Recycled Craft Ideas for Earth Day: 22 Easy Crafts for Kids Using Recycled Materials by Donna John

Use some spring and summer to teach your kids about the environment, ways to save the planet and recycling. These topics work well for homeschooling parents (think science and art class).

Here are 22 easy crafts that use recycled items:

1. Teach your kids about germs and then make these cute germs out of toilet paper tubes, markers and construction paper. Also check out these fun printable germ coloring pages.

2. Turn a white paper plate, craft paint, plastic spoon, pipe cleaner and construction paper into a heavenly angel.

3. Transform an egg carton, pipe cleaner, paint and wiggle eyes into a cute-as-can-be caterpillar.

4. Who doesn't love Tinker Toys? Make your own at home with toilet paper tubes, plastic spools and straws. Here's the complete instructions on how to make DIY Tinker Toys.

5. You'll never throw your empty toilet paper tubes away again after making these cute bugs. Here's how to make a bee, ladybug and butterfly.

6. A plastic lid off a jar (mayonnaise jar, for example), a button and a wiggle eye makes a pretty fancy fish.

7. All you need is a pair of scissors to turn a milk jug into a planter. Milk jug garden, anyone?

8. Keep that empty coffee can and create a vase or pencil holder. All you need is felt, lace, glue and embellishments.

9. Save those plastic soda bottle lids and make this adorable robot. Drill a hole through the center of each lid and string them on wire. Use twist ties for the hands and glue on some wiggle eyes.

10. Cover different size empty containers with construction paper and other embellishments to use as storage. Here are other ideas for empty product containers.

11. Have a lot of wine corks laying around? (No judgment here!) Cork painting is a fun and economical activity for kids, and a great way to use those wine corks.

12. Cut the middle (one side only!) of a soda bottle out with scissors. Add string or wire to each end for hangers, fill with garden soil and add a plant. These are pretty hanging on a fence, balcony or in a tree.

13. Here's another fun toilet paper roll craft! This time, turn them into bunnies with construction paper and small pompoms. Make a lot, because bunnies multiply fast.

14. If your child wants a dog, have him make one! All he needs is toilet paper tubes (legs), an egg carton (body), bottle cap (nose), strips of cardboard (hair), wire (whiskers) and two random matching miscellaneous items (eyes). Get creative!

15. Save those berry or rotisserie chicken containers and create mini greenhouses or seed starters. Just add an egg carton cut to size and potting soil.

16. Watch white plastic spoons, felt and construction paper become fun bunny and chick spoon puppets. Here's the complete instructions for DIY spoon puppets.

17. Plastic bottle caps make great tic-tac-toe game pieces! The question is, will you let your child win or not?

18. Did you know you can make a sleep mat out of plastic bags? No kidding! Watch this video that tells you how.

19. These fun mini mariachis are made out of plastic spoons, colored tape, a mini plastic egg, aluminum foil and beans or pebbles. Stay tuned, because complete instructions on how to make DIY mini mariachis is coming soon!

20. Who says doll furniture has to be expensive? Here's how to turn simple recycled materials into a DIY doll couch!

21. Play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" while making these simple DIY rainbows out of toilet paper tubes, cotton balls and paint.

22. Bundle raffia or straw around a vase and secure with a piece of twine (you could also cover a coffee can with construction paper). Fill with pebbles or a piece of Styrofoam. Bundle colored spoons together and insert to create a fun vase of tulips.

Photos: Bigstock

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links. 

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get inspiration in your newsfeed daily. Inspire and be inspired.