Reusing Plastic Bottles: Crafts and Projects
Upcycling or repurposing items to use them in new ways has many benefits. Not only are you minimizing the amount of waste that you produce, but you can often save money when you use what you already have for new purposes. Instead of buying an item new, you can use your imagination to make the item out of things you already have. The creative process of upcycling can be fun and exciting, and people of all ages often enjoy these projects. Plastic bottles are a perfect material to use for upcycling projects and science projects. They are a blank canvas, inviting creativity. They are also lightweight and versatile. Pass the time in new ways using plastic bottles for science and craft projects.
Once you start to look at plastic bottles with a new eye, you may be amazed at the many new things you can make with them. It's also possible to use glass jars and bottles for many upcycling craft projects. Plant an indoor herb garden using plastic bottles, use the bottles to make pen or pencil jars, make innovative bird feeders, and much more. Solve storage problems by making containers and baskets out of old bottles. The baskets can be different sizes, depending on the size of the bottle you use. Tiny bottles can become tiny containers for holding and organizing small objects. Use a large laundry detergent bottle to make a big storage tote to hold lots of items. Some containers can even be fashioned to have handles, making them ideal for carrying around the house or even out and about. Anyone with a little artistic ability might be able to draw shapes of animals onto large plastic bottles, then cutting them out to make a napkin holder or a cell phone holder. Paint designs onto the plastic or affix stickers to it, too, for even more design fun.
Plastic bottles are a simple and inexpensive material to use for science projects, too. Many families can gather a number of these bottles in just a short time, making it possible to begin exploring science with them. Additional materials and ingredients that may be needed include baking soda, white vinegar, vegetable oil, food coloring, dishwashing liquid, corn syrup, candy, balloons, a thermometer, drinking straws, scissors, and more. Safety is an important element to consider when exploring science at home, and kids should always be supervised if they are tackling experiments. Ideally, adults should actively participate in science experiments, but at the minimum, always have an adult in the room while kids are exploring science. Everyone conducting or supervising science experiments should wear safety gear, also, such as goggles, smocks, and plastic gloves, to avoid injuries.
Once you see how you can use plastic containers for craft projects and science projects, you might want to branch out and try other science projects as well. Making slime is one example of a science experiment that lends itself easily to a home science project, because many of the ingredients in slime are things most people have in their kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Liquid starch, laundry detergent, baking soda, food coloring, body lotion, and cornstarch are just a few examples of slime ingredients that you can mix together to make a gooey concoction. Following science instructions is a beneficial exercise for kids, because it requires them to read, follow instructions, and analyze. Most kids love watching science erupt in front of them. Make an exciting volcano using baking soda, white vinegar, and food coloring. A homemade lava lamp or rocket ship is another possibility for a home science lab.
Crafts with Plastic Bottles
- 7 DIY Recycled Bird Feeders
- Plastic Bottle Recycling - Self Watering Planters DIY
- DIY Recycled Pencil Holder
- Oil and Water Discovery Bottles
- Water Bottle Piggy Banks
- Recycling Crafts and Games (with a Chapter on Plastic Bottles)
Science Projects with Plastic Bottles
- The 3 Best Science Experiments With Plastic Bottles (Video)
- 10 Science Experiments You Can Do With a Plastic Bottle (Video)
- Build a Balloon Powered Car
- What Happens to a Plastic Bottle in the Cold Air?
- The Draining of a Plastic Bottle: Integrating a Physics Experiment into Calculus
- The Plastic Bottle Rocket
More Science at Home
- Milk Moon Print
- Milk Art
- Build a Fizz Inflator
- Super Cool Lava Lamp Experiment for Kids
- How to Make a Squeezy Bottle Rocket
- 5 Easy, At-Home Science Experiments for Social-Distance Learning