Waste Sorting
When teaching children about waste sorting, we instill values such as respect, care, and responsibility. For sorting, we need five bins: one for paper, one for organic waste, one for packaging, one for glass, and one for other waste. The bins have labels with pictures. The activity is often repeated in kindergarten; for example, the educator shows the children various waste items (an empty plastic bottle, paper, a piece of cloth) and asks them to take the items to the correct bin. Older children can also help the younger ones or assist them with sorting the waste.
This activity can be expanded into a discussion about the earth, nature conservation, and what happens to waste after the cleaning staff take it away. The children can be shown the truck that collects and transports the waste to the recycling center. There are many books about waste sorting, and the children can also learn that new things can be made from waste, such as butterflies or animals made from toilet paper rolls.
Animal Care
Children love animals, so some kindergartens have therapy dogs that engage with all the children—from the youngest to the oldest—helping them develop a sense of cooperation, respect, care for others, and responsibility. If you want to bring a dog into the kindergarten, it must first have all the necessary certifications and be well-trained to behave around children. There are also essential supplies such as food, water, vitamins, a brush, a leash, and much more. Children enjoy feeding and brushing the dog, and they love watching it perform tricks. Before feeding or brushing the dog, the handler gives the children instructions on how to behave around the dog. If a child is afraid of the dog, they can simply observe how the handler and other children interact with the animal until they eventually feel comfortable enough to pet it themselves. Children also enjoy taking the dog for walks (along with the handler), and of course, after spending time with the dog, they help put away all the supplies into the basket.
Flowers – Cleaning, Watering, Bouquets
Caring for plants involves various activities that the educator can introduce to the children. Once a child has mastered the necessary skills, they can independently take responsibility for the plants in the room or the garden. Through this, they develop attitudes such as care for the environment, cooperation, helping others, and responsibility.