20 fun projects for kids – crafting with recycled materials
This article may include affiliate links, which means that, at no additional cost to you, if you use them to make a purchase, I will receive a commission. Here is a disclosure.
1. What can you do with a chips tube? Turn it into a caterpillar!
- chips cardboard tube
- paper (green and red)
- glue
- googly eyes
- pipe cleaners
- scissors
2. Turn a paper roll into an octopus
Young children may easily complete this exercise since they enjoy painting, and older children can use it to hone their cutting skills. You only need:
- toilet paper roll
- paint and brush
- googly eyes
- scrissors
3.Turn a paper cup into a penguin
Or perhaps I should have stated “into a Christmas Tree Topper,” as this has been ours for the past five years and serves as a nice reminder of the creative possibilities offered by reusing materials.
The kids will adore the craft because it is adorable. You only need:
- paper cup
- white paper
- glue
- felt (orange and black)
- googly eyes or felt
White paper should be used to cover the paper cup, and felt should be cut into a beak, two wings, a belly circle, and two feet. Cut some felt for the eyes if you’re not using googly eyes. The paper cup must then be adhered to with adhesive before your penguin (or tree topper) is complete.
4. Turn a toilet paper roll into a butterfly
Kids may paint, cut, and decorate recycled toilet paper rolls to create stunning, sparkly butterflies like the ones below. A toilet paper roll, glue, glitter, pipe cleaners, scissors, clear contact paper, and children’s imaginations are all that are required.
5. Or into a witch
Using a toilet paper roll, green and black construction paper, googly eyes, a roll of orange yarn, scissors, hot glue, and a permanent pen, a toilet paper roll may also be transformed into a friendly (or frightening) witch.
6. Turn a bunch of toilet paper rolls into a bunch of flowers
7. Speaking of flowers
Another excellent recyclable resource is egg cartons, which may be used to make vibrant flowers like the ones shown below. In addition to egg cartons, you’ll need acrylic paint, yellow pom-poms, paper straws, scissors, and glue.
8. How to make a bird feeder from a plastic container?
Through the use of recyclable materials and the development of fine motor skills while threading beads, you may create a beautiful bird feeder with this activity:
9. What can you do with a cereal box? Turn it into an aquarium!
The ingredients for this project are quite simple and include an egg box, green cardboard, pom-poms, googly eyes, glue, and paint.
11. Turn a plastic egg into a glowing firefly
I’ve had a few opportunities in my life to watch fireflies, but I haven’t yet been able to take my children to see some real ones. They will therefore enjoy creating some glowing fireflies out of recycled plastic Easter eggs, I surely know it!
12. or into an egg cup or a pot
You may have leftover plastic Easter eggs after making the firefly because they are sold in sets. You can use these leftover eggs to make egg cups or even garden pots for grass or herbs.
13. How to make your own herb garden? Use a drink carton!
14. Turn a cardboard into a pirate ship
And sure, I will need to reserve a second milk carton since I know my children will enjoy making this pirate ship. We’ll all work together on the project; I’ll cut, and my kids will paint, glue, and decorate before we all play with the ship.
15. Turn an old CD into a spinner
Do your youngsters enjoy beads and are attracted by spinning objects? Then they should try this recyclable material craft project!
16. Turn a plastic bottle into a wind spiral
Considering that we are talking about spinning objects, how about transforming a plastic bottle into a lovely wind spiral? Plastic bottles, scissors, markers, a stick, and some strings or ribbons are all you need.
17. Turn a cardboard into an ornament
Do your children enjoy making their room or the whole house their own? Yes, they all do, don’t they? That’s what I expected. So, here is a very beautiful and easy art and craft project that results in a lovely llama ornament and uses cardboard!
18. Turn two cereal boxes into a foldable doll house
Yes, I did put “foldable,” because that’s what you get when you combine two cereal boxes: a portable house!