Many kids look at recycling as another chore to add to their long list of things to do. Because of this, it can be difficult to get them excited about recycling. After all, what kid is ever excited about doing chores? But, there’s hope after all! Get kids excited and involved with recycling by following these tips:
Get creative.
Make recycling fun by allowing them to decorate a recycling bin in any way that they choose. Go to a local arts and crafts store and allow kids to buy paints, fabrics and embellishments that can be used to add personality to the recycling bin. After kids are done decorating, they’ll actually want to use the recycling bin since they’ll feel proud of their work of art.
Create a contest.
Do you have more than one child? If so, turn recycling into a fun and friendly competition every week. Put a recycling bin in each of your children’s rooms and tell kids whoever recycles the most gets to stay up an hour later or host a sleepover with their friends on the weekend. The prize is up to you, but as long as you make it appealing to kids, they’ll definitely want to get involved with this fun activity.
Be a positive role model.
Whether they want to admit it or not, kids will lead by their parents’ example. That’s why it’s important for parents to practice what they preach when it comes to recycling. Make sure kids see you take the time to separate out garbage into recyclable and non-recyclable materials. When you take a family trip to the grocery store, show kids that you can recycle while you shop by toting along a reusable shopping bag. Wherever you go, show your kids that it’s easy to make responsible recycling choices so they follow in your green footsteps.
Put money in their pockets.
Have your kids been bugging you for the latest video game console? Instead of handing over the money or making them wait for their next birthday, show kids that they can save up for the console themselves by recycling. First, teach kids how to separate recycling and then as they collect it on their own, bring them to a local recycling center so they can cash in on their efforts. Once kids realize that they can get paid just for throwing things away in a responsible manner, you’ll never need to remind them to recycle again!
Visit Recycle City.
Recycle City is a website dedicated to teaching kids about recycling in a fun, engaging way. This website allows kids to explore different communities within a fictional town to learn how they can reduce waste and save energy. After visiting each of the different neighborhoods to learn how residents recycle, kids can take on the role of City Manager of Dumptown. As the manager, it’s up to your kids to implement new recycling programs to help save the city from being overtaken by trash. Recycle City makes learning about recycling fun for kids and by playing this interactive game, they’ll learn valuable skills that they can use in the offline world, too.
How do you get your kids involved with recycling? Share your tips and success stories in the comments below!
