Raising awareness in our children to be attentive to the environment is a responsibility that starts when they can sensibly use their reason. The best way to teach them naturally is by having ourselves some sustainable practices that cause the least possible influence on nature, such as recycling and waste separation. Many parents think that how to teach recycling to preschoolers, at Kidsrush.com we tell you how to teach children to recycle. We recommend you to read another article 6 Tips To Teach Children To Be Humble.
Steps to follow to teach children to recycle
Lead by example to teach children to recycle
Whenever it comes to instructing children, this is the best advice to take. Children replicate almost everything their parents do. And if they follow our example we will not need to stop just to tell them how or why they have to carry out a task.
Have several garbage cans
Begin the separation of waste in your own home. Having numerous differentiated containers in which to deposit them. A bin for organic waste, another for paper, another for plastic, etc.
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Let them draw the symbol for the home containers
For example, each box has a drawing of the type of waste that goes inside, and that your children draw, cut, and paste those symbols. This way, they will certainly not forget where they have to put the yogurt paper containers.
Games to learn the containers
You can create a game in which you have to specify the different waste to the containers. Both with cut-out drawings or combined bylines on the paper or with toys, which can be modified with labels. It demonstrates the uses of the different containers according to their color: red for organic matter, yellow for waste, gray for plastics and packaging, green for grass, and blue for paper and cardboard, as well as other special containers, such as those for used batteries, oil, and medications.
Explain why
Children, particularly at a specific age, almost always want to understand the why of things. Take the moment to explain that recycling is not a whim, but it is important to take care of our planet, not to pollute our surroundings and leave our children and grandchildren a caring environment.
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Explain the consequences of contamination
A single quantity pollutes thousands of liters of water, plastic takes decades and even centuries to biodegrade, there are islets of floating garbage in the ocean that wreck animals and plants, greenhouse gases destroy the ozone layer, accumulated garbage can start fires in forests, etc.
Get involved with school activities that belong to recycling
Environmental knowledge is taught in a transversal way in different educational stages. If the child sees that it is a subject in which we are interested and that we ourselves bolster so that they learn it. They will recognize it even more important.
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Take advantage of the materials at home
Another way to lead by the model is to reuse old or apparently worthless materials to create new things, such as toys. You can make rag dolls out of old stuffed socks and scraps of clothing, or have a bowling game out of empty plastic bottles. We think now you know how to teach children to recycle, so go ahead and implement it.