Crafting with your kids is a great way to get creative during a lazy afternoon at home. Using recycled materials not only saves you money, but it also teaches your kids the value of reusing and recycling.
So the next time your family is interested in crafts, try one of these cool projects made from recycled food packaging and show your kids that recycling can be fun!
Classic tin can phone
Most of us have at least one cherished childhood memory involving summer afternoons, siblings, and a tin can phone.
If you want to pass on those nostalgic and feel-good moments to your young children but can’t quite remember how to assemble a makeshift phone, Joel Henriques has you covered. Made by Joel We’ll cover it all.
He is a designer, artist and father of two who created this piece. Convenient tutorialIncludes everything you need to keep the tin can tradition alive, including tips, photos, and more.
NOTE: Do yourself a favor and make yourself an extra phone. You’ll probably want to play with it yourself!
Plastic Bottle Bowling Game
If you want to have hours of fun using recycled materials, why not try creating a playable game out of your household trash?
Made from recycled plastic bottles, these bowling pins require minimal assembly, and your kids will enjoy throwing pins for many lazy afternoons to come.
Go to Creative Mom’s Home Tutorials for Ucreate I want to know how to make it.
Egg carton boat
This lovely Egg carton boat tutorial ~ in Life at the zoo Perfect for young children, it guarantees hours of imaginative play.
All your child needs is a few simple materials and a little creativity. This is a fun project that will show your kids that it’s okay to play with trash.
tin can pole
If you’re looking for a more nostalgic family game, nothing beats a pole made from a tin can.
These old classics are easy to make and will keep your kids laughing for hours.
For a refresher course on pole making, check out this link. Step by step tutorial From blogging mom, furniture designer, and crafting genius Ana Dziengel Bubble Dable Doo.
Bottle Cap Memory Game
This fun matching game East Coast Mommy Blogger Gina Bell helps kids learn numbers and develop critical thinking skills.
As an added bonus, this project was made entirely from recycled bottle caps, meaning it cost you nothing.
For tips and instructions, go to Bell’s. tutorial From East Coast Mommy.
Cereal Box Piñata
Whether it’s an upcoming birthday party or a sunny afternoon, this cereal box piñata will be a huge hit with the whole family.
This gorgeous piñata may seem like it would cost a fortune, but blogger Chelsea Costa made it almost entirely from recycled materials. She used empty cereal boxes, other pieces of cardboard packaging, and leftover tissue paper.
Visit Costa’s for some recycled fun under the sun. Guest Post Tutorial In ~ The sweetest opportunity Check out tips, step-by-step instructions, and photos.
Tin Can Bongo Drum
Turn a few cans from your recycling bin into some fun afternoon music with this creative project from Kate Petty. minieco.co.uk.
Add a few more recycled items, like old rice or old balloons, and your discarded cans can become instruments for creative play.
Check out this simple one tutorial Check out the instructions and start making music with your discarded instruments!
Wall Organizer
Trays used to sell meat and some vegetables are not disposed of in the trash along with other expanded polystyrene and fiber packaging materials. Diply suggests Turn those trays into hanging wall organizers. The trays come in a variety of sizes, so you can combine them to store mail, nails, pens, pins, and more.
Wash the trays clean and let your kids focus their energy on organizing and decorate the boxes with pictures and labels. Encouraging your kids to think about organizing today will help them organize the messy things they face later in life.
Editor’s note: Originally published on April 2, 2013, this article was updated with new ideas in July 2024. Feature image courtesy of: Gustavo Pring From Pexels.
