10 Easy Recycled Crafts for Kids: Teach Kids About Sustainability While Having Fun

Recycling everyday household items into creative crafts not only helps the environment but also inspires children to think about reusing materials in new ways. Here are ten easy recycled crafts that will spark your child’s imagination and teach them the value of sustainability.

1. Toilet Paper Roll Animals

Turn empty toilet paper rolls into a menagerie of adorable animals. With some paint, googly eyes, and a little creativity, these rolls can be transformed into owls, elephants, or any creature your child can imagine. This craft is a great way to repurpose something that would otherwise be tossed out.

Materials: Toilet paper rolls, paint, googly eyes, construction paper, glue.

2. Egg Carton Flowers

Empty egg cartons can blossom into beautiful flowers with just a few snips and some paint. Kids can paint the carton cups in bright colors, add a stem made from a straw or stick, and create a lovely bouquet. It’s a fantastic way to bring springtime indoors, no matter the season.

Materials: Egg cartons, paint, straws or sticks, glue, scissors.

3. Bottle Cap Magnets

Collect those bottle caps from soda or juice bottles and turn them into fun refrigerator magnets. Kids can decorate the caps with small pictures, stickers, or even paint their own designs. Attach a small magnet to the back, and you’ve got a unique piece of fridge art!

Materials: Bottle caps, small magnets, glue, paint, stickers.

4. CD Sun Catchers

Got some old CDs lying around? Give them new life as sparkly sun catchers. Let kids paint or glue colorful tissue paper onto the shiny side of the CD, then hang them in the window to catch the sunlight. It’s a dazzling way to recycle those outdated discs.

Materials: Old CDs, paint or tissue paper, glue, string.

5. Cardboard Box Playhouse

A large cardboard box can become anything from a miniature playhouse to a spaceship or a castle. With a little imagination, kids can decorate and customize their box with markers, stickers, or paint. It’s a creative way to repurpose packaging material and give kids a play space of their own.

Materials: Large cardboard box, markers, paint, stickers.

6. Newspaper Hats

Teach kids the classic art of folding paper hats, but with a twist—use old newspapers! These hats can be decorated with paint, stickers, or anything else you have on hand. It’s a simple craft that also provides a lesson in reusing materials.

Materials: Newspapers, paint, stickers, glue.

7. Plastic Bottle Planters

Turn empty plastic bottles into cute planters for small plants or herbs. Cut the bottle in half, decorate the bottom half, and fill it with soil and seeds. It’s a great way to teach kids about growing plants while recycling plastic waste.

Materials: Plastic bottles, paint, soil, seeds, scissors.

8. Jar Lid Picture Frames

Old jar lids can become mini picture frames for your child’s artwork or photos. Have kids paint the lids and add a small picture inside. Attach a magnet to the back, and you’ve got a personalized photo frame for the fridge.

Materials: Jar lids, paint, small pictures, magnets, glue.

9. Paper Towel Roll Binoculars

Two empty paper towel rolls can be taped together to create a pair of pretend binoculars. Kids can decorate them with paint or stickers and use them for imaginative play, like going on a safari or a treasure hunt.

Materials: Paper towel rolls, paint, stickers, tape.

10. Cereal Box Bookmarks

Instead of throwing away empty cereal boxes, cut them into strips to make sturdy bookmarks. Kids can decorate the strips with markers, stickers, or even yarn tassels. It’s a fun way to recycle while encouraging a love of reading.

Materials: Cereal boxes, markers, stickers, yarn

Conclusion

Recycled crafts not only provide a creative outlet for kids but also teach them the importance of sustainability. By reusing and repurposing household items, children learn that even everyday materials can have a second life. Try out these crafts and watch your kids’ creativity and environmental awareness grow!

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