Recycled crafts for kids

Safety first

Scissors, craft knives and anything with a cut edge are for grown-ups. Steps marked Grown-up step are not for children to do alone. Tin cans and tins can have sharp edges, so a grown-up must check the rim, and cover it with strong tape before a child touches it. Do not use glass for children under eight. Bottle tops are small and are a choking hazard for children under three, so keep them away from little ones and from younger brothers and sisters who may be nearby. Never use containers that held cleaning products or medicine, or that held raw meat, fish or other food that could leak. Wash all items before crafting, keep glue away from eyes and mouths, and wash hands well when you finish.

1. Cardboard-tube binoculars

Age hint: 3 and up.

Gather: two empty kitchen-roll or toilet-roll tubes (clean and dry), tape, paint or crayons, and a length of soft string or ribbon.

1. Colour or paint both tubes and let them dry.
2. Tape the two tubes side by side along their length so they sit like a pair of eyes.
3. Grown-up step: make a small hole on the outer side of each tube with a pencil point or a hole punch, and thread the string through. Tie a short loop to carry it by hand. Never hang string around a child's neck.
4. Go on a window watch and look for birds, clouds and rooftops.

Notice: What looks different when you only see a small circle of the world?

2. Egg-carton caterpillar

Age hint: 4 and up.

Gather: a clean, dry cardboard egg carton, paint, a paintbrush, two pipe cleaners or paper strips, and glue. Use only a carton with no stains or spills from a cracked egg, and wash your hands after touching it. If you are not sure, use a new craft carton or pick another project.

1. Grown-up step: cut the carton into a long strip of cups, with five or six cups joined together.
2. Paint the strip in bright colours and leave it to dry.
3. Glue on two pipe cleaners or folded paper strips for feelers, and draw or stick on eyes.
4. Add paper feet along the sides, or leave your caterpillar plain.

Notice: What pattern of colours did you pick, and could you make it repeat?

3. Bottle-top art

Age hint: 6 and up, and never with children under 3 nearby.

Gather: a handful of washed, dry plastic bottle tops from drinks bottles (never from cleaning products or medicine), a sheet of sturdy cardboard, white craft glue and a pencil.

1. Sketch a simple picture on the cardboard, such as a flower, a sun or a fish.
2. Sort the tops by colour on the table before you glue anything.
3. Dab glue onto each top and press it onto the picture, following your lines.
4. Leave the picture flat until the glue is completely dry, and keep it out of reach of babies and toddlers.

Notice: How did the colours change the look of your picture?

4. Newspaper hat

Age hint: 4 and up.

Gather: one large double sheet of clean newspaper, and tape. Wash your hands after handling newsprint, since it can leave ink on fingers.

1. Lay the sheet flat and fold it in half, with the fold at the top.
2. Fold the two top corners down to meet in the middle, like a roof.
3. Fold the bottom strip up on one side, then flip the hat and fold the other strip up.
4. Open the hat and press it into shape. Tape the corners if needed, then decorate with crayons or paper shapes.

Notice: What else could you make by folding the same sheet in a different way?

5. Pencil tin holder

Age hint: 5 and up with a grown-up.

Gather: a clean, empty cardboard or metal tin with a rim already checked by a grown-up, strong tape, scraps of coloured paper, glue and crayons. Do not use a glass jar for children under eight.

1. Grown-up step: run a finger along the inside and outside rim to check for sharp edges. Fold strong tape over the whole rim so that nothing sharp is left. If the edge is still rough, choose a sturdy cardboard tube instead.
2. Cut or tear coloured paper into a wrap that fits around the tin.
3. Glue the paper on, then add stripes, dots or stickers made from paper scraps.
4. Let it dry, then fill it with pencils and crayons.

Notice: Which pattern makes your holder easy to spot on a busy desk?

6. Cardboard-box town

Age hint: 4 and up.

Gather: small cardboard boxes such as cereal, tea or shoe boxes, a big flat piece of cardboard for the base, paint or paper, glue and tape.

1. Cover each box with plain paper or paint it, so it looks like a house, a shop, a school or a library.
2. Grown-up step: cut out doors and windows with scissors or a craft knife, and cut small flaps so they open.
3. Add roofs from folded card, and draw signs, doors and flower pots.
4. Glue the buildings onto the base and draw roads and a park around them.

Notice: Who lives in your town, and what do they need nearby?

More to do on Rangooo

Try folding and cutting with easy paper crafts, fold a boat or hat with easy origami, turn a sock or paper bag into a character with puppet and shadow play, draw plans for your town with easy drawing ideas, play with your finished props using pretend play ideas, keep busy on a wet afternoon with rainy day activities, make music with homemade instruments, build with boxes and cups in building and stacking games, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are recycled crafts good for?

Most of these suit ages three to nine with a grown-up nearby. The binoculars, caterpillar, newspaper hat and box town work well for younger children, while the pencil tin suits older ones. Bottle-top art is only for children who no longer put small things in their mouths.

Which household items should we avoid using?

Avoid glass, anything with a sharp or torn edge that has not been checked, and anything that held cleaning products, medicine, raw meat or fish. Egg cartons are fine only if clean, dry and unstained. Choose items that are clean, dry and sturdy, and let a grown-up decide what is safe to use.

What glue works best on cardboard?

A child-safe white craft glue works well on cardboard and paper, and masking tape holds things while the glue dries. Bottle tops and tins may need a stronger glue, which a grown-up should handle in a ventilated room.

How can we keep the finished crafts?

Let each craft dry fully, then keep it on a shelf or in a box so it does not get squashed. Once a craft is worn out, a grown-up can help take it apart and sort the pieces for the right bin.