With most households seeing recycling as just another part of everyday responsibilities, along with taking out the rubbish and checking the mail, many parents are neglecting to teach us children about recycling and why it is important.
Whether your little one is just becoming old enough to understand the idea, like me or you have older children or teens who are aware of it, here are a few ways you can start teaching children about recycling on a regular basis:
1. Visiting a Waste Disposal Centre
As well as helping to teach your children the importance of recycling, it can also be super interesting! Our local centre has so many facilities and Mummy talks to us about them when we call. You could think about visiting one of your local waste disposal and recycling centres to learn more and you can all see the amount of effort and technology that goes into recycling.
Many of these facilities also offer educational tours to show you even more, and you can ask lots of questions and find out exactly what happens to your rubbish and what you give them for recycling. If you’re in the London area, Envirowaste is a prime example of an advanced recycling service.
2. Learning About the Impact of Recycling on the Future
After getting home from your trip to the local recycling plant, you could try watching some programs together. There are lots online, and films too with many even geared towards younger children like me. Some cartoons and movies which I love also have an eco-friendly slant, like Wall-E, Bambi, Rio, and Over the Hedge, to get you started!
3. Encouraging Children to Be Eco-Friendly at a Young Age
Simple things to teach me, even now are that dropping litter is not good, find a rubbish bin! Recycling is the best thing to do, Mummy shows me what she is doing with my old clothes and toys – taking them to the recycling centre, or giving them to charity, and she explains what she is doing. You could try the ‘one in, one out’ rule too. I can only have a new toy or book, if I recycle / give away an old one. This is good for our teens too, with video games, books, clothes and DVD’s. (Mummy says it also helps keep clutter down!)
What do you think of teaching children about recycling? Is it something you do – if so do you have any tips to share?
August 17, 2016 at 9:22 pm
I do recycle, perhaps not as much as I could though.
It is an important message for children to learn & find out about though xx
Sarah recently posted…Book of the Month – A Squash and A Squeeze
August 17, 2016 at 9:37 pm
This is such an important lesson to teach kids, especially as schools tend to recycle as well x
Rhian Westbury recently posted…Why I Couldn’t Freelance Full Time
August 17, 2016 at 10:03 pm
It’s great to teach them early. I used to love visiting the local recycling centre with my Dad when I was younger, I was his little helper x
August 17, 2016 at 10:39 pm
So Miss Mini Me is 4 and we started recycling recently. She doesn’t understand why but she does enjoy saving up all the things we can recycle and putting them in the recycling bins.
The only downfall for us is living in a block of flats which means we don’t get individual recycling bins and it’s statistically proven it is a lot harder to recycle in a situation like ours. But we are trying!
I love your ideas for educating children about recycling and might try one or two with the Mini Me’s.
Emmie xo
http://www.unsignedmeblog.co.uk
August 17, 2016 at 11:58 pm
My girls know what to recycle, but you’ve just made me realise I’ve never explained the ‘Why’ to them! You’re right when you say it’s important to teach them so they have the understanding and extra motivation to recycle themselves. x
Jacqui Paterson (@Jax2000) recently posted…WIN! THIS GORGEOUS TEA SET, FROM THE WOODEN TOY SHACK
August 18, 2016 at 1:09 am
Such an important topic but in all honesty. I could do with a lesson in recycling myself! xxx
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August 18, 2016 at 7:21 am
Brilliant article! Kids are very sensible, I’m sure you can get great results by explaining and being a role model.
Mika | http://www.la-french-connection.com
August 19, 2016 at 12:32 pm
I agree that kids should be taught more about recycling, I’ve been useless at recycling as an adult – it’s only recently I’ve been taking it seriously.
August 19, 2016 at 11:01 pm
I am constantly teaching my kids about recycling whether it’s old books/clothes/toys for a charity shop or shampoo bottles and old exercise books etc for the blue recycling bin – it’s so important to look after our planet.
Camilla recently posted…Greengage Jam and what to do when your jam is too runny!
August 21, 2016 at 8:30 pm
I think is very important to teach children about recycling. The idea of visiting a recycling centre is great, I was impressed by a local recycling point that I saw for the first time a couple of years ago.
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August 23, 2016 at 4:49 pm
Aww, cute pic! I agree that it’s important for kids to learn about recycling.
August 24, 2016 at 2:16 pm
I love recycling, I try to have a positive impact so my children can see it as a good thing
Zoe L recently posted…Visiting the HiPP Organic Farm in Podagi, Poland
August 26, 2016 at 4:43 am
Recycling is very important, teach my children about recycling is a good idea. we should concern on waste pollution.
March 22, 2017 at 7:11 am
Thanking for sharing this. I am interested in recycling, waste reuse and recycling is necessary. To teach my child about recycling is meaningful.
July 6, 2017 at 3:08 am
Recycling is a good concept that the children should know. Thank you for sharing this.
July 12, 2017 at 10:13 am
Thanks for sharing. It is necessary to teach children about recycling. They would form a good habit of recycling when they grow up.
August 8, 2017 at 7:01 am
Thanks for shearing this, I believe that we need to teach our children at an early age to know how to start recycling… because they need to learn how to contribute to the Earth in which they live in.