The mandatory national curriculum requires teachers to instruct children about recycling. The government want children to learn how the ”Earth is a source of limited resources and the efficacy of recycling”. Teaching children about the benefits of recycling won’t be easy, but our tips for engaging children should help you out!
Follow us on a brief journey to how you can transform the classroom (and playground) into an eco-friendly wonderland.
Recycling For Kids
1. Get Straight To The Facts
Start strong with these sobering waste facts. Where possible, add context that children would understand:
- The average UK family with children throws away £800 worth of food a year, that’s £70 a month.
- In the space of a year, the amount of plastic produced is near enough the same as the entire weight of everyone on earth.
- Electrical goods are the fastest growing waste stream in the UK, increasing by 5% each year. That’s everything from smartphones, to TVs.
After introducing them to these relevant facts and figures, begin a classroom discussion to find out if their parents recycle and if the children know what recycling goes where.
2. Paint the recycling emblem
Painting helps children in more ways than one. Through painting exercises, children learn to identify shapes and colours.
Try getting the class to paint the universal symbol for recycling to help them get to grips with noticing the emblem.
3. Watch an informative recycling video
Video can have a transformative impact on the classroom; they can engage children and offer a great talking point afterwards.
Try to incorporate a brief video clip into your teaching schedule. The following video is a great example.
Recycling for Kids | Recycling Plastic, Glass and Paper | Recycle Symbol | Kids Academy – YouTube
4. Celebrate World Environment Day
On June 5th, the world gets ready to celebrate to celebrate the biggest day for decisive environmental action. While this isn’t about school playground equipment, it’s a good educational tool.
Last year the fight against plastic pollution played a big part in the news narrative.
Who knows what the message will be for 2019, either way, it will be a great day to spur the class into joining the fight for a better future.
For information relevant to both organisations and businesses, read our blog How Can Your Business Help the UK’s Environmental Goals?
5. Play a Recycling Game
Help to cement the children’s understanding of recycling with the help of classroom word search game or spot the difference.
They are a simple enough activity that will also boost a little playful competition among the children.
Try the example below as a starter.
Spot The Difference: Recycling Activity
6. Use Writing Prompts to Encourage Recycling
Let the children spread their wings and introduce some fun writing prompts into the creative writing portion of their classes.
The more they have to concentrate on the idea of recycling will bolster their inclination to do just that. Check out this fantastic resource to get started.
https://www.weareteachers.com/printable-recycling-writing-prompts/
7. Put the Play in School Playground Equipment
Help make recycling fun by incorporating it into the school playground equipment!
Encourage children to throw there in the bin with Direct365’s collection of novelty playground bins.
They are not only vandal proof but easy to access with a simple key unlock and twist to locate the liner.
Choose from a wide variety of colours today!
8. Lead by example
The best way to helping both the environment is through proper recycling. In the world of waste management, It’s been no secret landfill charges are rising each year, so, the cost of waste disposal gets pricier too. Although, an added benefit is that recycling costs less money to process than standard waste disposal; which in turn means you’re saving more money in the long run.
Our service is straightforward as what you would do at home.
Lead by example by getting rid of your recycling waste and signing up with a trusted waste provider. At Direct365, we care about the environment and your budget. We scour over 100 suppliers to find you the best price for recycling waste collection on the market.
Get an instant free quote today.
