35 Creative And Environmental DIY Projects to Do With Your Kids

In our busy lives, we often overlook how much we toss away. But what if we could turn that waste into something useful and fun? With a little creativity, those everyday plastic items cluttering up our recycling bins can be repurposed into playful crafts.

By engaging in these projects with our children, we not only teach them the value of recycling but also foster a space for creativity and family bonding. From colorful containers to imaginative toys, let’s transform our approach to plastic and craft treasured memories, all while caring for our planet. Now, let’s get started on these exciting recycling crafts and create something truly special together!

DIY Bottle Penguins

What You Need: For a touch of arctic charm, you’ll need empty plastic bottles, cotton balls, black and orange construction paper, googly eyes, glue, and scissors. These materials will help you and your kids bring a little penguin fun into your home without a trip to the South Pole.

How To Do It: 1. Clean the plastic bottles and remove any labels. 2. Fill the bottles with cotton balls to give your penguins a snowy, white appearance. 3. Cut the black construction paper to create the wings and feet, and an orange piece for the beak. 4. Glue the googly eyes, paper wings, beak, and feet onto the bottle, transforming it into an adorable penguin. This craft is a whimsical way to recycle and have fun with kids, crafting a delightful winter creature from simple, everyday materials.

DIY Rocket Fueled Jet Pack

What You Need:For this high-flying adventure, gather two large soda bottles, silver spray paint, some sheets of red and orange felt, scissors, glue, and adjustable straps to secure the jet pack to your young astronaut.

How To Do It: 1. Ensure the soda bottles are clean and dry. 2. In a well-ventilated area, spray paint the bottles silver and let them dry completely. 3. Cut the felt into flame shapes, with red as the main flame and orange for the highlight. 4. Attach the flames to the bottle openings using glue. 5. Secure the bottles together side by side and attach the straps so that the jet pack can be worn comfortably. Watch your child’s imagination take flight as they zoom around with their very own jet pack, ready for intergalactic missions and beyond!

DIY Spinning Tops from Plastic Bottle Caps

What You Need:Prepare to spin into fun with this crafty activity! You’ll need plastic bottle caps, sturdy toothpicks, a small drill or something to poke a hole with, and some colorful markers or paint.

How To Do It: 1. Start by drilling or poking a small hole in the center of each bottle cap, ensuring it’s big enough for a toothpick to fit snugly. 2. Decorate the caps and toothpicks with markers or paint to give them a vibrant and festive look. 3. Insert the toothpick into the bottle cap’s hole, ensuring it’s straight and secure. 4. Once the paint or marker ink is dry, your DIY spinning top is ready to go! Set the tops spinning with a twist of your fingers and watch as they twirl, providing endless entertainment and a creative spin on a traditional game.

DIY Minion Craft from a Plastic Bottle

What You Need:This craft will be a hit for fans of famous animated characters. To capture the essence of these lovable characters, you’ll need a clean plastic bottle, yellow and blue paint, black ribbon or paper, a permanent marker, glue, and a pair of large googly eyes.

How To Do It: 1. Paint the top two-thirds of the bottle yellow and the bottom third blue, creating the character’s iconic outfit. 2. wrap the black ribbon or paper around the bottle once the paint dries to form the goggle strap. 3. Glue the googly eyes onto the bottle over the black strap to make the goggles. 4. Use the permanent marker to draw a smiling mouth and other details like the overall straps and buttons. Now you’ve got a delightful Minion craft