Hey there, fellow DIY lovers! If you’re like me and always on the lookout for fun, eco-friendly crafts to do with kids, you’re going to love these 17 creative recycling projects.
Cardboard Castles
Empty cereal boxes and other cardboard can become enchanting castles with a little creativity. Add flags and characters, and you’ll have a whole kingdom ready for play.
Maybe worth checking out:
- Child-Safe Scissors: Get these child-safe scissors for easy and safe cardboard cutting for kids’ crafts.
- Colored Craft Paper: Add vibrant colors to your castle with this set of assorted colored craft paper.
- Non-Toxic Glue Sticks: Ensure secure and mess-free crafting with these non-toxic glue sticks, perfect for kids.
Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeders
Grab those empty toilet paper rolls and cover them with peanut butter before rolling them in birdseed. Hang them up outside and watch as your backyard becomes a birdwatching paradise.
A few suggestions:
- Natural Peanut Butter: Use natural peanut butter to coat your bird feeders, attracting more delightful birds to your yard.
- Mixed Birdseed: Enhance your bird feeder’s appeal with a premium mix of seeds that birds will love.
- Jute Twine String: Hang your bird feeders securely with eco-friendly jute twine, perfect for outdoor use.
Egg Carton Sea Turtles
Transform an old egg carton into adorable sea turtles by painting the cups green and adding little paper flippers. I always have a blast watching kids bring these cute creatures to life!
Possibly handy products:
- Acrylic Paint Set for Kids: Unleash creativity with vibrant paints perfect for transforming egg cartons into cute sea turtles!
- Paint Brushes for Kids: Encourage fine motor skills with easy-to-use paint brushes ideal for crafting tiny details.
- Craft Paper Sheets: Add personality to your turtles with colorful paper flippers that kids will love designing.
Plastic Bottle Planters
Cutting the tops off large plastic bottles creates perfect hanging planters. Kids love filling these with soil and seeds, eagerly watching their mini gardens grow.
Possibly helpful picks:
- Potting Soil Mix: Encourage growth with this rich potting mix, perfect for cultivating a child’s budding garden.
- Plant Seeds Variety Pack: Start a vibrant garden with these easy-to-grow seeds, ideal for young, curious gardeners.
- Plastic Bottle Cutter Tool: Safely cut bottles for crafting with this specialized tool, designed for easy and precise use.
Tin Can Drums
Turn empty tin cans into musical instruments by covering them with colorful paper and adding a balloon top. These drums not only look vibrant but sound surprisingly good, too.
You might like:
- Colorful Craft Paper Set: Add vibrant color to your drums with this set of assorted, easy-to-use craft papers.
- Balloon Pack Assortment: Top your drums with these colorful balloons for a unique sound and fun appearance.
- All-Purpose Craft Glue: Ensure your craft paper stays put with this reliable, child-friendly glue for all materials.
CD Spinning Tops
Dust off those old CDs and transform them into dazzling spinning tops by attaching a marble underneath. It’s a great way to reuse CDs and keeps the kids entertained for hours.
Explore these options:
- Bulk Marbles Set: Grab a bulk marble set for endless CD spinning fun with the kids.
- Glue Dots or Adhesive Putty: Ensure strong adhesion by using glue dots or adhesive putty for secure marble attachment.
- Assorted Craft Paints: Get creative by painting your CD tops with vibrant craft paints for added flair.
Bottle Cap Fish
Bottle caps become colorful fish with just a little paint and imagination. I adore seeing the kids’ faces light up as their underwater scenes come to life.
A few things you might like:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Unleash creativity with vibrant colors to bring your bottle cap fish to life.
- Paintbrush Set: Enhance your child’s art with versatile paintbrushes for detailed and bold strokes.
- Craft Glue: Securely attach bottle cap fish elements with reliable, non-toxic craft glue.
Egg Carton Flowers
With a splash of paint, egg cartons can blossom into beautiful flowers. These make lovely gifts for brightening a loved one’s day.
Might be a good match:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Unleash creativity by painting your egg carton flowers with vibrant acrylic colors. Perfect for kids!
- Children’s Paint Brushes: Equip little hands with the right tools for painting egg carton flowers beautifully and easily.
- Craft Scissors: Ensure safe and precise cutting for crafting flower shapes from egg cartons with these craft scissors.
Tin Can Robots
Collect some tin cans and gather odds and ends like bottle caps and buttons to create quirky robots. Each one turns out uniquely charming!
Some handy options:
- Assorted Bottle Caps Set: Add a splash of color and detail to your robots with this variety of bottle caps.
- Craft Buttons: Enhance your robots with these colorful buttons for eyes, controls, or decoration.
- Metal Adhesive Glue: Securely attach different parts of your robot with this strong metal adhesive.
Newspaper Jellyfish
Old newspapers can be stunningly repurposed into jellyfish with some paint and string. They’re simple to make and dance beautifully in the breeze.
You might give these a try:
- Acrylic Craft Paint Set: Brighten your jellyfish with vibrant colors using this non-toxic acrylic paint set for kids.
- Crafting String or Twine: Secure your jellyfish with durable string or twine, perfect for hanging and decoration.
- Child-Safe Scissors: Ensure safety and ease while crafting with these round-tip child-safe scissors.
Milk Carton Fairy Houses
Transform a milk carton into a magical fairy house using twigs, moss, and a touch of imagination. These quaint little abodes are always a hit with the kids.
These products might be useful:
- Decorative Twigs for Crafting: Enhance fairy house roofs with natural twig bundles for a rustic, enchanted forest look.
- Dried Moss Sheets: Add lush, green moss to your fairy house for a touch of magical realism.
- Acrylic Paint Set for Kids: Bring your fairy house to life with vibrant colors using this safe, kid-friendly paint set.
Loose Parts Robots
Gather a mix of recycled materials like bottle caps and buttons for kids to assemble and reassemble into imaginative robots. It’s a fantastic way to encourage creativity.
Check if these fit your needs:
- Assorted Craft Buttons: Unleash creativity with colorful buttons, perfect for assembling imaginative, playful robot designs.
- Wood Craft Sticks: Enhance robot building projects with versatile wood sticks for sturdy and creative structures.
- Colorful Bottle Caps Set: Inspire playful robot assemblies using vibrant bottle caps for heads, arms, and decorative details.
Key Wind Chimes
Old keys can find new life as part of a melodious wind chime. Kids love painting them and hearing the gentle music they create.
Useful items to consider:
- Acrylic Craft Paint Set: Unleash creativity with vibrant colors to paint old keys for unique wind chimes.
- Wooden Embroidery Hoops: Use these durable hoops as the perfect base for your key wind chimes.
- Natural Jute Twine: Secure keys with eco-friendly jute twine, adding rustic charm to your wind chimes.
Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars
Crafting binoculars from toilet paper rolls is a fun way to gear up for an outdoor adventure. Add a bit of paint and string, and you’re ready to explore!
Check these products out:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Unleash creativity by painting your binoculars with this vibrant acrylic paint set. Perfect for kids!
- Crafting Twine: Complete your binoculars with sturdy crafting twine for a durable and rustic finish.
- Child-friendly Scissors: Ensure safe cutting for your kids with these child-friendly scissors, ideal for crafting fun.
Magazine Paper Beads
Old magazines can be cut into strips and rolled into beads, perfect for creating custom jewelry. It’s a relaxing craft with stunning results.
May just do the trick:
- Paper Bead Roller Tool: Easily roll magazine strips into uniform beads for stunning jewelry. Perfect your craft today!
- Elastic Jewelry Cord: String your paper beads with this durable cord, ensuring beautiful, lasting accessories. Get creative!
- Non-Toxic Craft Glue: Secure your beads with this safe, non-toxic glue, perfect for kids’ craft projects. Try it now!
Plastic Bottle Bird Feeders
Turn a large plastic bottle into a bird feeder by cutting openings and filling it with seeds. It’s a delightful way to welcome feathered friends.
A few helpful options:
- Bird Seed Mix: Attract a variety of bird species with this premium bird seed mix, ideal for feeders.
- Craft Scissors: Safely cut your plastic bottles with precision using these durable craft scissors.
- Jute Twine: Securely hang your bird feeder with this eco-friendly, strong jute twine.
Tin Can Creatures
With some paint and googly eyes, tin cans transform into adorable creatures. It’s a project that always brings out the giggles and creativity in kids.
Products that could assist:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Unleash creativity with a vibrant acrylic paint set; perfect for decorating tin can creatures.
- Googly Eyes Assortment: Bring your tin can creatures to life with a variety of fun googly eyes.
- Craft Brushes: Ensure precise painting with soft, easy-to-clean craft brushes for detailed artwork.

