they see that unwanted materials can be useful.

Introduce them to composting

If your kids love getting their hands dirty (and most of them do) why not make a compost heap? Add food waste to it, and even plastic, to demonstrate that plastic does not degrade and this is why it’s so bad for the planet.

Recycling begins at home

Get them to help you create a recycling area in your home and choose small different coloured bins for different types of recyclables, or even better, ask them to decorate the bins with stickers to identify what should go in them.

When you have recyclable items, ask your kids to sort them into the designated bins, and even consider awarding stars or similar that will lead to a small reward when they have sorted a certain number of recyclables.

Teach them about recyclables in the supermarket

Point out products that are made from recycled materials and encourage your kids to read the labels to check if products are made from a percentage of recyclables.