Can young children understand the value and necessity of recycling?

We often hear about recycling... But what is it?

Recycling is the process in which the materials that we throw in the trash are sorted according to their substance and turned back into raw material, so that they can be used in the production of new products. In a typical context, a lot of effort is put into implementing it, but lack of awareness often leads to failure.

Characteristics of modern societies are the overconsumption of goods and the waste of energy and natural resources. We experience the results of this condition every day. It is the ecological disaster that has occurred over the years: extreme temperatures, extreme weather events, reduction of forest areas, drought...

Children experience these effects equally as citizens of this planet and many questions arise in their little minds. With the Children's Book, the stories, that is, we can explain to the children in a simple and comprehensible way these complicated events and motivate them.

Starting from the ecological issue, recycling is the first step to strengthen their empathy and introduce them to environmentally friendly practices.

But why the children first?

The increased recruiters and the mimicry that characterize them are the key to the adoption of the above habits. In these age groups, the values, attitudes and perceptions that will follow people throughout their lives are formed. A good friend of small children are Fairy Tales, which are a combination of entertainment and education and accompany them every day. Reading a story is quality time between parent and child, especially important for building a trusting relationship.

At the same time, the development of empathy is especially important to start from an early age, because it is exciting not to put in barriers, but to connect children freely with their fellow human beings and their environment, which entails either positive or negative emotions. Through dialogue and literature, skills are developed that develop a person's emotional intelligence and help them live harmoniously with their fellow human beings and their environment.

The influence of writers

The authors therefore have the brushes and colors to "paint" in children's hearts the love for the environment and those guided by their imagination to discover a myriad of ways to show it.

The heroes of the fairy tales are the ones who will teach and show through their actions the correct recycling process. In the children's book "Kostakis Melissakis at the recycling plant" little Kostakis is in danger from human waste and this is how the need to contribute to the protection of the environment is born.

He volunteers at the recycling plant and gains a lot of new knowledge. In fact, he transfers his new experiences and habits to the society he lives in. In the same way, children spread what they learn and spontaneously create a better world characterized by love, cooperation, care and respect.

The teacher's responsibility

As an educator I feel the need for children to come into contact with the book. No, it is not only about the cognitive part, but also about the sensory. The child touches the pages, perceives the different textures, has time to process each image in his mind, to observe it and only when he chooses, to turn the page. So just as they perceive the specifics on paper, in the same way they perceive the special meanings projected in each fairy tale.

My goal is that with the development of the plot the children will have fun, experience a variety of emotions and at the same time be taught respect for the environment. Many difficulties will pop up in their lives and will trip them up, just like the Dinosaur does in the fairy tale, but they will have to "build" strength to counter them. Having these thoughts I also decided to communicate the specific topics through the children's book "Kostakis Melissakis at the recycling plant".

We should not forget

Nature is our home and we must take care of it. The future of the planet is children and at the same time the recipients of environmental changes, so it is worth all of us trying to mitigate them together.

- Dimitra Ioannidis, Author

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