A lot of families and their children are very concerned about the environment and what steps we can all take to make sure we are keeping our shared home healthy and protected. One fun way to reduce our individual impact on the planet is by upcycling.
Upcycling is when you repurpose old materials to make something new. The possibilities are really endless and depend on what old material you are working with in the first place. Here are 10 ideas for upcycling projects that kids of all ages will enjoy.
No-Sew Sock Puppets
One of the easiest and most delightful upcycling projects is no-sew sock puppets! As this tutorial from Needlepointers.com explains, you really need only a handful of supplies:
- Old socks
- Googly eyes
- Craft glue
- Additional items to decorate (felt, pom-poms, yarn)
- Markers
- Scissors
You can follow along with the tutorial to find out how to make your own puppets.
8-Second Skirt From an Old Long-Sleeved Shirt
If anyone in your home is into wearing skirts, this "8-second skirt" tutorial will probably be right up their alley. These best part is that you don't even need to alter the shirt to wear it as a skirt!
As you can see in the tutorial, turning a shirt into a skirt is really just a matter of stepping into the neck and tying the skirt around your waist. This is one of the easiest upcycling projects out there!
DIY Toy Planters
If you have a bunch of plastic toys sitting around that need to be used for something else or given away, consider upcycling them into planters! This tutorial from HGTV uses plastic dinosaurs, but this project could be reimagined with just about any type of plastic toy (or even balls, such as basketballs and footballs) that could fit a plant.
Off-the-Shoulder Tee
Another great upcycling project for tweens and teens is this off-the-shoulder tee from Wobisobi. This particular tutorial uses two T-shirts to add a heart design in the center, but you and your kids could let your creativity run wild.
Soda Bottle Cat Planters
If your family drinks a lot of a beverage that comes in plastic bottles, you can upcycle those bottles into something super cute. For example, these plastic bottle cat plant holders are absolutely precious, and it's not too tough to make them.
You'll need:
- Soda bottles — 1 large, 1 medium
- Scissors and/or X-Acto knife
- 1 to 2 spray paints
- Paint pens — black and pink
- Gravel
- Plants
- Optional: Drill and drill bit
Upcycled Computer Monitor Turned Cat Bed
Upcycling decor projects is really not too complicated most of the time. If your kids love thrifting, check out your local secondhand store and look for an old computer monitor (or even a small TV). You will definitely want to help your kids with this project as it involves potential hazards to remove inside the monitor, but it's more than easy to pull off. Here's a tutorial from Instructables to get you started!
Wooden Sign Post From Upcycled Wood
If you have pieces of wood around the home from various projects, one fun way to repurpose them might be to make your very own wooden sign post to put in the yard. As you can see on Scavenger Chic, pallet wood is especially useful for this project.
The wooden sign post can be personalized to your child's interest. One idea if you have a fantasy book or film fan is to mark the directions toward Mordor, Hogsmeade, and the like.
Milk Carton Planters
Planters have already been featured throughout this post, but these milk carton planters are too cute and easy. Kids of all ages will enjoy putting these together. Save cartons for a few weeks, then have at it! Here's a guide from Ohoh Deco to get you started.
You will need:
- Milk or juice carton
- Scissors
- Fabric
- Glue
- A foam brush (or a sponge)
If you want to keep the milk carton upcycling projects going, another great idea is to make birdhouses out of the cartons.
Cereal Box Puzzles
If you're collecting milk cartons, odds are you're probably also collecting cereal boxes! You can recycle those boxes, or you could turn them into something fun like upcycled cereal box puzzles. Happy Hooligans explains how to do it in this simple tutorial.
Egg Carton Mobile
Handmade mobiles are often beautiful additions to a bedroom or really any living space. It's pretty easy to make your own with only a few items, including leftover egg cartons. If your kids are looking for an easy upcycled project, try this one from Buzzmills.
Another cute idea is egg carton lamps for a dollhouse or playhouse, like these shared by The Art Stadium.
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