You don’t necessarily need to spend a small fortune to nurture your child’s creative side. In fact, there are all sorts of cute art projects your kids can make using materials you’d normally throw away. With a little creativity, tin cans, milk cartons, glass jars, and other recyclables can get a second life.
Tin Can Planters
Turn empty tin cans into cute monster planters for a mini garden. This project is easy enough for kids to complete with minimal adult supervision, but a great way to get them outside and teach them the basics of gardening. Visit Live. Craft. Love. for the instructions.
Milk Carton Candles
Milk cartons might not seem like the world’s best crafting material, but they actually make wonderful molds for ice candles made with the wax of old crayons. However, since the wax in this project is very hot, kids need close supervision to complete this DIY idea. Head over to Left Brain Craft Brain for the details.
Rainbow Salt Jars
Remove the labels from empty glass jars, then fill them with layers of hand colored salt to make pretty decorations from your home. Large jars make excellent bookends for your child’s room while tiny jars can be lined up in a row along a windowsill for a cute display. Learn more about this fun art project for kids at Flax and Twine.
Magazine Bead Bracelets
Making jewelry with beads created from the pages of old magazines is a frugal pastime for kids that helps develop fine motor skills. If desired, you can mix in the homemade beads with purchased beads or beads from broken costume jewelry to give your project a new look. Learn more at Kids Activities Blog.
Newspaper Basket
This DIY project is fun and practical, since the finished basket can be used to organize your child’s art supplies or tiny toys. Kids ages eight and up should be able to complete the basket with a small amount of adult assistance. Get the full instructions at The Budget Diet.
Bubble Wrap Painting
Kids may love popping the bubbles in a sheet of bubble wrap, but they’ll have even more fun with this messy oversized painting project. This is also an excellent group activity for children. Head over to Picklebums for the details.
Toilet Paper Roll Stamps
Use toilet paper rolls to make shape stamps for kids to use on the paper of their choice. They can create decorated note cards, wrapping paper, and more using this easy technique. Learn more at Mama. Papa. Bubba.
Bottle Cap Bugs
Bottle caps painted to look like bugs make adorable magnets for your refrigerator. Have your kids make some for you, as well as their grandparents, teachers, and/or daycare providers. Made from Pinterest has the instructions.
Popsicle Stick Coasters
Coasters made with Popsicle sticks and washi tape are an excellent project for older kids to make as a handmade gift for someone special. Learn more at Washi Tape Crafts.
CD Scratch Art
Unwanted CDs can be transformed into pretty scratch art designs for your child’s room with addition of some black acrylic paint. Instructables has the details.
