Showcase Magazine Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 26
ENVIRONMENT &
SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY IN
THE EARLY YEARS
The Power of Repairing Resources with Georgia
Sustainability in early years is so important! During a child9s early years is when they will develop habits, values and
attitudes that they often carry into their adult life. Sustainability doesn9t have to be complicated. In early years it9s best
to start simple by giving the children in your setting a chance to care, repair, and rethink.
An easy way to embed sustainability into your setting is to create a 8resource rescue centre9 or 8resource hospital9
where you have a dedicated space for broken toys, damaged books, and tired resources that need a second life.
Rather than throwing these items away, you can encourage children to bring them to this area where they will then
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2026
have the opportunity to fix them, take them apart, re-use
pieces for
something else entirely, or just for loose parts.
This simple area will not only reduce waste in your setting but also support the children in their learning and
development across all areas.
Learning Through Repair and Reuse
When children go to repair things, not only will they build on their resilience, problem solving skills and perseverance,
they will learn that resources have much more value than their initial intention, and that just because something9s
broken, doesn9t mean it9s useless!
With a dedicated space to repair things, children can work together, experiment with different tools and materials, test
their ideas, and learn through trial and error. By taking things apart they can use the pieces for loose parts, supporting
their open-ended play, or create something new, supporting their creativity, critical thinking, and ownership of their
own learning and posessions.
This all gives children the opportunity to experience sustainability in action as part of their day to day. They will learn
that caring for our environment starts with small, everyday choices like repairing and reusing, rather than discarding
and replacing. They will also learn that resources aren9t endless and how we care for things matters, which will give
them a good starting point of environmental responsibility.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Creating a resource rescue centre doesn’t have to be a big expensive project; simply
a box for broken things, a space to work, and some child friendly tools including
tape, glue, scissors and a purpose is enough! What matters most is what they’re
learning from it - small seeds planted early can grow into big change.
You won’t just be reducing waste - you will be nurturing thoughtful, capable and
environmentally aware children, laying the foundation for a healthier planet, stronger
communities, and more mindful future generations. And that is sustainability at its
very best!
｜
Showcase Training 26
