"Reduce, reuse, recycle" is a familiar message in early childhood programs. But what do young children actually take away from it, and which parts of the message stick?
The researchers studied one class of ten 5-year-olds, five girls and five boys, at a private preschool in Istanbul, Turkey. The classroom teacher led an eight-week STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program called "My Green World" and interviewed each child one-to-one before and after it. After the program, the children's thinking about waste had grown in several ways:
1. From "garbage" to real materials. Before the program, eight of the ten children described waste simply as garbage. Afterward, they named specific items like plastic bottles, shopping bags, paper and glass. More children also said waste is collected so it can be recycled.
2. Knowing what can be recycled. At the start, only three children named plastics as recyclable. By the end, eight did, and every child could name something that can be recycled.
3. Understanding how recycling works. Afterward, half the children described trucks collecting used paper for recycling, with examples like notebooks and books. As one child said, "We learned that paper could turn into new paper again."
4. Recycling and repairing. When asked what to do with household waste, seven children said to recycle it, up from three. Ideas about fixing things appeared for the first time: "Before, I would throw away broken toys, but I learned how to fix them."
5. A gap around "reduce." Before the program, two children talked about cutting down household waste. Afterward, none did. The authors link this to the program's strong focus on recycling and reuse, and note that "reduce" is harder for young children to connect to daily life.
Children enjoyed the teamwork. One said they were happy "because we did something together." Two children found fiddly tasks hard, such as removing tires from toy cars or working with dough.
What this means for your practice
- Start with a story and a problem. In "My Green World," storybook characters introduced a waste problem, with simple rules such as using recyclable, easy-to-find materials. You could introduce a waste topic the same way, then let children work toward their own solution.
- Get hands-on with real materials. Children sorted waste, went on a scavenger hunt, made new paper from wastepaper and built a bowl from recycled paper. Try activities where children handle and name real materials, not just talk about "trash."
- Make time for fixing. Repair was a new idea for these children after the program. Consider giving children chances to mend broken toys or objects, not only turn waste into crafts.
Plan for "reduce" on purpose. If your program leans on recycling, children may miss the idea of using less. Look for moments in children's everyday routines where you can talk about using less.
Let children share their work. The children explained their creations in roles like scientist and environmental engineer, then presented them at a STEM fair. Consider ending a project with a chance for children to show and explain what they made.
- Watch the fiddly bits. Plan extra help or simpler versions of tasks that need small, careful hand movements. Bring families in. The authors suggest involving families so reduce, reuse and recycle can continue at home.
The Bottom Line
A teacher in Istanbul, Turkey, ran an eight-week, hands-on science and engineering program about waste with ten 5-year-olds, and interviewed each child before and after. After the program, the children knew much more about recycling. Instead of calling everything "garbage," they named specific things that can be recycled, such as plastic bottles, paper, glass and shopping bags. Many could explain how recycling works, and some talked about repairing broken toys instead of throwing them away. But the children said almost nothing about reducing waste, the idea of using less in the first place. For educators, the study shows that young children can build a solid understanding of recycling through stories, sorting and making things. It also shows that "reduce" needs its own planned attention, because it doesn't come along on its own.