Recycling fun at home
With some time at home together, you can reset and recharge. This can be a special time for families to spend together and try all sorts of new adventures. There are endless activities, craft ideas and games to play to keep children engaged and entertained. It is common for parents to worry about filling the long days with their children especially when caught at home. The first step of removing that worry is to get inspired and organised. We hope this article can help you and your little ones!
1. Make your own 'Recycling Centre'
Making a home recycling centre is a lot of fun. It is also a great educational opportunity for children. The concept includes finding three or four boxes or crates. Then allocating a recyclable material to each. These could include glass, cans, plastic, and cardboard. The fun is in the decoration. Children can do this as they please. One way to do this might be to use old cardboard boxes that a child can decorate with paint and recyclable goods. Once the box fills up you can place the entire box in the home recycling box or deliver it to your local recycling centre. When you get home your child can make a new box!
2. Try a treasure hunt!
Most kids love the thrill of a treasure hunt! Be it competitive with a sibling or a race against themselves or a clock. This activity will have your child engaged and burning of energy. Write a list for a child or draw pictures for a very young child of things they need to find in and around the home. Give them a small bag or container for collecting their treasures. Set a timer and of they go!
3. Make a nature picture
This is a simple one. Whether you have a back garden or you can walk along a public path you will have access to twigs, leaves, and pebbles. Help a child gather up anything they can find that catches their eye. Start creating a picture. The picture can be made on paper, in mud, sand, lawn – wherever you like. If you are looking for inspiration you can find it here [https://www.firefliesandmudpies.com/creating-nature-art-with-kids/]
4. Give back to those in need
With more people at home, it can be a wonderful time of the year to reflect on what there is to be grateful for. Spend some time with your children talking about what they have to be grateful for. It can help to share your gratitude and it can be as simple as 'spending time with you, my child'. Ask your children to reflect on their toys and belongings. This time of being at home is an opportunity to declutter and help a child to 'give back'. World-renowned de-cluttering superstar Marie Kondo (creator of the KonMari tidying method) suggests this process is best done with the kids. Kondo is known for her "spark joy" method and says ‘it applies to kids' toys too: Keep only the best toys, or the ones your kids are still playing with. Ask them to donate the ones they don't love anymore to a child who will. This can help to free up precious space—and make room for new toys to enter.’ (4)
5. Create a recycling video
There are some great television shows and online videos that help to educate children and adults on recycling. ABC's War on Waste is a popular one [iview.abc.net.au/show/war-on-waste]. To help a child understand the importance of recycling why not get your children to create their own recycling movie? Smartphones can easily create videos and there are many apps to edit videos to make it look professional. With limited contact with family and friends, why not share the video by email and challenge your children’s friends and parents to do the same?
6. Make milk bottle plant boxes
With everyone at home, a fun activity for children and parents is to recycle milk cartons or bottles into plant boxes. This activity is easy, cheap and will help you grow plants in your garden. You can grow your herbs sustainably whilst also reusing containers that may not be able to be recycled for a refund.
7. Make your own compost
Did you know that each year Australian households throw away $7.8 billion dollars worth of food (3). This figure does not include commercial food from restaurants and supermarkets. A wonderful way to reduce your family's carbon footprint is to make a compost bin or worm farm for your food scraps. The compost can then ben used in your garden and to help your new plants in your reused bottles! To make a worm farm you want to imitate the environment that worms naturally live in. Think cool, moist and dark! The best worm farms give wrigglers room to roam that allows keen gardeners, easy access to worm waste products or compost! Worm farms are made up of a couple of stackable boxes that provide different levels for different worm activity. Choose a spot in your garden that is not affected by extreme temperature changes. For instructions on how to make your own worm farm from polystyrene fruit boxes visit [https://www.sgaonline.org.au/worms/]
8. Return your recyclable containers for refund
With everyone at home, collecting and returning containers is a great way to educate your children and find a safe way to leave the house briefly. Once you have your containers ready, drive to your local deposit location and exchange your bottles for a refund. The money refunded could go to your child as a reward for the efforts to collect bottles in preparation for a refund.
Container Deposit Systems brings decades of experience in the operation and management of beverage container recycling. CDS has an unparalleled track record of success in the areas of design, engineering, manufacturing, and automation. Container Deposit Systems works with current and prospective operators of recycling facilities seeking to grow businesses that set best practices in the industry.
https://www.steppingstonesa.com.au/school-holidays-activities/
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/marie-kondo-toy-organizer-tips-261969
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-08/food-waste-value-australia/4993930