Paper Tube Snake(Ages 5-8)
Here's a slinky snake made from yarn and paper tubes. Make him long or short, and use any slithery colors and design you can imagine!
Cardboard Castle(Ages 5-16)
Upcycle a cardboard box into a castle with a drawbridge! Make the castle shown here, and then Invite your friends over to help make designs of your own.
Box Toss(Ages 9-16)
Inspired by the game of Corn Hole, this simple tossing contest uses recycled cardboard boxes (or KiwiCo crates!) Set up in the backyard and see who gets the most points. For tossing objects, try whiffle balls, ping pong balls or even walnuts!
Toppling Turtles(Ages 3-8)
Turn the non-recyclable plastic caps from single-use bottles into a fun game of toppling turtles! How many can you stack before the turtles go tumbling?
Tilt-to-Win(Ages 3-8)
Make your own arcade game with a few simple supplies!
Dry Erase Coloring Book(Ages 3-11)
Need an activity when going traveling? Try this is a reusable and portable dry erase coloring book made from a CD case! No matter how long the trip is, you'll always have something to do with this DIY dry-erase coloring book. Color and draw, and then just wipe away the dry erase for more room to play.
Upcycled plastic snack cups, some tissue paper, and silly googly eyes are all the materials you need to make these jellyfish. To make them look like they are gracefully swimming, hang them over an air vent or near an open window. The breeze will make their light tissue paper tentacles move and sway.
Coffee Can Drums(Ages 3-8)
With just a few everyday materials, turn your recycled coffee cans into music!
Cork Stamps(Ages -1-5)
This fun and colorful project teaches the art of reusing materials to make new and beautiful things!
Egg Carton Penguin(Ages 3-5)
All it takes is a dab of paint, some construction paper, and a handful of googly eyes to turn that empty egg carton into a flock of cute penguin pals!
Brown Paper Bag Owl Puppet(Ages 3-8)
Owls are all the craze these days, so my daughter thought it would be fun to create owl puppets using brown paper bags. This is something that your child will sure have a "hoot" making.
Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars(Ages 3-4)
With a few toilet paper rolls, some stickers and string, this recycled project lends itself to all sorts of fun. With these binoculars, your little explorers can go on an exciting expedition to wherever their imaginations take them.
12 Ways to Get Crafty With Recycled Materials
Crafts can be a great way to reduce your waste by recycling single-use materials like cardboard, egg cartons, corks, plastic bottle caps and even cd cases into toys, games and art projects! Here you'll find some of our favorite recycled creations including cardboard castles, drums made from coffee cans, colorful carnival games, an erasable CD-case coloring book, and a family of adorable egg crate penguins!