Recycling Week: a great opportunity for new words and new habits

Monday 9 to Sunday 15 November is Recycling Week and an important opportunity for families to improve their recycling knowledge, build better recycling habits and enjoy the benefits of recycling.

It’s never too early to learn about the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle!

2020 Recycling Week theme

This year’s theme is 'Recovery - A future beyond the bin'.

Recycling Week encourages everyone to value our resources and to reuse and recycle. Reducing waste keeps valuable materials out of landfill, benefits the environment and reduces our need for new materials. Reducing and reusing saves money at home and in the workplace.

Corner at home activities

Visit the State Library Watch page for a range of activities including these ones about using recycled items for low cost simple craft ideas to do at home.

• Boxes
• Ephemeral art
• Hats

More activities for language and new words using recycled material

• Make Christmas wrapping paper or cards using existing children's art and drawings
• Make boats from left over corks or plastic bottles with paper sails and have a boat race. Talk about speed and floating, wind and races
• Use bottle tops and glue for mosaic art
• Set up a shop for pretend play with empty clean food containers
• Collect pallets and recycled pots to make a garden. Talk about seeds, and what they need to grow

Books about recycling and the environment

Ask your local public library for some titles about recycling and the environment.  Here are some titles to try.

• It’s Only Stanley by Jon Agee
• Izzy Gizmo and The Invention Convention by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie
• The Lorax by Dr Seuss
• Nala the Koala by Penny Min Ferguson
• Whatcha Building? by Andrew Daddo.

Show the book covers and talk about what the book is about. Don’t skip big words like invention, conservation or recycling. Young ones will understand these important new words when you take the time to explain them by using the pictures as a guide, or demonstrate the meaning with props or actions. 

Visit your local library and join the activities for families. They’re sure to have some great ideas to share about including recycled materials in your everyday talk, read, sing, and play activities.