Crafts can be made out of anything. They can be given away as gifts or kept at home. Doing craft activities with children will engage them in following directions as well as being proud of something that they made themselves.
Because crafts can vary, why not make something make out of recycled materials? Items such as aluminum cans, plastic bottles, or old coffee tins can be transformed into so many different things.
Below are some suggested activities:
Soda Tab Jewelry
Keep the tabs off of soda cans and become a jewelry designer. Have your child remove the tabs from different soda cans. See how many he or she can collect. The other materials needed are jump rings, washers, jewelry wire, and jewelry cutting tools.
Cut the thick, middle part out of the tabs and, using the jewelry tool, open the jump rings. Slip the soda tab through and close the jump ring. Add as many tabs as you want to make a really long necklace.
Bottle Cap Magnet
You can buy magnets at the convenience store or at gift shops. However, they are easy to make on your own. All you need are bottle caps from your empty soda bottles. Here are the other materials that you will need:
• Colored permanent markers
• Glue
• Felt
• Magnet
This project will look best with bottle caps of different colors. However, if you don’t have that, you can elaborate with stickers or other colored markers. First, draw a design of what you would like your magnet to look like. Then, arrange the bottle caps. Glue them together so that they will stay in place.
Using the colored permanent markers, draw on the bottle caps by adding eyes or whatever you wish. Place your marker on a piece of felt and trace around the shape onto the felt. Cut the pattern out along the traced line. Glue the newly shaped felt piece to the bottle cap shape. Once the glue is dry, glue the magnet to the back of the felt. Place it on the fridge and admire your art!
Faux Leather Pencil Holder
This craft makes a great gift for dads. Here is what you need to get started:
• Container (Crystal Light, maybe)
• Masking tape
• Brown shoe polish
• Old rag
First, attach small pieces of masking tape all over the container. Make sure that you start from the top, all the way to the bottom, and that it is completely covered. Draw some random shapes onto the pieces of masking tape. You can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish.
Roll a longer piece of the masking tape into a snake. Make sure that the sticky part is on the outside. This will go onto the top of the container. Using the brown shoe polish, apply it all over the masking tape on the container. Then, grab the old rag and rub till it gets shiny. The pencil holder will now appear to have a faux leather look. This is a very cool office accessory!
Other Ideas and Tips For Recycled Crafts
Your options are fairly limitless when it comes to repurposing old household items into crafts! Use your imagination to come up with all kinds of cool ideas. Recycling what you have lying around is a great way to help the environment- and save yourself some money.
Start by making a habit of thinking about what you're throwing away. Can it be used for a craft? Some items, like heavily-stained containers, aren't suitable for crafts and will need to be thrown away. Many other items, like cardboard boxes, plastic or paper bags, and old clothing, can be repurposed into something new.
When you decide to re-use something for a craft, it's a good idea to write down your idea. Stick it on a post-it note that goes right on the item. That way, you won't forget what your idea was when it's time for crafts. Put it aside with your other arts and crafts supplies.
Ideally, you'll want to use these items fairly quickly. We all know how fast household waste can pile up. The last thing you want is a huge pile of boxes, cans, and other items filling up a closet or a corner in a room. Once you decide on a purpose for something, aim to use it within a couple of weeks.