There are so many ways to recycle, and environmental stewardship is not just your responsibility but also that of your offspring. The home is an excellent area to begin teaching children ecologically responsible behaviors. KC Dumpster is here to help! 

The following suggestions may all be taught at home and meant to make recycling entertaining and successful for children of all ages.

16 Ways to Recycle at Home

Set a Good Example

Most children learn by observing and copying others. As a result, when it comes to recycling, you must practice what you preach. First, separate your trash at home into various brightly colored garbage cans. Paper, glass bottles, metallic cans, and biological garbage should all be accepted in these containers. Then, ensure that when you dispose of your trash, you place each thing in the appropriate bin and that your children witness and mimic your activities.

how to recycle plastic

Reuse 

Make something new out of old materials to show youngsters how to reuse and recycle at home. For example, a guitar may be made from an empty tissue box and a paper towel tube, a desk organizer from old cans, or a bird feeder from plastic bottles. Your youngster will view the term “garbage” in a whole new way!

Display the Recycling Results to Them

“Why?” is a favorite inquiry among children. Explain the benefits of recycling to them, and if possible, demonstrate the good consequences of recycling. Your kids will have more motivation to help recycle if they understand how recycling impacts the world and the effects of their efforts.

Offer Incentives

Try encouraging your children to earn extra money by collecting recyclable items and selling them to recycling facilities. Allowing your children to earn money for themselves will boost their self-esteem and competence. Alternatively, give them a prize for collecting a set number of items, such as sweets or more playtime. This will quickly increase their drive for active and aware recycling.

picking up trash

Make Recycling Exciting

Recycling activities may appear to children as a duty, which might decrease their excitement. Instead, turn recycling into a game to make it more enjoyable. The one who collects the most recyclable stuff wins! Go ahead, and make your own rules for the game.

Make a Charitable Donation

Children outgrow their clothing, toys, and books as they grow. Rather than storing these items in a box in your basement or attic, teach your children that these items, especially if they are still in good shape, would be better off as donations. Take them to the many charities where they may donate. Helping others is beneficial to your children’s moral development.

Inform Them About Recycling Facts

Teach your children about the environment, global warming, shifting weather patterns, and the implications for their quality of life. Describe to them what will happen in the future if nothing is done now, and assure them that every voice, even that of a small child, can make a difference.

benefits of recycling

Instruct Them on How to Recycle Water

Water is a precious resource that is abundantly consumed every day.  Because of this, it is critical to educate children on the importance of recycling water. Explain to your children that they may recycle bath water to flush the toilet or clean the house. When brushing their teeth, they should turn off the water or place a container beneath the sink to catch some water for later use.

Recognize Their Efforts

Encourage your children to find new methods to recycle at home. Once they have done so, compliment them on their efforts so that they will be eager to find new methods to recycle. Furthermore, constantly commend every effort kids make, particularly those you have taught them.

Get Involved in Local Initiatives

To encourage individuals to make better use of their resources, your town should have active recycling activities. For example, take your children with you the next time there is a gathering. Allow them to interact with other recyclers since this will encourage them to do the same. It will also provide them with the opportunity to learn how to make their recycling efforts more manageable and more successful.

how to teach kids to recycle

Use Recyclable Shopping Bags

The majority of children will accompany their moms to the grocery store to shop. You may motivate kids to conserve the environment by avoiding using harmful plastic bags and encouraging them to ditch the plastic for reusable bags when they shop. This will become second nature to them. 

Make a Compost Pile

You can use biodegradable garbage to make a compost heap, which must be monitored and developed over time. This will teach your children patience and the ability to manufacture a recyclable substance that will improve their quality of life. In addition, you may expand on the composting process by growing organic food at home.

Make Use of Online Resources

It may sound unbelievable, but kids between the ages of 8 to 12 spend an average of 6 hours each day on screen time. Teenagers spend even more time with an average of 9 hours per day. This includes computers, gaming consoles, smartphones, tablets, and TVs.  Make this time educational for them by finding instructional videos and games that teach them the benefits of recycling. The more education they have, the better they will understand the importance of recycling and its impacts on our planet. 

picking up trash properly

Make Crafts

Make projects out of recyclable materials that are multipurpose, appealing, and a reflection of your creativity. For example, make paper mache figures out of old paper, and repurpose jars in many different ways. Making crafts helps your children to be creative and think outside the box. If they love it, they will actively seek out additional projects that use recyclable materials.

Encourage Them to Form a Club

If your children are involved in an activity, their classmates will most likely want to join in as well. Therefore, encourage all youngsters in the neighborhood to participate by having your children form a club dedicated to recycling activities. A recycling group may thrive with the correct activities and intense enthusiasm.

Maintain Simplicity

Learning how to recycle properly does not have to be complicated. Make it simple for your kids to create the habit of recycling. Sort your recycle containers according to the contents they contain. Place recycle containers in their rooms with amusing labels for easier access. Create categories that are clearly discernible to them. This should serve as a regular reminder to your children to recycle.

Wrapping Up Ways to Recycle

As you can see above, there are countless ways to recycle and numerous ways to teach children how to recycle. KC Dumpster is here to not only help you with recycling but give other tips and advice on taking care of trash and debris, all on our website. If you’re in need of a rental dumpster, our dumpster rental company is at your service. Contact us today to rent a dumpster for projects of any size!