With the upcoming Christmas vacations, I’m already preparing some fun projects that I can do with my kids. It’s my own way to bond with them, teach them, and just enjoy our time together while doing something productive in the process. It’s also the perfect opportunity for me to teach them about green living and to show them how to create new things out of old materials.
Image Source : emrank
I have put together a short list of recycle crafts which are easy-to-make and do not require expensive craft materials. Trust me, getting into these projects is a tried and tested way to reduce wastes from the trash bin.
Animal bank from a disposable bottle : All you need to do is cut a slot near the neck of the bottle, making sure that the slot is big enough for coins to fit in. To turn the bottle into an animal figure, you will need a round piece of Styrofoam for the head. Attach the head to the bottle top with glue or any kind of adhesive. Use your creativity to embellish figure with hands, feet, ears and whiskers out of felt paper. You can simply draw the face with a marker or use buttons for the eyes and nose. Once you’re done, you should have a cute, animal coin bank ready for saving.
Earrings from old newspapers or magazines : Here’s a cool way to create stylish accessories out of recycled paper. Cut newspapers or magazine pages into strips. Roll them tightly to make a bead. You can decide any size or length that you want for each bead. Coat the beads with a moisture-resistant sealant. Attach each bead to a loop and ear wires and voila! You’ll have dangling earrings that you can wear or sell.
Birdfeeder from a soft drink bottle : Cut out a round hole on the center bottom of the bottle. Drill a hole in the middle of the bottle cap. Insert a cord and knot the end from inside of the cap. Place the cap on so the bottle can be hanged. Paint the plastic bottle and decorate it. Put some bird seeds inside, hang your feeder outside and wait for the birds.
Pen and pencil holders out of tin cans : 
A neat way to keep those pens, pencils, crayons, scissors, rulers, and other drawing materials organized is to create desk holders out of unwanted, empty tin cans. It’s very easy to make too! Simply wrap the can with decorative paper and glue the ends together. You don’t even need to buy the covering. You can use glossy magazines, old gift wrappers or scraps of clothing. I personally love this project and so does my children!
Storage out of shoe boxes : This simple craft project is another favorite of mine. All you need are old decorative paper or glossy pages of magazines, glue, pencil and ruler, a pair of scissors and shoe boxes. Measure the dimensions of the box and cut the paper accordingly so that all you’ll need to do next is cut and paste. You can never have enough storage in the house and these newly, decorated boxes are pretty enough to be displayed on the shelves or stacked one-on-top-of-the-other on the floor. We use these boxes in my kid’s room for their school supplies and other what-knots.
Important Reminders to Remember : Parents, see to it that you are there with your kids throughout the whole project particularly if you have young kids. Of course, you should let them do the simple steps so they can be involved in the activity and feel a sense of accomplishment but don’t forget to supervise them accordingly especially if the project requires cutting materials or using sharp tools such as scissors and knives. Last but not least, after each project, see to it that you keep your art materials in a safe place, away from the reach of small children. That’s it, have fun with the projects!
These are just some of my suggestions for parents who want to do eco-friendly craft projects with their children. Do you have any new projects or ideas to add to my list? If yes, feel free to share it with us by leaving a comment on this post.
