Don’t toss your child’s old school supplies. Instead, reuse and repurpose them; you’ll teach your child a valuable lesson about minimizing waste, and these six thrifty craft ideas give kids hours of creative fun time. Whether you’re a teacher looking for an end-of-year activity (especially during that last week of school!) or a parent finding ways to have thrifty fun with your children, each is easy to make.
Each year around this time, my own kids bring home more broken pencils, crayon chunks, torn folders and dried-up glue sticks than you might think could fit into a little pencil box. Here’s what to do with them.
Salvaging Dried-Out Glue Sticks: They might seem beyond saving, but most glue sticks can be reconstituted and reused. Whether or not you’re able to reuse the entire glue stick, however, depends on the type of glue.
If it’s a clear glue stick (not one of the color-changing varieties) and you still have the cap, you might be able to reconstitute it using a plastic resealable bag and a moist paper towel. Simply remove the cap and place the glue stick into the bag along with the paper towel — just don’t push the glue up or you’ll never get it retracted again. Seal the bag and set it aside overnight. Make sure you dry off the glue stick before storing it afterwards or you’ll have a sticky mess on your hands.
Elmer’s Glue recycles empty glue stick containers, and even provides lesson plans that help teach the importance of good stewardship and recycling. Check out their website for some great resources.
Push Crayon: If the glue stick is empty and you’d like to try your hand at an art project, fill it with crayon bits (remove the paper first) and leave it in the sun on a foil-covered dish. Let it cool and you’ll have a cool new crayon that comes in its own case!
Many parents and teachers have reused broken crayons by melting them down and making new crayons, but here’s something you might not have known: you can donate used crayons. Crazy Crayons accepts sorts and re-manufactures crayons and “firestarters” (for use in campfires or fire pits). On the other hand, you could make them yourselves with an activity the whole family can enjoy. Here’s how.
Wax Fire Starters: This is a great project for using old crayons and pencils you were going to toss.
First you’ll need to buy some recyclable, disposable mini-cupcake trays (you can find these in the baking or paper goods aisle at the grocery store). Spray each mold with non-stick vegetable spray to help the finished product slide out, and fill it about 2/3 full with pencil shavings. On top of each “nest” of shavings, add broken crayon pieces… be sure to remove all crayon labels and keep the pieces about the same size, or they won’t melt uniformly. Try to keep similar colors together unless you want a muddy brown colored wax fire starter. Set the container in the sun but away from curious little fingers – the wax gets hot! Once all the crayon bits have melted over the pencil shavings, let them cool and tap them out of the mold. Wipe off any excess oil and store in a dry place (like a clear sandwich bag) away from the heat and sun.
Short or broken pencils have plenty of other uses, too. If they’re graphite-filled wooden pencils, you can use both the pencils and the shavings.
In the garden: The pencils work great to mark where you sow seeds in a garden. Cut 6″ strips from paper folders and write in permanent marker or pen the type of seed you’re planting, wrap them around the pencils and secure them with tape over the writing and where the pieces meet (this also helps protect the tags). For fun, match the color of the tags to the plants: red for tomatoes, green for peppers, purple for eggplant, and yellow for squash.
Birdfeeder: Don’t throw out that used pencil case, either… the birds will thank you! This is a also great project for using pencils that have lost their erasers. If it’s a rectangular plastic case, drill small holes the same diameter as the pencils you’re using so that the pencils run straight through. Add a hole on top and knot a sturdy string or some wire (you can decorate the wire with colorful beads or string buttons on it, too!). Fill the pencil case with birdseed, close the case and hang it nearby.
Potpourri projects: Sharpen broken or damaged pencils until you’ve got a nice pile of shavings, and save them in a clean paper lunch bag. When you’ve collected enough, add some perfumed oil (sold at craft shops or online) and use it as potpourri. Sprinkle it over old potpourri that’s lost its aroma, or sew up small sachets filled with the potpourri to freshen a linen closet or drawer.
Keep old school supplies out of the trash and have fun turning them into something useful. Simply look at old things in new ways, and think outside the pencil box.
