Help preschoolers examine the beautiful and unique things about Earth by taking them on a photo scavenger hunt. Write out a list of objects that they must find in nature, such a leaf shaped like an animal or a flat rock, then take everyone outside to hunt. Once they find each item, take a photo of it. When you get back to the classroom, print out all the photos and hang them on the door. Ask children to share what their favorite things were that they spotted in nature.
Even if you have recycling bins in your classroom, preschoolers can always use more practice with determining which items can be recycled and which can't. Cut out pictures from magazines of food items, boxes, bottles, bags and metal cans, or draw pictures of these items yourself. Cut out four large squares of paper and hang them on the wall. Label one square "garbage," and label the other three with "paper," "plastic" and "metal." Spread out the pictures, then have children come up one at a time and pick up one picture. Ask children to tape each photo to the square where it belongs.
Give children an idea of what bad things can happen to the Earth if we don't take care of it. Hang a large picture of the planet on a wall. Explain that if we keep making tons of trash and don't recycle, the Earth will get more and more covered in garbage. Cut out small pictures of garbage bags and tape a few in places throughout the Earth. Have each child come up and tape on a bag somewhere in the world. When each child has added a bag, have children look at how much of the Earth is covered in garbage. Take away some of the bags and explain that recycling means less garbage to pollute the Earth.
Help preschoolers see what a difference they can make in their own environment. Ask families to lend you gardening gloves if they own any. Once you have at least a few pair of these thick gloves, head outside to do a trash pickup around your school. Before starting, explain that children are not allowed to pick up anything that's made of metal or glass. Have some children act as trash "spotters." When they see a piece of trash that needs to be picked up, they can call over a child in gloves to pick it up and put it in a trash bag.