Updated date:

Feb 10, 2018

Recycling Worksheets for Kids

Author:: hsschulte

I love to share lesson plans with other teachers and homeschooling parents.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Logo

HSSchulte

Worksheets and Printables to Teach Children About Recycling

Welcome to the resource list of the BEST free worksheets and printables about recycling online. These free worksheets can be used at school or to teach kids recycling facts at home. Learning about recycling has never been so much fun! Feel free to browse the list or suggest resources of your own. Let's each make a commitment to teach children the benefits of recycling!

Photo Credit: HSSchulte

Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth.

Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth.

FREE Recycling Worksheets

Free Recycling Worksheets

Lakeshore Learning

Teach Kids to Sort Recyclables - into the correct bin with this cute worksheet, including Compost, Aluminum, Plastic, or Paper.

A-Z Teacher Stuff

Slideshow to Teach Kids about Composting - Very good explanation of the many ways to compost. It's important to remember that worms do most of the work and that composting is not rocket science. All you need to compost are unwanted plant materials (fruit and veggie scraps, leaves, grass clippings, etc.) and dirt.

ABC Teach

Lots and Lots of Free Printables Including: -

*An earth day award.

*Book List of Kids Books about the Environment

*Coloring Pages

*Recycling Mazes - Follow the path to put the plastic bottle in the plastic bin.

*Word games - Make as many words as you can from the words "Earth day."

*Printable song lyrics about recycling.

*Posters

*Recycling Signs

Vocab Maker

LARGE list of Free Worksheets: - Too many to list, but they include matching games, decoding word games and bingo sheets all with a recycling theme.

Pinellas County

Variety of Recycling Lessons and Activities by Age

Recycling Word Search

Coloring Book

Recycling Worksheets for Kindergarten

Kindergarten Recycling Worksheets

Kindergarten-Lessons.com

Free Kindergarten Recycling Worksheets Including: -

*Understanding Composting

*Sorting Recycling

*Plant Growth Record

*Science Observation Book - "I Spy"

Recycling Worksheets for Preschool - 6th Grade

Bryson Education.org

Worksheets separated into 3 levels.

Level 1 (Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st) Includes: -

*Composting

*Recycle Sorting

*Sequencing Recycling Events (for 1st or 2nd)

Level 2 (2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade) Includes: -

*Reuse Ideas

*Details on Paper, Plastic, Glass and Metal Recycyling

Level 3 (5th and 6th grade) Includes: -

*Lesson encourages children to think about their impact on the environment and sustainable living.

Recycling Worksheets from Education.com and NIEHS

Education.com

This is a maze to help Eco find his way to the recycling bin. It is perfect for Kindergarten and 1st grade students as they become more familiar with the recycling symbol.

Eco-Friendly Maze : Recycling Symbol

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

The NIEHS has a maze to encourage younger kids to learn about worms. Help the worm make his way through the maze. There is also a hidden word search for older children. Hunt for environmentally friendly words, such as "compost," "recycling" and "earth."

Worm Maze

Hidden Word Search

Recycle City Online Games

Recycle City

Recycling Activities for Kids

If you are looking for an online recycling activity for children, try the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) "Recycle City" game. Kids can roam the city and find opportunities to recycle. To make the game more fun, have children hunt for specific recyclable items within the city. This game is similar to a treasure hunt. Kids can also play "Dump Town" where they can literally see unrecycled trash pile up throughout the city as a visual reminder of what happens when we don't recycle.

Recycle City

Recycling Coloring Pages - Print them for free! Click a thumbnail below to change the coloring page.

Recycling Videos

After your children have done their recycling worksheets, let them watch one of the educational videos below about recycling plastic. Watch as plastic becomes recycled in the factory. Also watch a quick home lesson in recycling plastic.

Recycling Video by Waste Management

Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures: Happy Earth Day

Let Your Voice Be Heard. Can Recycling be Taught With Worksheets?

Are recycling worksheets for kids useful? Or do they need hands on experience?

Comments or Your Own Suggestions for Recycling Worksheets

Debbie Craig on April 25, 2018:

Looking for something for sub. Mr. Rats story is super cute. I just need to tell sub to call it trash not rubbish! But the kids learned a new word.

astevn816 lm on April 29, 2014:

Great lens and it is best to get children on the recycle path early in life

Johanna Eisler on November 21, 2013:

Very good lens! Good habits learned at an early age can help them (and planet earth!) for the rest of their lives.

mommyplus3kids on November 21, 2013:

Keep up the good work!

mel-kav on October 08, 2013:

Great lens!

drmattshepard on August 11, 2013:

great lens, I can tell you put work into it.

ConvenientCalendar on April 27, 2013:

Loved it!

TapIn2U on March 29, 2013:

Great ideas! Loved it! Sundae ;-)

GetFactsnotHype on November 19, 2012:

Added this to my recycling and recycled page

Donnette Davis from South Africa on September 28, 2012:

Wonderful resource. Liked, shared and blessed x

AshleySears LM on May 07, 2012:

I just got the neatest 2-in-1 Recycler. Rubbermaid makes it and it keeps all of it organized. Otherwise my recycling is EVERYWHERE!

george234 on May 05, 2012:

jenniferteacher1 on April 20, 2012:

Thanks for these resources!

DeannaDiaz on April 20, 2012:

Teaching our kids to respect and appreciate our resources is important for our future!

anonymous on April 18, 2012:

That's great work, we are about to start a program at a local primary school so these worksheets will be handy. Thank you!

oiloflife on April 17, 2012:

That is wonderful! Looks like a lot of fun :)

bueler lm on April 12, 2012:

Great information. I am trying to teach my kids about recycling so this will prove very valuable.

anonymous on April 11, 2012:

wow

TaniaStar LM on April 10, 2012:

Great lens about such important topic

Risteard O'Marcahain from Wales on April 09, 2012:

Vital Stuff

WriterJanis2 on February 11, 2012:

Nicely done.

Close2Art LM on January 22, 2012:

thanks using some of this info tonight for a scout meeting, Blessed

Angela F from Seattle, WA on January 07, 2012:

Added to my Recycling at Home lens :)

jadehorseshoe on December 20, 2011:

A Useful Lens. Thanks!

Buchamar on December 14, 2011:

Important to learn this at an early age for sure

baby-strollers on December 08, 2011:

They aint making any more planet, that's for sure. We have to do our best with this one!

anonymous on November 17, 2011:

Hey I have reviewed your squidoo lens and I really liked it. Because of this I went ahead and âlikeâ you on squidoo. Giving your lens another like.

When you have time, please take a look at my lens. It is located at

http://www.squidoo.com/appliance-removal-louisvill...

If you like my lens, please add a like to my lens as well. I am new to squidoo and I would appreciate any comments at all.

Anime-e on October 02, 2011:

@adamfrench: I agree with you on that statement!

JJ37 on September 30, 2011:

Kids love to be involved in important matters such as recycling. I have some additional books on my lens: Nature and Earth-Friendly Books for All Ages. Take care!

adamfrench on September 28, 2011:

Impressive lens, thumbs up

dahlia369 on August 11, 2011:

Practical skills might come in handy at the most unexpected times! :)