54 Recycle Crafts for Kids
These craft ideas for kids with waste material will keep them busy and keep items out of the recycling bin!
By: Caley Walsh, Editor, FaveCrafts.com
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Recycle crafts for kids can be a valuable tool of entertainment and distraction after a long school day. These craft projects for kids cost almost nothing to make and you can use materials from around the house, like oatmeal containers.
If you're looking for recycling projects for kids that are perfect for Earth Day, this is a must-have collection. Save up those drink cartons, plastic bottles and even paper plates - you can use all of these items for these craft projects.
Even if Earth Day is nowhere in sight, save this collection for a rainy day and have kids get creative on a rainy afternoon. If you're a teach, you'll find great school projects made from recycled materials below as well. They'll love making their own games, organizers and even birdfeeders.
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Are you a visual learner? Check out our video tutorial for this Recycled DIY Storage Container.
Table of Contents
If you love recycled craft projects, then you should check out this free eBook! Celebrate Earth Day with this Recycled Craft Ideas: Easy Crafts to Make with Recycled Materials free eBook! Filled with amazing new recycled projects, this eBook is the perfect way to celebrate Mother Earth. The thrifty DIY home decor projects in this eBook are sure to inspire and motivate you, and you are sure to love how simple and budget-friendly these projects are! Don't worry about buying new decor, create your own with items you have on hand already with the amazing projects in "Recycled Craft Ideas: Easy Crafts to Make with Recycled Materials" free eBook
Aluminum Can Crafts
Featured Project: Smashed Soda Can Animals
Create a funny cow, pig or bear using empty soda cans, paint and felt. Recycle crafts for kids are a great tool for teaching kids about recycling.
Meanwhile, this Soup Can Bowling craft is a two-for-one project: kids can spend time making this craft, and then they get to use it as a fun activity! Find more recycled can crafts below.
Drink Carton Crafts
Featured Project: Making Ice Candles
Use an empty drink carton and an old aluminum can to make your own recycle crafts for kids. Use soy candle wax or beeswax for a greener alternative to traditional petroleum-derived paraffin wax.
Additionally, this Drink Carton Gift Box is an easy craft project that's an extra special way to dress up a gift. Giving a handmade gift in a handmade box makes the present doubly special!
More Crafts with Cardboard
Featured project: Pizza Box Art
At a glance, it's impossible to tell that this lovely artwork came from a pizza box! Scrap paper, CDs, and more make for a fabulous project.
Those tall potato chip cans are a treasure trove for craft ideas! The Pringles Can Storage Container is ideal for storing pens, scissors, coloring supplies, and all manner of tools. Anything you might use a tube for is ideal for this craft. So long as you properly clean the inside of grease, decorate the outside and store anything you like inside. It's seriously amazing what you can make out of recycled containers.
If you are looking for more recycling craft ideas, you can find our favorite ideas for craft projects that reuse in this collection of 70+ Ways to Reuse Materials for Crafting. You'll find projects that look great and help the planet at the same time. In addition to recycled crafts for kids, you'll find projects parents can make on their own. There's never a bad time to use recycled materials, so dip into your discards and gather up supplies. You won't believe how much you can make with so few supplies. View the collection: 70+ Ways to Reuse Materials for Crafting
Plastic Bottle Crafts
Featured Projects: Pink Flower Water Bottle Bracelets
Recycle water bottles into pink flower bracelets for fun green crafting ideas for kids.
You can also make this darling Plastic Bottle Birdfeeder! At a glance you don't even realize it was once a plastic bottle. The little roof is so darling and really makes the project look like a little house! This is a wonderful project to do with the kids and they will love seeing the birds use it.
Whether it's raining, snowing, or just a few days off from school, these extra 15 Green Crafts for Children will help keep kids occupied and entertained for hours. From robots to homemade board games, these recycling ideas for kids get kids in the spirit for Earth Day. These recycled art projects for kids will also reinforce the importance of that old saying "Reduce, reuse, recycle." Kids will learn why this ideas is so important without even realizing it! Get the collection: 15 Green Crafts for Children
More Plastic Crafts
Featured Project: Felt Floral Plastic Bottle Bracelet
At a glance, you'd never guess this bracelet is made from a water bottle! Teach your kids the importance of recycling with this pretty craft.
You can also craft with the most obscure plastic containers. This Eco Froggy Bank is made from a disposable cup like one you'd order a smoothie in. The hold in the top comes in handy for crafting your own bank!
Recycle Crafts from Paper Dishware
Featured Projects: Cute Paper Bowl Turtle
Add this paper bowl project to your list of recycled crafts for kids. You'll save your trash can from filling up and your kids will get a chance to make a recycled reptile.
Paper plate crafts are great recycling projects for school, and this Pig Paper Plate uses multiple recycled items! Learn how to make darling animal faces out of paper plates with this tutorial.
More Recycling Crafts for Kids
Featured Project: Recycled Newspaper Beads
Use old newspaper to create big, circular beads. Kids will love painting and decorating these recycled paper beads.
These Upcycled Glove Animals are also SO adorable, it's hard to pass them up! I love the dinosaurs. These are an absolutely adorable recycling projects for kids, and it's a fun project to make when you've lost a glove and don't know what to do with the other one!
If you adore making crafts out of recycled materials, you are going to love reading our full how-to article on how to make sure your recycled materials are ready for crafting: How to Prepare Recyclables for Crafting
Secretly Cheap DIY Flower Vase: Perfect for teens, these plastic bottle crafts are a chic and trendy recycle crafts for kids (especially teens)! They will love the grown-up look of the homemade vases as well as learning how to plant their own flowers!
Plastic bottle crafts really are some of the best and most impressive craft projects. It's amazing what you can make with this recycled material with a little bit of paint! Some of these projects are pretty enough that your tween or teen might want to make it. Let's be honest: you probably want to make this flower vase yourself.
Plus, check out this project to learn all about why plastic bottle crafts are a great way to take care of Mother Earth.
Get the tutorial: Secretly Cheap DIY Flower Vase
What are your favorite recycling ideas for kids?
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