Kids are all about fun, and they also love learning. If you can combine the two by coming up with interesting recycling activities for kids, you’ve cracked it. Teach them about our recycling responsibilities by playing games, and you’ll all be doing your bit for the environment. Here are five inspiring ideas.
Keep a supply of plastic bottles, cardboard and paper separate from your recycling box. You’ll then have materials for creative recycling ideas for kids. Pop them in the recycling when they’ve been used.
Robots and boats – popular creative recycling ideas for kids
Anytime you can get kids involved in making things from recycled materials is a double win. First, you’re re-using items. Second, you’re showing them how they don’t always need to buy new toys to have fun. Make a robot out of cereal boxes and kitchen paper tubes, or male a boat from plastic bottles and chopsticks or twigs - let their imagination run wild.
Play bowling to encourage plastic recycling for kids
Looking for recycling activities for kids that involve re-using plastic? How about a game of bowling? It’s simple, really – set up 5 or 10 plastic bottles as skittles and roll up some paper to make a bowling ball. Everyone will have great fun playing the game and, while you’ve got their attention, you can finish off by putting your skittles in the recycling box.
Cardboard and paper scavenger hunt
Recycling paper for kids, and cardboard too is so important because they make up a huge amount of what we recycle overall. A great way to get kids into this is to set up a scavenger hunt. Hide interesting items of cardboard and paper (different shapes, colours etc.) around the house, give the kids a list, and get them to find and then sort them into the right boxes. Fun and education all in one.
Recycled bird feeders
Making a simple bird feeder is one of the easiest and most rewarding of all the recycling ideas for kids. All you need is a piece of string and a toilet roll tube. Simply fill it with seed, dangle it in the garden, and the birds will soon come. This is doing your bit for the environment in more ways than one!
Craft, craft and more craft
Another top way to get kids into recycling is to collect interesting pieces of cardboard, paper, lids and plastics to use for crafting projects. Store them in a cardboard box and have fun making things. When they’re ready to let their creations go, put them out for the recyclers.
Why is recycling important for kids?
Before we get to the fun stuff, why is recycling important for kids? Children are like sponges that soak up information. When you teach them young, their daily routine can easily be built to include recycling. For kids it’s all about the fun, so make it entertaining and they’ll be more engaged.
Coming up with easy recycling projects for kids is a great way to go. Hopefully, our fun activities will help inspire you to come up with even more of your own. And, if you are on the lookout for extra recycling tips, check out on our tips for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Key steps
Follow our key steps to put together fun recycling projects for kids:
Gather materials to play games.
Keep it fun and drip-feed the education part.
End every game with education – it could simply be sorting the recycling box.
Give the kids a chance to come up with their own games.