Recycling for Kids
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Teach Your Kids About Recycling Early
You probably already know from experience that if you want you children to learn good habits - no matter what those habits are - it helps if you start instilling those ideas as early as possible.
And remember that book that came out years ago about learning everything you need to know in Kindergarten? It's true. We learn all of Life's most basic and necessary lessons when we're young and impressionable. Once we reach a certain age it becomes difficult to change our habits.
If you want your child to brush his teeth every night before bed, then you start teaching him as soon as he has teeth to brush. if you want him to make his bed every morning then you start teaching him as soon as he's old enough to pull up the sheets.
The same holds true for habits you want to instill that might not be so obvious. Like putting his juice box in the recycle bin or turning off the water while he's brushing his teeth.
If we want our children to grow up to be responsible adults who care for the environment then we need to start instilling those habits as soon as they're able to understand what it is we want them to do.
Make no mistake. They don't need to be old enough to understand the reason you want them to put that water bottle in the recycling bin. They just need to be able to understand that's what they're supposed to do.
If you think about it; we may not have the environmental problems we have now if our generation and the generations that came before had understood the importance of instilling those recycling habits at a young age.
Learn more about Recycling for Kids.
Recycle Games for Kids
Kids love games. Kids learn best when they are enjoying what they're doing. Games on recycling are an excellent way for children to learn about the importance of recycling and the impact it will have on their lives and future generations.
If you have several children, you could have a quiz, giving several options. Everything isn't "right" or "wrong" with recycling, there are a range of answers, eg recycling is great, reusing is better and reducing is best. So, although there are several "good" answers, one is "best".
An example is:
You take your lunch to school each day and you need a drink. Do you:
a. Reuse the plastic bottle that you bought yesterday? (reuse)
b. Take a flask which you can use again and again? (reduce)
c. When finished with your drink recycle the can? (recycle)
d. Buy a drink and put the empty can in the bin?
So when making your quiz have an answer in each category, it will also challenge your child more. If your child is older, he might even like to help you create the questions.
Why We Need To Teach Our Kids To Recycle
Think about all the mundane tasks you perform throughout the day. You get out of bed when the alarm goes off. You brush your teeth. You eat a healthy breakfast. You say 'Please' and 'Thank You'. You hold doors for other people.
Maybe you have certain quirks. Your socks have to be balled instead of folded. You only drive Chevys. You're a fanatic about straightening pictures on the wall.
These are all learned behaviors that have stuck with you since you were just a young child. They're not even really classified as habits. They're just things you do because...well, because that's just who you are.
Wouldn't it be great if our children looked at recycling this same way? Wouldn't it be great if it was something they didn't even think about? If it was just "Who They Are?"
Learn more about Recycling for Kids.
Teach Your Child To Be Aware Of His Environment
It's never too early to start teaching your child about our environment. Teaching your kids to separate plastics and glass at home is one thing. But there's a whole, wide world out there that they're going to be responsible for some day.
Take your child for nature walks so he can learn to appreciate the beauty of this great Planet Earth.
Teach your child how to donate used toys instead of tossing them out with the trash.
Most important, teach your child to be aware of his environment. A lot of recycling projects at schools are in place because a child noticed a problem and spoke out about it. Your child needs to know he has a responsibility to keep his eyes open, be aware, and most important - speak out.
Learn more about Recycling for Kids.
You Have To Set The Example
It's not true that you learned all your important lessons in Kindergarten. You may have learned them when you were 5, the age you were when you went to Kindergarten. But you learned a lot of the most important Life lessons from your parents, right there in the comfort of your own home.
If you want you children to grow up thinking 'Green' thoughts and being responsible members of Planet Earth, then you have to set a good example for them to follow.
Yes, recycling takes time. Yes, you have to wash out bottles and sort bags in the garage. And yes, you need to make arrangements for dropping it off or having it picked up.
But the reason recycling is a difficult habit for you to start is because you didn't learn it when you were in Kindergarten. If you start teaching your children NOW, by the time they're adults it will just be second nature for them.
Children learn by following your example. So, no matter how difficult it is for you to start sorting those bottles and newspapers, you need to start now, while your kids are still young enough to learn.
Learn more about Recycling for Kids.
Are you teaching your child to recycle?
What things do you do at home to recycle?
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Tipi
Mar 26, 2012 @ 8:15 pm | delete
- I love your philosophy, recycling needs to be who we all are and just something we do as a normal part of daily living.
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nickupton
Mar 18, 2012 @ 7:19 am | delete
- Great lens. I added it to my envelope recycling lens.
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veryirie
Mar 8, 2012 @ 2:57 pm | delete
- When our kids were young at home, we used cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, but there were no recycling bins at that time. We used to pick up random trash with the kids when visiting the beach and hiking areas, so we always had extra bags with us for this. I guess we did what we felt was right at the time. However, I'm so impressed with the advice you've given here. I think it is part of a parent's responsibility to teach a child how to make their environment better. Blessings to you!
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scarlettohairy Mar 8, 2012 @ 12:39 am | delete
- Great information on child rearing and recycling!
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fionamckay9
Feb 22, 2012 @ 5:19 am | delete
- Great lens with some good ideas for kiddies
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cffutah
Feb 11, 2012 @ 10:22 am | delete
- Great article here, especially for kids to help recycle ... *blessed*
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