Ever find yourself in the mood for a good art project with the kids, but don't feel like going out to buy the materials?
You're in luck. All around your house, you'll find a bunch of odds and ends that make for good craft products. Once you get an eye for the kinds of things you can use, you can also make a point of saving them for a rainy day.
Not only will your wallet appreciate you reusing these household items, but so will the planet! Making kids conscious of the way we can reuse and recycle things in day-to-day life will make them more in tune with a green lifestyle as they grow.
Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Rolls
Toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls are surprisingly versatile items that you can use in countless art or STEAM projects. Here are a few:
● Toilet Roll Ninjas
● Toilet Roll Airplanes
● Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder
● Toilet Paper Roll Kaleidoscopes
● Paper Roll Rocket Craft
Glass Containers
Condiment jars, canning jars, and all other kinds of random glass may seem to be cluttering up your house, but with some crafty thinking they can be the stars of your next art project. Here are some projects that let you recycle glass containers:
● Easy Mason Jar Terrariums
● Sharpie Stained Glass Jars
● Glass Candle Holders
● Mason Jar Wind Chime
Junk Mail
Junk mail is annoying, but most of us haven't had luck in stopping it completely. Instead of throwing it out, use it for some crafting projects like these:
● Junk Mail Paper Beads
● Recycled, Plant-able Junk Mail Seed Tags
● Security Envelope Ornaments
● Junk Mail Art
Cardboard Boxes
Cardboard boxes are every child's favorite toy, so it only makes sense that their creative possibilities are endless. Here are some good crafts for boxes of all sizes:
● Cardboard Box Castle
● Cardboard Skee Ball
● Cardboard Box TV
● Shoebox Foosball
● Cardboard Box Marble Labyrinth
Squeeze Snack Caps
Squeeze snack pouch caps can come in handy as game pieces and art supplies! Here are some crafts you can do:
● Pouch Cap Watches and Bracelets
● Bug Finger Puppets
● Pouch Cap Fairy Wands
● Squeeze Pouch Cap Dragonfly
Egg Cartons
You can find ways to upcycle plastic, foam, and pulp egg cartons. Here are some good artsy ideas for them:
● Egg Carton Flower Craft
● Egg Carton Fairies
● Egg Carton Bugs
● Egg Carton Building Blocks
Wrapping Paper
Save those wrapping paper scraps up for some fun and festive paper when you and the kids are in the mood to craft. Here are some fun ideas for getting creative with wrapping paper:
● Wrapping Paper Baskets
● Wrapping Paper Bunting
● Wrapping Paper Mobile
● Wrapping Paper Photo Frame
Wine Corks
Keep a cup on the side of your summer barbecues to collect those wine bottle corks and craft with your kiddos! Who doesn't love drinking wine for a case as cute as these crafts:
● Cork Stamping Fun
● Cork Mini Planters
● Cork Sail Boats
● Cork Mini Loom
Plastic Wipes Containers
As parents to kiddos of a certain age, you end up with countless wipe containers no matter how you try. The plastic containers can be useful in some art projects, like these:
● Wipe Container Infant and Toddler Sensory Play Toys
● Wipe Seedling Starter
● Lego Travel Box
● Wipes Case Laptop Tutorial
Paper Plates
Paper plates can help you make so many cute kids crafts. Don't throw out those torn, bent extras. You can repurpose them with crafts like these:
● Paper Plate Chickens
● Birds In A Nest
● Paper Plate Snakes
● Paper Plate Sloth
Coffee Filters
As people continue to transition to K-cups, the days of the coffee filter may seem numbered. That's not the case, even if it's not for coffee. Here are cute crafts to make use of those filters:
● Coffee Filter Snowflake Patterns
● Vibrantly Covered Coffee Filter Flowers
● Butterfly Coffee Filter Craft
● Coffee Filter Number – Party Decoration
Buttons
Put those extra buttons that come with shirts and coats to good use with these fun-filled crafts:
● Stacked Button Ornaments
● Button Magnets
● Button Bookmark
● Button Bracelets
Cookie Cutters
Cookie cutters that bend or break can still be useful in art crafts like these:
● DIY Cookie Cutter Bird Feeder
● Cookie-Cutter Printed Wrapping Paper
● Cookie Cutter Ornaments
● Cookie Cutter Candles
Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles can accumulate fast, but there's always something better to do with them than just throwing them away. Here's a few great ideas:
● Plastic Bottle Airplane Bank
● Flower Hair Planters
● Plastic Bottle Teapot
● Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder