Have you noticed that kids today are often more aware of environmental issues than we were at their age? It is incredibly heartwarming to see the younger generation care so deeply about protecting our forests, keeping oceans clean, and saving endangered animals. It feels like there is real hope for the future!
This shift is likely due to schools doing a fantastic job educating children about conservation. As parents and educators, we can keep that momentum going at home. One of the best ways to do this is by joining the conversation through hands-on activities.
Since National Upcycling Day is celebrated on June 24th, there is no better time to start than now. But first, let’s clear up a common question.
Recycling vs. Upcycling: What’s the Difference?
Before we dive into the glue and glitter, it is helpful to teach kids the distinction between these two green terms:
- Recycling usually involves breaking down waste materials (like melting down plastic bottles) to create raw materials for something entirely new.
- Upcycling is the art of taking an existing item (like a tin can or a worn-out t-shirt) and using creativity to transform it into something of higher quality or value than the original.
Upcycling is perfect for kids because it requires imagination, costs almost nothing, and teaches the valuable lesson that “old” doesn’t mean “useless.”
Here are 15 creative upcycled crafts for kids that turn everyday household waste into beautiful, functional, and fun treasures.
1. Tin Can “Starry Night” Lanterns
Tin cans are sturdy and abundant. Instead of tossing them, turn them into magical night lights for the patio or bedroom.
- What You Need: Clean tin cans (labels removed), hammer, large nail, wire coat hanger, tea light candles, acrylic paint.
- How to Make It: Fill the can with water and freeze it solid (this prevents the can from denting while hammering). Once frozen, have your child draw a simple pattern (stars, hearts, or a moon) on the outside. Use the hammer and nail to punch holes along the design. Let the ice melt, dry the can, and paint it a bright color. Add a wire handle, pop in a tea light, and watch the stars glow!
2. T-Shirt Yarn Macramé Planters
We all have that pile of t-shirts with stains or holes. Instead of throwing them out, turn them into “yarn.”
- What You Need: Old cotton t-shirts, scissors, a small pot or jar.
- How to Make It: Lay the t-shirt flat and cut the main body into one long continuous strip (about 1 inch wide). Pull the strip tight; the jersey fabric will curl into a “yarn.” Cut 8 equal lengths of your new yarn. Tie them all together in a big knot at one end. Separate them into pairs and knot them about 2 inches up. Separate the strands again and knot adjacent strands. Place your pot in the center mesh you’ve created and hang it up!
3. The “Lost Piece” Puzzle Tree
Jigsaw puzzles with missing pieces are frustrating to play with but perfect for art. The pieces have a unique texture that looks just like leaves when painted.
- What You Need: Old puzzle pieces, brown paint, green paint, construction paper, glue.
- How to Make It: Paint the brown paper to create a tree trunk and branches. Then, have the kids paint the back (the cardboard side) of the puzzle pieces in various shades of green. Once dry, glue the pieces onto the branches to create a lush, 3D tree. You can even use pink or red for “blossoms.”
4. Bubble Wrap “Stomp” Painting
This is a “process art” project, meaning the fun is in the making rather than the final product. It’s a great way to reuse that plastic packaging from online deliveries.
- What You Need: Bubble wrap, washable paint, large roll of paper (or old newspapers), tape.
- How to Make It: Wrap your child’s feet loosely in bubble wrap and secure with tape (like little bubble boots). Lay out a long sheet of paper outside or in a safe area. Squirt blobs of paint on the paper. Let the kids jump, stomp, and dance! The bubble wrap creates unique honeycomb textures in the paint.
5. Cardboard Tube Rainmakers
Rainsticks are traditional instruments that mimic the sound of falling rain. They are a fantastic physics lesson for kids.
- What You Need: Long cardboard tube (paper towel roll or mailing tube), aluminum foil, dried rice or beans, tape, markers.
- How to Make It: Crumple a long piece of aluminum foil into a snake-like coil and push it inside the tube. This acts as an obstacle for the falling beans. Seal one end of the tube firmly with tape and paper. Pour in a handful of rice or beans. Seal the other end. When you tilt the tube, the rice hits the foil, creating a gentle “shhhhh” sound. Decorate the outside with tribal patterns.
6. Yogurt Cup “Fairy Village”
Yogurt cups are durable and waterproof, making them perfect for miniature outdoor houses.
- What You Need: Clean yogurt cups, stones, moss, twigs, glue, permanent markers.
- How to Make It: Turn the cup upside down; this is the house. Cut a small door (adult supervision required). Glue small pebbles or twigs onto the sides to give it a “cottage” look. Use a cone of paper or a large leaf for the roof. Place these in the garden to invite the fairies in!
7. Plastic Bottle Jet Pack
This is a classic that fuels hours of imaginative play.
- What You Need: Two 2-liter soda bottles, silver spray paint, red/orange felt or tissue paper, webbing or ribbon (for straps), cardboard, glue.
- How to Make It: Spray paint the bottles silver. Cut flame shapes out of the red and orange felt and glue them inside the bottle necks (the “nozzles”). Glue the two bottles side-by-side onto a square of cardboard. Attach shoulder straps to the cardboard so your child can wear it like a backpack. 3… 2… 1… Blast off!
8. Old CD Mosaic Picture Frames
CDs are becoming obsolete, but their shiny, iridescent surface is beautiful.
- What You Need: Old CDs or DVDs, scissors, plain cardboard photo frame, glue.
- How to Make It: (Adult step) Cut the CDs into irregular shards. The plastic can be sharp, so handle with care. Apply a layer of glue to the photo frame and have the child arrange the CD shards like a mosaic. The result is a shimmering, holographic frame that looks like expensive stained glass.
9. Egg Carton “Amphitheater” Masks
Egg cartons have built-in shapes that look perfectly like noses and eyebrows.
- What You Need: Cardboard egg cartons, elastic string, paint, scissors.
- How to Make It: Cut the egg carton into sections. Two cups side-by-side make great eyes. The long pointy divider in the middle makes a perfect beak or nose. Experiment with cutting different shapes to create bird masks, fox faces, or alien creatures. Paint them and attach a string to wear them.
10. Denim Pocket Wall Organizer
Kids grow out of jeans fast. The back pockets are usually the only part that isn’t worn out!
- What You Need: Old jeans, scissors, a canvas board or heavy cardboard, fabric glue.
- How to Make It: Cut the back pockets out of several pairs of jeans, leaving a little rim of fabric around the edge. Glue these pockets onto the board in a grid. It creates an instant organizer for pencils, paintbrushes, or small toys.
11. Cereal Box Shadow Puppets
Cereal box cardboard is the perfect weight—sturdy enough to hold a shape, but thin enough to cut easily.
- What You Need: Empty cereal boxes, bamboo skewers or straws, tape, flashlight.
- How to Make It: Flatten the box and draw silhouettes of animals, monsters, or family members. Cut them out and tape a skewer to the back. Set up a “screen” using a thin white sheet and a flashlight in a dark room. The opaque cardboard makes for crisp, sharp shadows.
12. Jar Lid Memory Game
If you have a drawer full of mismatched jar lids (pickle jars, jam jars), this is for you.
- What You Need: 10+ jar lids of similar size, printed photos or drawings, glue.
- How to Make It: Cut out circles of paper that fit inside the jar lids. You need matching pairs of images (e.g., two apples, two cats, two stars). Glue the images inside the lids. Turn them all face down and mix them up. The metal lids are durable and make a satisfying “clink” when flipped over.
13. Sock Caterpillars (No-Sew)
Orphan socks (where the partner has disappeared in the laundry) can find new life as a cuddly toy.
- What You Need: One long sock, cotton batting or stuffing (from an old pillow), rubber bands, googly eyes.
- How to Make It: Stuff the sock fully. Use rubber bands to tie off sections of the sock every 2 inches, creating a segmented body. Glue eyes on the toe section (the head). You can add pipe cleaner antennae. It’s a soft, squishy friend made in minutes!
14. Milk Jug “Elmer the Elephant”
Inspired by the famous children’s book, milk jugs have a handle that looks just like a trunk.
- What You Need: Clean plastic milk jug, colorful tissue paper, glue (for decoupage), scissors.
- How to Make It: Cut the bottom off the jug so it sits flat. Cut away the top half, leaving the handle intact (this becomes the elephant’s trunk) and cutting two flaps for ears. Cover the whole thing in squares of colorful tissue paper using watered-down glue. It creates a patchwork elephant just like the storybook character.
15. Newspaper Woven Baskets
This is a bit more advanced but incredibly rewarding. It turns flimsy newspaper into a rock-hard basket.
- What You Need: Old newspapers, a skewer, glue, paint.
- How to Make It: Roll sheets of newspaper diagonally around a thin skewer to create long, thin paper “tubes.” Secure the end with glue. Once you have about 50 tubes, you can weave them just like wicker. Start with a star shape for the base and weave over-under. Once painted, the paper hardens and becomes surprisingly durable.
Final Thoughts
Upcycling is more than just a craft activity; it is a mindset. By looking at a piece of “trash” and seeing a bird feeder, a robot, or a piece of art, we are teaching our children to be innovators and problem solvers.