Today, I supported an experience using recycled materials for promoting environmental awareness. For this, I introduced a recycled art table with clean containers, bottle caps, paper rolls, and coloured boxes, inviting the children to engage in art and put the materials into labelled bins after finishing. This experience helps in promoting awareness of sustainability and the environment, aligned with EYLF V2.0 Outcome 2.4 – Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment (AGDE, 2022).

As the children engaged in artwork like making houses using reused boxes, I modelled language like “That is a cardboard, what can you make with this cardboard?” and after finishing we should throw it on yellow recycle bin. By having conversation like this, I helped in intentional teaching and supported children’s agency, focusing on concepts of care for the environment and responsible consumption. This practice links to NQS QA3.2.3: Environmentally responsible practices and met Regulation 73, which ensures educational programs contribute to children’s development (ACECQA, 2020).

I focused on play pedagogy by offering child-led exploration with open-ended materials and guided conversations using visual signs like recycling logos, supporting multi-modal learning and cognitive development through classification and symbolic thinking. According to Hedges and Cooper (2018), sustainability concepts in early childhood are best learned through everyday practices and social dialogue (Lavina, 2021).

One of the children asked me, “Can we put this in the green bin?”, showing developing environmental literacy. I then scaffolded the conversation to explain how food scraps and recyclables go to separate bins, supporting conceptual learning through meaningful contexts. These conversations supported EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators by enhancing oral communication (ADGE,2022).

 I showed the dimensions of professionalism by cooperating with my supervising educator, asking for feedback, and reflecting critically on how I included each child in the experience. I ensured fair access to materials by positioning the recycled bins at child height and supporting one child with fine motor challenges by offering tongs. This practice aligns with the ECA Code of Ethics (Early Childhood Australia, 2016) and Standard 1.5 – Differentiate teaching (AITSL,2017).

Cultural inclusion was included by the use of diverse packaging and symbols, and I plan to integrate Aboriginal perspectives in future sustainability activities by including bush tucker seed packaging and yarning about Country. Today’s experience did not involve families directly, but I took photos to include in the centre’s sustainability display and planned a take-home sorting game to connect learning with families which supports QA6: Collaborative partnerships (ACECQA, 2020).

From a theoretical perspective, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory informed my understanding of how centre practices influence children’s environmental attitudes within the microsystem (Guy-Evans, 2025). I also drew on Piaget’s constructivist theory, recognising how children’s independent sorting and symbolic creations reflected growing environmental understanding through active exploration (Ajayi, 2024).

Reflecting on the session, I observed children having deep engagement and collaboration. I will expand this experience by introducing composting and gardening, encouraging children to connect sustainability with natural cycles which helps extending both the curriculum and environmental awareness.