Recycling and upcycling

Recycling

Recycling is a life skill and a habit to establish during early childhood. Many children enjoy the process of recycling. It is interesting and a positive step towards sustainability. 

Early childhood educators can also teach children about rubbish, repairing, reusing and reducing. 

NQS and EYLF

The National Quality Standard requires early learning services to care for the environment and support children to become environmentally responsible (3.2.3).

The Early Years Learning Framework encourages children to become socially responsible and show respect for the environment (2.4). Also, recycling involves connecting with materials (4.4)

Learning experiences

Examine art

Karine Giboulo is a Canadian artist known for miniature sculptures, including Recyclage de couleurs. What can you see in this artwork? What do you think Karine is trying to communicate?

Encourage your children to make their own artworks to communicate important social messages about recycling. What materials and techniques can you use to communicate your message?

Play a sorting game

Set up a game that requires children to categorise different types of waste materials into recycling bins. Ensure the rubbish is safe, clean and made from a variety of materials. The recycling bins can be real bins or cardboard boxes that are coloured and labelled.

Make your own paper

Homemade paper is a rewarding experience for both adults and children. This hands-on activity will guide children through the process of recycling old paper into new paper. Follow instructions on The Tinker Lab.

Jam with recycled instruments

Create musical instruments using recyclable materials like cardboard boxes, plastic bottles and tin cans. Then, have a jam session to explore sounds and rhythms.

Get interactive

Karlie Zec is the owner of Tiny Tins, a skip bin business in Wollongong NSW that offers free preschool talks about the importance of recycling. She believes that “teaching young children about recycling is crucial as early exposure to recycling instils lifelong habits, encouraging responsible consumption and waste management. 

“It empowers children, offering a sense of agency in caring for the environment and promoting critical thinking. Additionally, recycling education stimulates community engagement and it fosters environmental awareness, resource conservation, and waste reduction. 

“By understanding their role in a global context, children develop empathy and a lasting commitment to sustainability. Ultimately, teaching recycling at a young age lays the foundation for environmentally conscious adults and a more sustainable future.”

Zec recommends early childhood professionals teach recycling by combining education, storytelling and interactive activities. She suggests learning experiences that have been successful in the Tiny Tins talks:

  • Start with a child-friendly discussion that explains the reasons behind sorting waste and how children can actively participate in waste management.
  • Convey the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle.
  • Incorporate storytelling. Tiny Tins engages children with the book BIN IT, featuring Rusty Rubbish, the skip truck, and his companion Barney Bin It. The book takes the children on an adventure, showcasing Rusty's recycling journey, from collecting bins to the recycling yard.
  • Play a hands-on game where children actively sort different types of waste into the correct bins. This game makes learning fun while providing a tangible experience of recycling in action.

Events