Raising Recyclers

You do your part to help the environment, but what about the rest of your family? Since so many of you have taken on the additional responsibility of “home-school teacher”, we thought we’d share some of our favourite tips and tricks to get your kids excited about the benefits of recycling – no matter their age!

Set Up Recycling Containers

Sorting recyclables is something many young kids will enjoy doing, especially if you gamify the chore! Perfect for kids under 10, put all your recyclable materials together in a pile on the floor. Ready – set – go! Whoever sorts the most items correctly wins! You can encourage them to participate with small prizes, like stickers, a colouring book, or maybe a treat.

Explain to your children the different bins and what they are for, and mention to them how it is important to sort recyclable items correctly so they can be easily processed when they reach the recycling plant.

Read Recycling Books

There are so many wonderful children’s books that are dedicated to environmentalism! The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a classic book and an easy-to-understand lesson on caring for our planet.

Some of our other favourite books about recycling and environmentalism are:

• The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle by Alison Inches
• What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet by Jess French
• The Berenstain Bears Go Green! by Jan and Mike Berenstain

Clean Up Your Favourite Park

Now more than ever, our outside spaces are precious oases where we can bask in the sunshine, play with our kids, exercise our pets and get fresh air flowing. Why not contribute to your favourite local park’s beauty by cleaning it up?

Gather up your kids and some supplies. You’ll need:

• Disposable gloves
• Clear recycling bags
• Optional: a stick for picking up items
• A hat to keep the sun off your face
• SPF 50+

Once you are outdoor-ready, head to your favourite local park or simply walk up and down your street. Make sure to sort as you collect to save time later!

Watch a Video

There are so many kid-friendly educational videos on platforms like YouTube that your kids can watch. Not only will they be entertained, but they’ll be learning too! Some of our favourite videos include:

• Recycling Facts for Kids – Why Recycling is Important
• The Big Sort: An Insider’s Tour of a Recycling Plant
• Recycling for Kids

Do you have a favourite activity or tip for educating your kids about recycling? We’d love to hear it! Join our community on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and share your favourite recycling tips for kids.