Recycled Art Projects for Kids: Bottles, Jars, and Jugs
It's important to keep our environment clean, and everyone can play a part in making that happen. One way that we can all help to protect our planet is to reduce the amount of trash we make over the course of our lives. You can do this by using fewer things that will need to be thrown away, recycling everything you can, and reusing things that you already own rather than buying more stuff. For instance, rather than buying lots of things to craft with, you can reuse household items like bottles, jars, and jugs to make art. This is one way to turn trash into treasure, giving things that once would have been destined for the trash another life.
Even grown-up artists make recycled art, ranging from small items that fit in your hand to massive sculptures. And while artists who use recycled materials are very trendy right now, recycled art is not a new thing. Pablo Picasso is a very famous artist from the 20th century who made collages out of bits of trash and other recycled goods. His work inspired people such as Marcel Duchamp and Robert Rauschenberg to use recycled pieces in their art. Their art included things like old street signs and broken bicycle tires!
Over the past few decades, the recycled art movement has become more popular. Every year, more and more artists specialize in working with recycled materials in their art. Galleries and exhibitions even focus on showcasing their work. One show that only exhibits art made with recycled materials is the Recycled Art Exhibition, which is held every year in Flagstaff, Arizona. All of the art displayed is made from at least 80% recycled or reused materials. Sometimes, they have special categories for certain kinds of old materials. For example, one year, they had an entire category for broken sleds!
There are lots of benefits to making recycled crafts. For one thing, making something cool and useful out of trash is fun! It also saves money. Using things you already have around the house is much cheaper than buying new materials from the craft store. Therefore, you don't have to worry about using up or wasting expensive supplies. You can use just about anything you have around the house, though you should check with an adult first to make sure that it's OK. Some materials should not be reused, like containers that once held bleach or things that can't be properly cleaned.
With an old milk jug, some scissors, and a few other basic craft supplies, you can make a new lunch box or Halloween decorations. Old jars can become the setting for a new dinosaur habitat or a toothbrush holder for the bathroom. Bottles can become the base for a lava lamp to decorate your bedroom or the start of a fun science experiment. You can also use old containers to make gifts for your family and friends. With recycled art, the only limit is your imagination!
Crafts Using Bottles
- DIY Gift Box for Kids
- DIY Lava Lamp
- DIY Water Bottle Piggy Banks
- Fairy House Night Lights
- Oil and Water Discovery Bottles
- Plastic Bottle Boats
- Plastic Bottle Shaker
- Water Bottle Comet Craft
- Water Bottle Flower Craft for Kids
- Water Bottle Wind Spirals
- Wave Bottle for Kids
Crafts Using Jars
- Chalk Paint Mini Mason Jar Planters
- DIY Dinosaur Terrarium Night Light Mason Jar
- DIY Mason Jar Bird Feeder
- How to Make a Mason Jar Aquarium
- Make an Easy Twinkling Falling Stars Glitter Jar
- Mason Jar Lid Coaster Tutorial
- Mason Jar Herb Planter
- Mason Jar Spider Craft
- Mason Jar Toothbrush Holder
- Painted Mason Jar Welcome Sign
- Mondrian Mason Jars
Crafts Using Jugs
- DIY Milk Jug Snow Owl
- DIY Stormtrooper Helmet
- DIY Whale Milk Jug Craft
- Easter Bunny Milk Jug Crafts
- How to Upcycle a Milk Jug Into a Cool Plastic Box
- How to Build a Milk Jug Igloo
- Lunch Box Container From a Milk Jug
- Milk Jug Toss
- Milk Jug Suncatchers
- Spirit Jugs
- Wildlife Projects for Kids: Milk Jug Bird Feeders
