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Recycling Worksheets

All right, so before you download and print these recycling worksheets for your preschool or classroom…let me address the irony. Yes, it seems hypocritical to offer a school activity that has a theme of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ or recycling, and said activity is on paper.

But, hang with me…what better time to present this lesson? First, if doing it with your students on paper feels wrong, do it on the whiteboard instead. But, you can also embrace the concept and use this as a teachable moment.

recycling workbook

For example, as you are working on these recycling activities, you can talk about:

  • Where paper comes from, responsibly-sourced paper and all that
  • What happens to paper when you are done coloring or whatever
  • Then do the math–how much paper, and how much trash, does this one activity generate?

It can really help to make the point–as far as trash, waste, and the importance of recycling.

Scroll to the bottom of this post to get the free printable–the PDF of these recycling worksheets.

Recycling Activities for Kids

This is great to do fine motor, reinforce language and much more. It’s a recycling matching worksheet for kids to match the item to what goes to recycling and what does not.

Some of these recycling worksheets have more words than pictures, to be used with preschoolers.

Lots of great discussion to be had here–why do some items not get recycled?

Recycling Activity Sheet 01

Reduce Reuse Recycle Worksheet

You can also “reuse” magazines (does anyone do that anymore? collect old magazines?) and cut out pictures for this activity.

reduce reuse recycle worksheet

Fine motor, language and much more can be reinforced with this recycling tracing worksheet.

Recycling Activity Sheet 03

Composting! I think that is a concept that needs to be introduced into more Earth Day and recycling conversations.

Recycling Activity Sheet 04
recycling worksheet
recycling worksheet

Yes! A recycling word search!

recycling word search worksheet
recycling word scramble worksheet

Printable Recycling Worksheets

Recycling-Activity-Sheet

And, Happy Earth Day!

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  • Fine Motor Skills-Games, crafts and coloring activities are a great way to use and practice a child’s fine motor skills.
  • Speech and Language– Many parents seek out a language-rich environment for their child. Any activity can be an opportunity to use and repeat new words and language, mimicking sounds, new vocalizations and articulations.
  • Executive Functioning Skills– Depending on the game or activity, it can be an opportunity to practice executive functions such as working memory, sequencing, following directions, task initiation and more.
  • Handwriting and Fluency- This piggybacks onto the language skills a child needs, but with worksheets, coloring pages and games, they can be a low-risk opportunity to practice handwriting and fluency.
  • Practicing Previously Acquired Skills-Applying already acquired skills across all environments, bring the classroom teaching into the real world.
  • Sensory-Textures, sounds, taste, vestibular, interoception, anything!
  • Social Awareness-Practice traditional social skills in a safe environment, such as: joint attention, taking turns, reciprocating conversation, waiting politely, and more.
  • Gross Motor-If you’re in a new place, practice walking across uneven surfaces, new surfaces, inclines & declines, stairs, or increasing endurance.