Roger the Recycling Robot proudly showcases the planet-friendly outlook of children and staff at Partou Alexandra Day Nursery and Pre-school in Redditch, Worcestershire.
The robot was made by the children out of junk-modelling materials, including boxes for his body, bottle tops for his eyes and a bag for a cape. Roger sits in the nursery’s recycling station to remind them all of their hard work and learning around the importance of recycling, along with their continuing efforts to be environmentally friendly.
Their ethos
Partou Alexandra, part of the Partou nursery group, has a sustainable and planet-friendly ethos inspired by nursery manager Holly Browning’s passion for eco-friendly practices. ‘I’ve worked in nurseries since I was 16 and have seen how much waste is involved,’ she says. ‘It’s become more apparent that we are the ones that need to help the next generation to understand more about how to look after the planet.’
The rest of the staff team share her outlook and a few years ago decided to educate the children about living sustainably and practise this at the nursery by recycling as much as possible and reducing the use of single-use plastics. Last year they were proud to be awarded Plastic Free Schools Accreditation by marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage (see Further information).
What they do
Staff introduce concepts throughout the nursery day. They model re-use and recycling and back up their actions through sharing children’s books (see Book corner) aimed at inspiring planet-friendly habits. ‘These books often spark wonderful invitations to play and child-led discussion and learning,’ says Holly.
Staff have taught the children to recognise recycling symbols and they recycle each day at the nursery’s designated recycling station. ‘We’ve got a little wooden robot that’s got a recycling symbol on its belly and a superhero cape which the children often include in their imaginative play,’ adds Holly.
They have taken part in activities where a range of packaging is laid on the floor and they discuss what properties they are made from and categorise them into what can and can’t be recycled. Children who bring in packed lunches have become experts at knowing what can go in the recycling station rather than the general waste bin.
They discuss how waste from single-use items often ends up in landfill sites or the oceans. ‘Children have taken part in ocean and animal rescue activities where they untangle small-world creatures from plastic nets and rubbish,’ says Holly. ‘We have also created a litter pick in the nursery garden by deliberately putting some waste outside and talking about what happens if it gets left there – could an animal find it and what might it do to that animal?’
Staff also endeavour to utilise re-usable products wherever possible. They talk about repairing items rather than replacing them and the importance of repurposing. Parents are also supporting the nursery’s endeavours by donating resources for the children to play with that would otherwise have been thrown away.
Extension activities
Children and staff have completed numerous ‘trash mob’ challenges where they have donned safety gloves and removed litter from around the nursery, which stands within the grounds of a hospital. During these challenges they continue the discourse around how dropping litter not only looks terrible but is bad for the environment in many ways, including harming wildlife, polluting water and releasing toxic chemicals.- To further work around being environmentally friendly, the nursery has created its own outdoor ‘critter corner’ to help attract insects to the garden, which can promote ecological balance and reduce the need for harmful pesticides.
- They keep chickens that help continue conversations around reducing waste by turning kitchen scraps into food, along with learning where eggs come from and understanding lifecycles and caring for creatures.
- The children grow and tend fruit and vegetables, which are used at snack time or to cook with. They have also planted wildflowers to encourage pollinators to visit the garden. This adds to their connection to and appreciation of nature, as well as encouraging healthy eating and reducing food packaging waste and air miles.
What they gain
‘There is a lot of evidence that our planet is suffering and is in a fragile state at the moment, so learning about how to protect the environment needs to start at as early age as possible,’ says Holly. ‘The children are learning that their actions have consequences and that everything we do has the potential of affecting another being.
‘It is a huge concept for a small child to understand, but by talking about recycling and how we can reduce waste and help wildlife then we are starting the initial process, which has to be positive.’
- Further information: Plastic Free Schools Accreditation: https://plasticfreeschools.org.uk
Book corner
Somebody Swallowed Stanley by Sarah Roberts and Hannah Peck
Everybody has a taste for Stanley the jellyfish – and the other ocean creatures just keep mistaking him for a delicious treat. Part of a series of entertaining, educational books introducing children to the benefits of recycling.
Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker and Zoe Persico
Greta is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by Giants who are chopping down the trees to make houses. An inspiring picturebook that retells the story of the campaigner Greta Thunberg.
Maya & Marley and the Great Big Tidy Up by Laura Henry-Allain and Yabaewah Scott
When a playground becomes overrun with litter, it’s up to Maya and Marley to plan a tidy-up.
The Odd Fish by Naomi Jones and James Jones
A warm and funny eco-adventure with a message about looking after our planet.
A Planet Full of Plastic by Neal Layton
Where plastic comes from, why it doesn’t biodegrade, and why that’s dangerous.
Peep Inside How a Recycling Truck Works by Lara Bryan and Giovanna Medeiros
This hands-on introduction to the topic of recycling is perfect for curious, young children.
Recycling! by Jess Stockham
What can we recycle? Who can sort the waste? What can we re-use? Part of the ‘Helping Hands’ series.
