Recycling is a habit that not only helps the environment, but also helps your child learn about the world around him. By teaching your child how to recycle, you teach him to understand how the ecosystem works in a concrete and fun way. In addition, you can have fun with your child by engaging in some basic recycling activities.
Go to the Dump
Kids are fascinated by the equipment, the movement of the conveyor belts and the sorting process at a waste management processing facility. The activity incorporates all five senses--smells abound, noisy crushing and banging goes on and the garbage is in constant movement. While they can't interact with the recycling process at most waste management facilities, they gain a better understanding of what happens after you put garbage in the garbage bin, green waste in its receptacle and recycling out to the curb.
Check your municipality's waste management website for dump visit days or contact the waste management company to set up a visit. This is an especially useful event for Scouts, as they can earn a community or recycling badge with this visit.
Games Online and At Home
Games are a fun way to help kids learn about garbage, recycling and the work of even the most ignominious species. Kids can play online games, placing the can, glass or bottle in the correctly labeled bin, for example, or learn about earthworms. These games are fun for younger kids, but older kids may need a more sophisticated game.
Have older kids play a game in real life. Have the child look at an item in the house for its recycling label and number, then check the receptacles to see if the item can be recycled by your waste management company and place it in the correct bin. Set up a reward for your child for every 10 cans, for example, that she correctly sorts she receives an extra half hour of television or a trip to the ice cream store.
Collect Electronic Waste
Older kids, from 6th grade and up, can organize a day to recycle electronic waste. In most communities, this can be done with an electronic waste recycling company that splits the profit with your organization, so it's also a useful fundraiser for teams or clubs. By collecting electronic waste, kids learn how electronics can be stripped down to their component parts and re-used or re-purposed to minimize waste of essential elements, such as copper wiring.
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