Tell Recycle Now how you encourage your DCs to recycle for a chance to win an iPad mini! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We are all aware of the importance of recycling, but it can be easy to forget when we’re all so busy browsing MN threads. Recycle Now has teamed up with Wastebuster to launch a campaign to encourage more families to recycle more items, more often. They would like to hear how you encourage your DCs to recycle and for you to take part in their Home Recycling Challenge.

Here’s what Recycle Now has to say: “To help kids recycle more at home, we’ve created the Home Recycling Challenge, which includes the chance to win great prizes. Here’s how you and your family can take part:

Step 1 – visit wastebuster.co.uk/homerecyclingchallenge and download the competition sheet/ recycling poster template

Step 2 – use the recycling locator with your kids to find out what can and can’t be recycled in your area and use this information to fill in the blanks and decorate on your poster

Step 3 – stick the poster up in your home and take a family selfie

Step 4 – upload your photo to the Recycling Hero Hall of Fame to be in with a shot of winning some great prizes!

Every family has a different routine, and we want to hear about how you teach your kids good recycling habits that they can take forward into later life. Did you know that you can recycle bleach bottles, shampoo bottles, kitchen cleaner bottles, baby food jars, aerosol deodorants, face cream pots and dishwasher tablet boxes?”

Have a look at their video here

So how do you get your DC to recycle at home? Maybe you make a game of it by seeing who can recycle the most? Perhaps you make it easier to sort by having stickered bins? Do you take it in turns or is it one person’s job? Or do you give your DC rewards for recycling?

Please share on this thread how you encourage your DCs to recycle below and you will be entered into the prize draw to where one winner will win an iPad mini.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T and Cs Apply

my kids love helping put stuff in the bin, though it's hard teaching them what goes in which bin as our plastic recycling has very complicated nonintuitive rules

My toddler DS loves putting things in the bin! I'm sort of hoping it's a phase. We like to reuse things if we can before getting to the actual recycling bit, and DS loves the middle of a kitchen roll tube. Well, who doesn't?
I think that even at two he knows what we throw in the real bin, what goes in the food waste and what we can recycle. (Mostly.) He is also happy to help me put it in the wheelie bin outside and watch the bin lorries lovingly on a Saturday morning.
Like everyone, he's a big Maddie Moate enthusiast.

By example: we have two bins in the kitchen (three if you count the floor where the bottles wait to be taken down to the purple (for glass) wheelie bin ). One for all recycling and the other for general waste.

It is ds' job to empty the recycling bin into the big blue (for recycling) wheelie bin not that he does it frequently enough

To be honest they see us recycle and copy - it really is that simple - BUT like many others on here often the recycling boxes get used for art and craft ideas so they actually enjoy recycling things that they think might be the next craft play project

I give them each a bag to put their recycling in and they get 10p for each recyclable item in their bag at the end of each week.

We try and make a game of it by having a fun competition on who can get the correct product in the correct recycling bin. We also talk about why it is important to recycle.
This little game encourages the children to recycle as it has become a fun way to do so.

My children are brilliant at recycling. Any food they don't eat they know to recycle it in the blue bin. The same with anything paper. They also know all the things that go in the pink bags.
We have been recycling since they were babies. So they know no different. They both also understand the importance around recycling.

We have a rubbish bin & a recycling tub. We've just always said which things can go where & encouraged DD (3) to dispose of her rubbish in the correct place.

We can't recycle everything in the household, so have to take some stuff to the tip. DD is responsible for posting the tetrapaks into their container

We recycle as much as we can and I guess this has just rubbed off on the kids as they seem to do it as a matter of course. If anything is waiting by the door to go to the recycling bins they fight over who is going to take it! They are also very good at shouting at Daddy who keeps throwing teabags in the normal bin instead of the food bin!

We have a duo bin where leftover food goes in one side and pretty much everything else goes in the recycling side. It's amazing how much of our rubbish can be recycled, about 90%.

It was easy to introduce after watching Peppa Pig. Emily knows exactly which bins to use, but we also talk to her about not wasting resources etc.

We started early when they were small ensuring the understand what goes in which bin, turning lights off all the simple but effective recycling and waste reduction

We have a normal bun and clear tubs in the kitchen. The children know to put all plastic, paper, cardboard and cans/tins into the recycling tub.

They encourage us! Schools and nurseries are very big on recycling, they also have lots of projects in place where we can hand in old toothbrushes and baby wipe packets so the school gets money so the children are very encouraged by this!

Our town we all have 3 recycle bins in the garden, 1 for plastic and metal tins, 1 for paper, and 1 for food and garden matter. It does encourage you to recycle most of the waste where possible.

Hmm largely by retrieving things from the wrong bin while tutting and looking martyred

We have two bins and a kitchen caddy and to be fair the kids know where to put paper and plastic and glass. Just constantly saying 'put it in the green bin' 'put it in the food bin' rather than 'the bin' has worked tbh. We didn't need to sit down and do it although I have the list in the fridge for any unusual items.

My children learnt a lot in school and were happy to follow this out at home.
I already do a lot of re-cycling and have separate bins that I have labeled to make it easier for them to follow.
They don't need any reward for doing it as they see it as a normal thing to do.

My son has to take the recylcing to the in and he gets rewards for doing so

I've recycled since before my kids were born so it was easy to get them into good habits. Even my lazy teenagers take recycling seriously.

i get my little boy involved in cycling regularly! He enjoys sorting the plastics , papers and metals into different containers x

To be honest we don't have to do anything. We have the recycling bag under the counter in the kitchen and it is second nature to put all the recycling in there. Everyone just does it without thinking.

recycling is fun

From when the children were young, I have always told them about recycling. When they finish their snacks or drink, they will ask if it goes in the recycle box in the kitchen.

I often encourage my little one to recycle. He's not one for educational methods though . . . if he thinks you're trying to teach him something he runs off shrieking and holding his ears. Well, pretty much. Everytime he puts something in the correct recycle bin at home he gets a green spot on his chart. Recently I found a fun and free way to inspire some recycle creativity. I set a challenge (which he always responds well to) To gather up as much rubbish as we could on our travels and 'recycle' it ourselves . . . by creating a work of art to send to Nanny . . . I think good habits that are instilled at an early age become second nature as they grow so if you can find a way to encourage it then always try!

Aside from teaching about the environment, we try to incorporate our used tubs, boxes, and cardboard into other things. Junk modelling is a great way to spend the afternoon with the kids and gets them using their imaginations and 'inventing' with all the left over recycling. We regularly empty out the recycling bin, grab the glue and paints and let them go mad making whatever they feel like making! It's a particularly good rainy day activity and it teaches them that things can have more than one use!!!! One mans rubbish and all that...