Free Recycling Resources for Earth Day

Published:
April 19, 2021

Contributor:
Jeannette Tuionetoa

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Earth Day doesn’t always have to be about HUGE actions making HUGE impacts. We can teach our kids how to celebrate Earth Day in meaningful ways, and these free recycling resources for Earth Day can help.

Free Recycling Resources for Earth Day text with image of hands with gloves on picking up trashed muddy plastic bottle of water to recycle that was left outside

Our kids will get the very best out of Earth Day by learning what they can do personally and daily to help. A few people can help in BIG ways, and many people can help in little ways.

Taking care of our Earth is truly something that we all can do just a little at a time, working together to make a difference.

One thing we can teach our kids that shows them they can do things that matter for the planet is recycling.

Recycling is a series of actionable steps we can take to do our part as members of our community and as a part of the world’s entire population.

Kids will enjoy seeing videos (some included below) of other children all over the world recycling and doing what they can to care for the Earth God has left for us to live.

So what is recycling, anyway?

Recycling is a way we can turn what usually is considered trash or waste into something new or a new product.

What can we recycle?

A number of recycling processes are available so materials can be used even more than twice. Items like plastic, glass, metals, paper, electronics, and textiles can all be put through a recycling process.

What can be made with these products if they are recycled?

 Things like soda cans, plastic milk cartons, newspapers, cardboard boxes, and old computers can all be made using recycled materials.

Why is recycling important?

Landfills are not cheap and get filled really fast. Recycling materials means less trash and saves space in dumps and landfills.

Recycling means that we are taking fewer of the Earth’s resources and getting more out of the resources we’ve already used.

Then there is pollution. Recycling materials produces less pollution in our atmosphere, which helps keep our environment clean.

The following free recycling resources for Earth Day will help your kids learn all about recycling and different ways we can recycle at home:

Grab these free printables to help kids understand what recycling is:

Resources to Teach Kids About Recycling 

FREE Recycling Sort | SIMPLY Kinder

Sort Your Recycling FREE Worksheets | Living Life and Learning

Sort the Recycling Worksheets text and examples of free printables with a white background

FREE Recycling And Sorting Activity | Wild Thing Toys

Earth Day FREE Vocab Posters  | Pocket of Preschool

FUN Garbage and Recycling Lesson Plans for Kindergarten, Preschool, Elementary | The Homeschool Resource Room

What is Recycling? Lesson Plan | Education.com

Earth Day Recycling – FREEBIE | Just Wright Speech

Recycling Sorting FREE Printable | Totschooling

Sorting Recyclables Free Printables text and example of illustrated worksheet

FREE Recycle Sorting Game | File Folder Fun

Impact of Recycling With This FREE Coloring Page | PepsiCo. Recycling

Recycle, Reduce, Reuse FREE Coloring Page | Super Coloring

FREE Printable Bookmarks to Inspire Students to Recycle | PepsiCo. Recycling

Earth Day Lapbook – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle for Kids | Learn in Color

Show your visual learners these videos to help them learn what recycling is:

Busta and Pong’s Recycling Song | Recycling.co.nz

The Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle | Recycling.co.nz

Junk Yard Jim | Recycling.co.nz

Catchy Recycle It Song | Recycling.co.nz

Recycling for Kids | Kids Academy

SciShow Kids on How Recycling Works | SciShow Kids

These crafts and DIY projects will help kids recycle old materials:

Recycled Drink Bottle Skittles (Earth Day Crafts) | Extremely Good Parenting

Reuse~Repurpose~Recycle | Creative Connections for Kids

Make DIY Stamps with Cardboard (+ A Spring Art Project) | Artful Parent

Tot School Recycled Trees | Mrs Plemons Kindergarten

Recycled Toilet Paper Roll Flower Wall Art | Woo Jr!

54 Recycled Crafts for Kids | favecrafts

Recycled DIY Chalk Paint Recipe | Rhythms of Play

Amazing Recycled Crafts for Kids | Fun at Home with Kids

Easy Recycled Crafts for Kids Making Recycled Paper | Teaching Ideas

Little Bugs Recycled Lid Craft For Kids | A Little Pinch of Perfect

Recycled Robot Preschool Craft Using Cereal Boxes | Local Fun for Kids

Egg Carton Crafts Spring Bugs | Fun with Mama

Waste Material Craft Ideas For Kids | My Creative Days

Recycled Self Portrait Collage for Kids | Artful Parent

How To Recycle Markers Into Watercolor Paint | hello, Wonderful

Earth Day Recyclable Craft | Little Bins Little Hands

Recycled Shapes Process Art | Mosswood Connections

Paint with Recycled Materials | Learn with Play at Home

Recycled Art for Kids | Teaching Mama

How To Make a Recycled Newspaper Earth Day Garland | Kitchen Counter Chronicle

Recycled Bird Feeder | No Time for Flashcards

Litter Bug FREE Download | Education.com

Recycled Bird Feeder Resource | Teach Me Mommy

30 Creative Recycled Art Projects | My Mommy Style

Crafts You Can Make with Cardboard

Tin Can Crafts for Kids

Recycled Plastic Bottle Craft Weaving for Kids

70 Recycled Crafts for Kids

Have fun with these activities and games to go alongside your recycling lessons:

Montessori Inspired Preschool Recycled Game | The Kavanaugh Report

Recycle Gluing | Happy Toddler Playtime

Sorting Game About Recycling | No Time for Flashcards

FREE Recycling and Sorting Activity | Wild Thing Toys

Compost and Recycling Sorting Activity For Preschoolers – With FREE Printable | Happy Hooligans

Create a Pretend Play Recycling Center | PreK Printable Fun

The Top 14 Recyclable Items to Collect for Crafts and Activities | Happy Toddler Play Time 

FREE Printable Recycling Game For Kids | Sugar Spice and Glitter

15 Recycling Activities for Kids That Are Completely FREE | Hands on As We Grow

FREE 12 Page Recycle Activity Pack For Kids With Recycling Tips For Parents | Happy and Blessed Home

Recycling Crayons – How To Make Crayons | The Kitchen Table Classroom

Sticky Pantry Puzzles Easy Recycled Activity | Toddler at Play

Top 20 Recycling Games And Activities For Kids | Mom Junction

Earth Day Math Activities – Recycling Bin Counting with Printables | JDaniel4’sMom

Recycling Bingo Printable Game for Kids | Adventure-in-a-Box

Learning Activities Using Recyclables | Teach Me Mommy

Recycled Rainbow Collage Activity for Kids | Healthy Happy Thrifty Family

FREE Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download) | Living Montessori Now

Free Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Cutting Strips text with illustrated background example of printable cutting strips

FREE Recycling Printables And Montessori-Inspired Recycling Activities | Living Montessori Now

Recycling Activities For Kids And Mom’s Library #41 | True Aim Education

10 Activities That Teach Kids About Recycling | Not Time for Flashcards

Earth Day Recycling Sensory Bin For Preschool | Pre-K Pages

DIY Recycled Ring Toss (A Fun Paper Plate Game) | Paper Plate Fun

Recycling Sorting Game | Adventure-in-a-Box

Ways to Recycle Activities for Kids Play Ideas | Little Bins Little Hands

Learn recycling with STEM and science:

5 Recycling STEM Challenges for Earth Day | Carly and Adam

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Science Unit | A Dab of Glue Will Do

Science Table: Recycling | Stir the Wonder

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Earth Day STEM Activities for Kids | Engineering Emily

Recycled Building STEM Activity | Busy Toddler

Cardboard Tube STEM Activities | Little Bins Little Hands

Recycling Science Projects For Kids | Little Bins Little Hands

Have your kids read some books on recycling from your local library:

Childrens Books On Recycling + Unit Study Resources | Mommy Evolution

Recycling Books for Kids | Embark on the Journey

Reduce Reuse Recycle Collection | Epic!

Must-Get Children’s Books About Recycling | Growing Book by Book

11 Terrific Picture Books About Recycling to Share with Children | Story Time Standouts

Share a nature study with your kids to help celebrate God’s creation with Daily Skill Building’s Discovering Nature Notebook.

Free Recycling Resources for Earth Day text with background image of kids wearing gloves and picking up trash to recycle outside

Related resources

  • 50 States Unit Study

    Notebook Your Way Through Your State’s History

  • a house on a mountain over the water and text

    Free Resources for Discovering Acadia National Park

  • Picture of a tower and snow outside with text Winter Olympics Printables and Unit Studies Instant Download

    40 Winter Olympics Activities for Kids & Free Unit Study

  • This image is of a real horse, in an open field fence, with text overlay.

    Printable Horse Coloring Pages (Realistic Horses)

  • boy with t-shirt in background with text overlay

    25 Easy 100th Day of School Shirt Ideas

  • How We Get Our Food from Farms to Supermarkets text with image of various fresh produce falling out of a bag on a wooden floor

    How We Get Our Food from Farms to Supermarkets