Upcycling is a little different from recycling, but both are great ways to cut back on waste and trash and teach your child to reduce, reuse, or recycle things!
I keep a big box in my room, and we are constantly filling it with things to upcycle! Here are some things in my box right now:
- tin cans
- straws
- bubble wrap
- toilet paper rolls
- paper towel rolls
- sour cream carton
- paper bags from the grocery store
- plastic wrap
- scrap cardboard - macaroni box, amazon box, pancake on a stick box
- twisty ties from garbage bags {we don't use these on our bags, so I save them}
- magazines
- old T-shirts
- socks without a partner
- broken toys {for parts}
- Styrofoam
- glass jars
- plastic jars
- ribbon and buttons
- newspapers
- printer paper {maybe paper that misprinted}
We use our "upcycle box" to create lots of handicrafts! We often use them with some other craft items to create something really neat.
One of the things my daughter made was a Tin Can Bird Feeder! It was really simple. She painted the tin can and then we hot glued some yard around the bottom and top. We filled it with birdseed and hung it in a tree! It was a fun craft, and we all enjoyed watching for birds.
If you look under the tab titled "Handicrafts" at the top of the page, it will take you to several different things we have created, all of them upcycling something!
I like to save things because it gives me such a good feeling to reuse them, even something as simple as a straw from a fountain drink! What sorts things do you save? What have you upcycled? Please, give me some more ideas!
I like to save things because it gives me such a good feeling to reuse them, even something as simple as a straw from a fountain drink! What sorts things do you save? What have you upcycled? Please, give me some more ideas!
