6 Ways to Encourage Kids to Recycle

Making the decision to go green is extremely popular with families all over the world today. Everyone wants to begin to do what they can to help protect the planet and create a better environment for the next generation. Parents, however, can more easily adopt the practices of green living than children can. Young children do not completely understand their impact on the environment, and older children might not care because they have not seen the effects that their actions can have on the environment.
Despite these obstacles, there are some really effective ways to encourage kids to recycle. Parents can use these methods to not only help their kids recycle more often, but also to help themselves recycle more often. These are simple methods that any family can utilize in order to ensure that everyone gets in as much recycling as they can every day. Here are six ways to encourage kids to recycle.



Make recycling easy in the home

There are a lot of methods that parents can use to make recycling easier in the home. Parents should put recycling containers out in the open and make using them as easy as throwing away any other trash. This will help kids be reminded more to recycle and be more likely to start recycling.

Lead by example

Kids want to please their parents. Kids also look up to their parents for guidance. The best way to get any child started on recycling, then, is to start recycling yourself. When kids see their parents recycling, they will be more likely to do it themselves.

Recycle with DIY crafts

DIY projects have become very popular not only because they are fun and they help people save money, but also because they help reduce waste. Families can make some DIY crafts together that reuse old items that would normally be thrown in the trash.

Make a recycling game

Most kids love games and a good competition. Moms and dads can encourage their kids to start recycling through a fun game or competition. This is a great way for the whole family to have fun together and make recycling a normal part of everyday life.

Give rewards for recycling

Whether parents are using a game or competition to get their kids to recycle or not, they should always reward their kids for recycling efforts. This will encourage kids to keep recycling and show them how much of a difference their actions can make. Parents can give rewards ranging from an extra treat after dinner to a slumber party weekend.

Give them some outside inspiration


Sometime, parents cannot fully express the damage that waste can cause to the planet. In this case, parents might need to get some outside help to show their kids how important recycling really is. Parents can use their fort wayne fios to show their kids videos and articles online of how waste effects the planet, and the vast difference that recycling can make.