Sorting is a skill that can be learned by children of all ages. Here are some tips to get the message across from a young age.
Mom, what is waste?
Before you get tangled up in the details and launch into a rambling theory about recycling, start at the beginning: take the time to explain to your children what waste is . It's actually quite simple: it's everything we throw away in the bin every day. But don't hesitate to involve them by asking them what they throw away at home, at school, or even in the street. This way, they'll realize that we produce a multitude of waste every day.
The Great Waste Table
Before moving on to recycling, ask your children to classify the waste as a family, using for example a chart.
- Carrot peelings? In the green waste bin.
- Their alarm clock batteries? In the hazardous waste bin.
- Their favorite packet of biscuits? Straight into the box, and so on…
This will allow them to get an overview (and begin to understand the scale of the task!). Of all the waste thrown away every day, some is recyclable and some isn't. By sorting our waste, we can give some of it a second life . Because if everything is mixed together, we can't recover anything!
How to help your children sort their waste?
On paper, sorting is simple, and each type of waste goes in a specific bin. But in real life, especially for young children, it's sometimes more complicated! To help them sort correctly, don't hesitate to set up a recycling area at home : colored bins, baskets, or bags (for cardboard and paper packaging) with signs showing (photos are more helpful) the types of waste to put in that area. Use pictures of products they recognize; it will be even more effective!
Making sorting a habit for the little ones
As is often the case with children, sorting will go hand in hand with education ! Luckily, sorting instructions are now printed on most packaging. Take the time to show them these pictograms so they can refer to them if they're unsure. Explain to them that after their time in the household bins, the waste will continue its adventures elsewhere: it will be processed and then transformed, as if by magic.
When sorting transforms life
While the environmental dimension can be difficult for younger children to grasp (issues related to incineration, landfilling, natural resource scarcity, etc.), the transformation of waste into a new object is something they will definitely understand. Your best ally is concrete examples :
- a diary made from rubber, thrown in a bin.
- a steel can destined for the trash
- your garden furniture made of aluminium
- their cereal box made from recycled newspaper…
You'll be spoiled for choice!
MEMO. Good practices to reduce waste and protect the planet:
- swapping games with friends or giving them away
- repairing your bike
- Choose a snack with recyclable packaging.
- print double-sided
- drawing on the back of sheets of paper already used on the front
- use rechargeable batteries for electronic games
