Rubbish Bin Sorting Activity for Kids

This printable rubbish bin sorting activity craft is a fun and educational way to introduce children to the idea of reduce, reuse, and recycle. It’s a perfect Earth Day craft for kids that combines learning and play.

The activity includes a printable template with red, green, and yellow bins that represent rubbish, compost, and recycling. Kids can cut out the printable pictures of waste items and sort them into the correct bins. This hands-on recycling sorting activity helps children understand how different types of garbage should be handled.

The bin template is also available in black and white. This means kids can color the bins themselves before starting the activity.

Overall, this recycling sorting activity is perfect for preschoolers, kindergarten, and elementary school kids. Even toddlers can participate by matching and sorting the cards. At the same time, children practice fine motor skills while building early awareness about caring for the planet.

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Supplies you need to make the rubbish bin sorting activity craft

1. Rubbish bin sorting activity printable (available for purchase in our shop)
2. Scissors
3. Glue
4. Two white cardstocks (US letter size)
5. One coloured cardstock (for sticking the bin pictures)
6. Coloured pencils or markers (optional, if you’d like to colour your own bins)

Steps to make a rubbish sorting activity craft

This rubbish sorting activity craft is a fun way for kids to learn about recycling. Children cut and paste the pictures and sort the waste into the right bin. This craft is perfect for Earth Day activities, classroom lessons, or learning about recycling at home.

Below are the easy steps to make this rubbish sorting craft with kids.

Step 1

Download and print the rubbish sorting activity printable template on two white thin cardstocks. The printable includes three activity pages, not counting the instructions and step by step guide.

If you would like to color the rubbish bins yourself, you can print page 2 instead of page 1. Otherwise, if you prefer ready colored bins, you can simply skip page 2 and use page 1.

Step 2

Now it’s time to cut out each of the bins. We started with the red bin first.

Carefully cut along the black outer lines to keep the shapes neat and ready for the activity.

Step 3

Next, fold the two side flaps toward the back of the bin. This will help the bin hold its shape during the activity.

Step 4

Next, apply glue only to the two corners of the bottom flap. This will help secure the bin while still allowing space inside for the sorting activity.

Step 5

Now stick the glued corners of the bottom flap onto the side flaps. Press gently and hold for a few seconds to secure it tightly in place.

Step 6

Now apply glue to each folded flap. Make sure not to apply glue to the inner part of the bin, or you won’t be able to place the waste items inside during the activity.

Step 7

Next, take another cardstock and stick the bin toward one end of the page. We used a blue colored cardstock to make the activity look more bright and colorful.

Step 8

Now let’s stick the top flap on the bin. Make sure to apply glue only to the outer parts of the bin and avoid getting any glue on the blue cardstock.

If glue gets inside, the bin will close up and the kids won’t be able to put the waste items inside during the activity.

Step 9

Follow the same steps to make the other two bins, yellow and green.

Once ready, stick them onto the cardstock, leaving some space between each bin so the kids can easily sort the waste items.

Step 10

Now, get the page with the waste material pictures.

We have included some common waste materials like banana peel, leaf, face mask, coffee cup, plastic bag, glass bottle, plastic bottle, and cardboard.

You can add more by expanding the table with extra rows and columns and asking the kids to name other waste materials. They can draw the items themselves, or for older kids, they can simply write them in.

Step 11

Cut out each of the rectangle shapes from the table. This makes a great scissor activity for kids, and now we’re ready to start the sorting activity.

You can talk about each waste item and the concept of recycling, asking the kids whether it should go in the rubbish, recycle, or compost bin. For example, the leaf goes in the compost bin, and the face mask goes in the rubbish bin. Let the kids place each rectangle piece in the correct bin. This makes a fantastic fine motor activity.

This is also a great time to discuss the garbage truck taking the waste materials and the importance of caring for the Earth. It makes the activity perfect for Earth Day.

Once all the waste materials are in the bins, simply hold the blue cardstock upside down and gently shake it so the pieces fall out. The kids can then play again by sorting the items into the correct bins as a fun waste sorting game.

More Earth Day Crafts and Activities for Kids

Check out more Earth Day crafts and activities to do with kids for fun and hands-on ways to learn about caring for the planet.

Free Earth Day Worksheet for Kids: This Happy vs Sad Earth worksheet is a fun way to help kids learn how their actions can make the planet happy or sad.

Children can draw smiley faces on Earth based on different activities while learning simple ways to care for the environment. It’s a playful and meaningful Earth Day activity for home or the classroom.

Water Pollution Craft: Are you looking for a simple way to teach kids about water pollution? This easy water pollution craft uses a printable template to help children understand how pollution affects ocean life. Kids can color the sea creatures and add sad faces to show how plastic waste and polluted water impact them.

I can help the Earth by worksheet: This I Can Help the Earth worksheet is a fun cut-and-paste Earth Day activity where kids create their own mini book. It teaches simple ways to care for the planet, like watering plants, recycling, and switching off lights. A great hands-on activity for young kids at home or in the classroom.

Books about recycling and caring for the Earth for kids

These books are perfect to pair with Earth Day crafts and activities. They help kids learn about recycling, garbage, and caring for the environment in a fun and engaging way.

What If Everybody Did That?: What would happen if everyone littered or ignored the rules? This fun and thoughtful book helps kids see how their choices affect the world around them. With playful illustrations, it encourages children to make kind and responsible choices.

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth: This fun picture book teaches kids how to compost and care for the Earth. Children learn what can go into a compost pile and how simple actions can help the planet. It’s a great Earth Day book that encourages kids to build planet friendly habits.

What a Waste: This informative book teaches kids all about the environment, from pollution and litter to recycling and renewable energy. Children learn how small everyday actions can make a big difference for the planet. It is full of surprising facts that will make kids curious about protecting Earth.

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