Preschoolers are at the perfect age to begin learning about conservation and recycling.
Recycling and conservation are topics that can be introduced to children of all ages. Often, preschool classrooms incorporate recycling activities during an Earth Day theme, but recycling can be a daily part of your classroom routine. Focus on empowering topics that teach children ways in which they can personally make a positive impact on the environment.
Recyclable Sort
For this activity, you will need three boxes large enough to hold a few days' worth of recyclables. Explain to your students that recyclable materials can be separated into categories: plastic, paper and cans. Designate a color for each type of recyclable, and help your students paint the boxes the appropriate color. Mark each box clearly with pictures showing what belongs inside. Ask parents to bring in clean recyclables, and encourage students to find items in their lunches, like yogurt containers, that are recyclable. Throughout the week, encourage children to properly sort the recycling. If you are recycling cans, be sure none has sharp edges.
Milk Carton Marker Holder
This activity will help illustrate how items can be repurposed instead of thrown away. A week or two before you plan to do this activity, ask parents to send in empty and rinsed milk cartons. Make sure you have one for each child. To prepare, cut each carton in half. Set out various paint colors and brushes, and give each child the bottom half of a milk carton. Allow her to decorate it however she likes. Once the paint dries, show the students how the milk carton can now be a container for markers, pencils or paintbrushes.
Class Recyclable Collage
Even adults sometimes find themselves confused about what items are recyclable. Your students will be more likely to carry on their recycling skills if they are well versed in what can be recycled. Spend some time talking about the various materials that can be recycled and look at photos of recycling centers. Hang a large piece of poster board on the wall and put out glue sticks and old magazines. Encourage students to look through the magazines and find pictures of recyclable items. Help them cut out the pictures and glue them onto the recycling collage. This collage can be left up as a reminder throughout the school year.
Fabric Scrap Flowers
This simple and fun activity will reinforce the idea of reuse. Before you plan to do this project, collect various fabric scraps. You can ask parents to donate old, clean T-shirts or ask a local fabric store for leftover cuts. Cut the scraps into circles, squares and petal shapes. Give each child several green pipe cleaners, glue and fabric scraps. You may want to make an example to show how the pipe cleaner can be the flower stem and the fabric the flower petals.
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