Games that Teach Kids to Recycle and Maximize Energy Production
December 30, 2022Parents should expose their children to the fact that consumerism is associated with environmental responsibility, especially the 3Rs such as reducing. reusing, and recycling. We have to teach by example these 3Rs and give these a thought and don't just continue consuming and tosing because doing so contributes to the betterment of our children's environmental situation in the years to come.
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| "If you want grown-ups to recycle, just tell their kids the importance of recycling and they'll be all over it." -Bill Nye Photo Credit: Shirley810 of Pixabay |
We don’t need to become experts on doing and teaching the 3Rs but it's a must for us to understand the bigger picture in order for us to teach and practice these mindfully and responsibly.
Children especially the younger ones have minds like sponges. Based on experience, as a mom and teacher, they like to take part in helping the environment and it all starts with being motivated through learning activities that they find most effective and fun. Of course, since kids nowadays are born with technology, playing online games and learning from them motivates them. That's why just recently, I spent time looking for a one-stop online portal where easy games teach kids to recycle and maximize energy production could be found. I am so glad that I found one, I enjoyed trying and testing them before I let my "ausome son" play them. Indeed, he enjoyed them too and they made him motivated to start doing the 3Rs.
Twin The Bin
Twin The Bin is a game where players move the recycling bin across the screen to collect a specific types of recyclable.
How to Play:
- The character can be a boy or a girl.
- You are given instructions on what to collect at the start of each round.
- You are instructed to collect plastic, glass, paper, or organic goods on each round.
- Garbage moves across the top of the screen on a conveyer belt, where four slides periodically push some of the garbage off the platform so it falls below.
- Move the bin from side to side while collecting the specific type of recyclable.
- Do your best to avoid getting other objects in your recycling bin.
- Every 45 seconds or so you get another wave, which has you collect a different type of garbage for recycling.
- Each item you collect correctly is equivalent to 20 points.
- You lose 10 points when you collect an item from the wrong category.
- Games last three minutes.
Sort The Trash
In Sort The Trash recycling game, players move the recycling bin across the screen to collect recyclables while avoiding other garbage.
How to Play:
- To avoid collecting batteries, straws, plastic bags, and compost items like apples, eggs, bananas, or used paper coffee cups, drag them from side to side.
- Avoid missing recyclables with your bin or else you will get a strike.
- Similarly, if you collect non-recyclable items you get a strike.
- When you get three strikes it is game over.
- As you advance through the game the items fall faster.
- Before losing, see how many recyclables you can collect.
Wind And Solar
Wind and Solar is a game that promotes sustainable energy. Players adjust the placements of windmills and solar panels to maximize energy production.
How to Play:
- Look at the wind lines on the screen and move the blades on the windmill up or down to catch the wind. If you are catching the wind the windmill blades will spin and if you are not they will stop.
- Observe the clouds in the sky and their movement. Move the solar cells left or right as needed to maximize sun exposure while minimizing the time spent under clouds. There are green and orange indicators at the bottom of the solar panel which indicates if you are capturing direct sunlight.
- The upper left corner of the game has a timer that starts at 1:30.
- Next to the timer, there is a total energy meter and a scale with houses that shows how much energy you created.
- The game has a pause button in the upper right corner.
Dear parents, remember this: Our children will be the ones to take care of the environment in the future. Environmental education is one of the keys to opening their minds to the fact that the lives of millions of species will depend on them to avoid extinction. Let us teach them NOW!
