Catatuê Project: making toys using recyclable materials: teaching-learning and recreational activities

Abstract

The excessive production of waste on the planet is a consequence of actions caused by excessive consumerism and the lack of awareness on the part of the world's population. Recycling is a way of returning to nature in a less impactful way what was taken from it. Reusing disposable materials can be a concrete and practical alternative to develop the process of environmental awareness in children. For child development, interaction with the environment is fundamental. Therefore, the introduction of activities involving the reuse of materials in schools is of fundamental importance for the development of a quality environmental education. Considering these aspects, the present work aimed to make toys using disposable materials with children between ten and twelve years old. The workshops basically consisted of teaching children how to make three types of toys and later teaching them how to play with the toys they made. Among the materials used were PET bottles, newspapers and old magazines. It can be concluded that, although understanding the importance of recycling and environmental preservation is an ongoing process, the presentation of the aforementioned themes and the possibility of building their own toys aroused the children's curiosity and tended to bear fruit.