Three Earth Day Recycled Craft Projects for Kids

Earth Day is on April 22. As this special day approaches, take time each day to teach your kids the meaning of Earth Day in both words and actions. Teach your kids about making a conscious effort to use chemical free products to help protect the Earth. Show your kids how to be creative by using recycled items to make fun, useful craft projects. These fun Earth Day kids’ craft project ideas are made from recycled items that you probably already have in your home. Each project can made in under two hours.

Plastic Milk Jug Barrette
Supplies:

• Plastic milk jug
• Scissors
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Small piece of batting
• 12 x 12 piece of fabric
• Black marker
• Tape measure
• Barrette hair clip
• White craft glue

Directions:

1. Wash and dry your plastic milk jug. Cut out the front of your milk jug. Lay your plastic piece on a flat work area.
2. Use your black marker and scissors to measure, trace, and cut a piece from your plastic that is approximately one inch in height and four inches in length.
3. Cut two pieces of batting the same size as your plastic piece.
4. Use your white glue to attach your batting pieces to the back and front of your recycled plastic piece.
5. Cut a piece from your fabric that measures two inches longer in height and one inch wider in length than the recycled plastic piece.
6. Lay the piece of fabric right side down on a flat work area. Place the plastic piece centered on the fabric.
7. Fold the fabric so that the ends meet evenly in the middle of the plastic piece. Pull the fabric as tight as possible in order to get a smooth finish. Use your glue gun to glue these ends to the center of the barrette base. Trim ends.
8. Fold and glue each fabric end down.
9. Turn your fabric covered barrette piece over. The side where the ends were glued will be the back of your barrette piece. Use your glue gun to glue the barrette clip centered on the back of this fabric piece.

This is a great Earth Day craft project to do with a group of kids. If your kids are having a slumber party, this is a great project to teach them, and each kid will go home with a pretty hair accessory.

Recycled Trellis Necklace Display

Instructions:
For this craft project, you can recycle pieces of an old fence, trellis, or you can use small pieces of wood that are approximately the same size in both height and length to make your own miniature fence. If you are using small pieces of wood, spread them out evenly on a flat work surface. Place and glue a thin piece of wood approximately three inches down from the top and across your wood pieces. Place and glue another thin piece of wood across the bottom of these pieces. Place this wood piece approximately one inch from the bottom. This will form a picket fence design to use for your necklace display.

Supplies

• Piece of a small trellis or picket fence
• Sandpaper
• Ivory acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• 2 picture hangers
• Saw (optional)

Directions:

1. If necessary, use a saw to cut a small piece from a recycled trellis or picket fence. If you have neither, follow the instructions above to make your own.
2. Sand all the rough edges of your wood piece with sandpaper. Wipe the wood piece with a lightly damp rag to remove any debris.
3. Paint the back of the recycled fence piece ivory. Let dry. Repeat for the front of the display.
4. Attach a picture hanger at each end on the back, top of this jewelry display piece.

This Earth Day craft project is a pretty way for kids to keep their necklaces and hair accessories organized. You could also attach a couple of cup hooks to the front so your kids will have a place to hang their keys.

Catch-all Cardboard Decorative Box
Supplies:

• Cardboard box
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Pretty leftover wrapping paper
• Scissors
• 1/2 yard of ribbon in a color that compliments your paper
• Tape measure

Directions:

1. As even as possible, cut off the flaps on the opening of your box.
2. Measure the inside bottom of the box, then measure the height and around all sides to get the measurements for the strip that will be glued around the inside of the recycled box. Cut pieces from your wrapping paper in these exact measurements. Glue the bottom piece right side up to the inside, bottom of the box. Glue one end of your paper strip right side up to one of corners of the inside of the box. Continue to glue the paper strip around the inside of the box. Carefully pull the paper as tight as possible for a wrinkle-free look.
3. Measure the outside bottom of the box, then measure the height and around all sides for the strip that will be glued around the outside of the box. Add a 1/4 inch to the height measurement of this strip. Cut pieces from your wrapping paper in these measurements. Glue the bottom piece to the outside bottom of your box. Glue the outside strip right side up to a corner at the back of the outside of the box. When gluing the top strip around the outside the box, make sure the extra height is at the top. Continue to glue the strip around your box. Carefully fold and glue down the extra 1/4 inch border around the top of the box to the inside of the box. This will give your box a clean, professional finish.
4. Make a bow from the ribbon. Glue it to the front, center of the box.

This Earth Day craft project not only will teach your kids recycling, but these boxes can be used to show your kids how to organize their art supplies, small toys and homework.