There’s no better cure for boredom than a day of crafts with your kids! Best part is, you don’t need to spend a fortune at the store on crafting supplies; just take a look in your recycling bin and you’ll find everything you need. At the same time, you can teach your kids a valuable lesson about the importance of recycling.
Plastic and other material waste is extremely high in this country. In fact, of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the United States in 2021, just five to six percent, or about two million tons, was actually recycled, according to the World Economic Forum.
Today, we will share our favorite recycled crafts for kids that are not only unique but simple, giving your family a chance to reconnect in a fun way at home. From bottle cap fish to toilet roll bird feeders, check out these crafty ideas and then start fishing in your recycling bin to get cheap supplies!
Bottle Cap Fish
Create an underwater paradise teeming with colorful fish, bubbles, and plants. Just collect plastic bottle caps from water and other drink bottles, then paint the caps bright colors to make your own school of friendly fish.
Toilet Roll Bird Feeder
Gather up some toilet paper rolls, then cover each one in peanut butter. Roll them in bird seed and hang them outdoors. Your kids will love watching the birds flock to their tasty treat.
Egg Carton Dragonfly
Transform egg cartons into colorful dragonflies with this recycled paper craft. Have your kids paint the egg cartons in their favorite colors and craft antennas out of pipe cleaners.
Tin Can Creatures
Grab some tin soup cans, paint, and googly eyes, and create colorful clusters of ladybugs to decorate your garden.
Homemade Wind Chimes
If you have some tin cans left over, why not use them to make your own wind chimes for the porch? Paint and decorate the cans, then hang different items inside the cans, such as nuts or metal washers, to produce a variety of sounds.
Hanging Planters
Gather some large plastic bottles and transform them into beautiful hanging planters. Your kids can fill the planters with soil, plant some seeds, and watch their creations grow.
Water Bottle Flowers
Cut the bottoms off some plastic water bottles, then paint each one a bright color. The curved plastic mimics flower petals, making it the perfect recycled item to use for this project. Mix some glitter into washable paint, add fuzzy pom pom centers and voila – you have a pretty bouquet of recycled blooms.
Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars
Go on an outdoor adventure with these homemade binoculars. Just string two toilet paper rolls together, then add tissue paper leaves for camouflage. You can even create a 3D effect by adding some faux greenery.
Cereal Box Monsters
Grab some empty cereal boxes to create your own group of fierce yet funny monsters. Just add a bamboo handle, and you can turn those monsters into puppets and put on a show. Decorate each creature with construction paper, ribbon, faux fur, and googly eyes.
Make Crafts With Country Home Learning Center
Here at Country Home Learning Center, we place a big emphasis on arts and crafts to stimulate learning. Even the smallest children can benefit from doing crafts, and it’s even better if they can be taught the value of recycling at the same time. Come see how crafts form an integral part of our program and take a tour of our facilities. Contact us today in San Antonio or Austin to set something up!
