Creative & Imaginative Upcycled Craft Ideas for Kids

Teaching children about the environment is important, but allowing them to be creative while doing so can sometimes be a challenge. We've found a way to show kids that reusing household items can be cool, and tons of fun. Who knew you can make new toys from old ones!

We put together a few tutorials for craft ideas we thought would not only teach children how to repurpose and reuse, but also allow their imagination and creativity to run free. 

Old Boxes Make New Adventures

When you were a kid, did you ever take old toilet paper rolls and turn them into a telescope or a time capsule? We found something a bit cooler, but also equally eco-friendly. Take that old mac and cheese box and turn it into a camera with recycled stickers from Box Toys for Kids. With these eco-stickers, toilet paper rolls become sharks with ease. Kids can even transform them into super heroes bracelets, then continue on to save the earth, one sticker at a time. 

Discarded Crafts Create New Toys

If you have a ton of broken crayons lying around the house (and I'm sure you do), instead of throwing them out, have the kids create fun shaped rainbow crayons. They will need the help of an adult for this activity, but all you need are a few silicone mold shapes of stars, flowers, or even hearts. It's as easy as baking the crayons in the molds and out will pop a new homemade crayon ready to color all over your walls, although we hope that's not the case! This will show kids that not everything has to be thrown away. There can be multiple uses for lot's of things, if you just be creative!

Crafty, Creative Twists on Boring Items

Turning an old marble notebook into a summer journal will help kids be resourceful. Tell them they can only use items that are already in your home in order to decorate it. It will teach them how to reuse things like rhinestones and scrap paper to make new creations and allow them to express themselves by decorating their journal from scratch.