14 creative recycled craft ideas

1. Ask everyone to collect lots of plastic bottle lids.
2. It might take a few weeks or months to get lots of plastic bottle lids. You could do this for the 2 month action for the Eco award.
3. Draw a design on a thick piece of cardboard. You could draw an animal, flower or a local landmark.
4. With an adult's help or supervision, cut out the shape of your drawing.
5. Sort your bottle lids by colour and make sure they’ve been thoroughly cleaned.
6. Place the bottle lids onto the cardboard and get them where you want them to go.
7. Once you’re happy, use a strong glue to stick the lids down onto the card.
8. If your mosaic’s going to be outside, you can make it stronger by using a wooden base and securing the bottle lids carefully with screws or nails.
9. When using tools, make sure to use personal protective equipment, and always have adult help or supervision. Take your time, don't get distracted and make sure there's plenty of space around you. When carrying tools, walk, and point them downwards. Always ask an adult to show you how to use the tools safely, don't hammer too hard, and make sure you're not in danger of hitting the supporting hand that's holding the nail.

1. When you've finished using them, fill 6 plastic bottles with 3cm of sand or pebbles. They shouldn’t be too heavy, so they can still be knocked down.
2. You may wish to tape the lids on.
3. Wrap some card around the bottle and secure it with tape.
4. Decorate the card and draw the numbers 1-6 on the front. You could decorate the card with stickers, paint, felt tips or cut out and stick on pieces of paper.
5. When finished, line up your bottles and use a tennis ball to see how many you can knock down.

If you want to make a recycled ball, follow these steps:

1. Gather 20 to 30 plastic bags, some newspaper pages or packing paper from a delivery, scissors, and some string or twine.
2. Make sure the plastic bags are old, broken or worn and can't be reused. They might be plastic bags from packaging or deliveries, instead of supermarket plastic bags.
3. Squash the paper into a ball shape.
4. Next, stuff the paper ball inside a plastic bag to make the core. Make sure to squeeze out any extra air, then tie the handles tightly.
5. Stuff your ball into a new plastic bag. Again, squeeze out the air and make it into a ball shape.
6. Keep doing this until your ball is as big as you want it to be, then tie the handles of your final bag.
7. Next, wrap a long piece of twine or string around your ball and tie a knot. You should have the ball now hanging on a long string.
8. Start to wrap the string tightly around your ball horizontally, vertically and diagonally, making sure none of the plastic bags can fall out. The more times you wrap the string, the better!
9. Tie and tuck in the end of your string, and you’re finished!

1. Use a cardboard box about 30cm long (like a large shoe box).
2. Draw out a rectangle (at least 10cm wide x 5cm high) in the middle of each end of the box. This will be the goals.
3. With an adult’s help or adult supervision, cut out the holes.
4. Stretch old fruit nets (like the ones oranges come in) over the outside of the goal holes and tape them down. This will catch the ball when you score!
5. Next, decorate the box. You could add in green card for the pitch and draw on the lines – you might want to draw on a crowd around the sides of the box.
6. Again, with an adult’s help or supervision, use a pencil to poke 4 holes along one long side of the box and 4 matching holes on the opposite side.
7. Push 4 wooden skewers through the holes so they go across the pitch.
8. Clip wooden pegs onto the skewers to act as your football players. Put 2 pegs on the inner skewers and 3 pegs on the skewers closest to the goals. You can draw faces or football kits on the pegs before you clip them on!
9. Drop a ping-pong ball or a large marble into the box. Spin and slide the skewers to kick the ball into your opponent's net!
10. If you want a simpler game, skip the skewers and pegs. Just drop the ball in and have two players use paper straws to blow the ball toward the opposite goal!

1. Make sure the milk bottle has been washed thoroughly with hot soapy water.
2. With an adult’s help or supervision, place the plastic bottle lid onto a wooden board and use a hammer and nail to make holes into the lid.
3. Remember, different sized nails will produce different sized holes. Smaller nails will create a finer spray which is ideal for seeds and seedlings. Larger holes can be used to water bigger plants.
4. Again, with adult help or supervision, make 1 small hole in the handle of the bottle to allow air to get in. This’ll help the water to flow better.
5. Make sure the outside of the bottle is completely dry, then decorate the bottle with permanent markers or paint pens. You could draw a ‘watering schedule’ on the side to help remember when to water it.
6. Fill the bottle with water and replace the lid.
7. You could add a few small pebbles into the bottle to help weigh it down when it’s not in use.
8. When using tools, make sure to use personal protective equipment, and always have adult help or supervision. Take your time, don't get distracted and make sure there's plenty of space around you. When carrying tools, walk, and point them downwards. Always ask an adult to show you how to use the tools safely, don't hammer too hard, and make sure you're not in danger of hitting the supporting hand that's holding the nail.

1. Find an old t-shirt. It should be one that's old and worn, and not suitable to be donated. 
2. Place your t-shirt on a flat surface and smooth out any wrinkles.
3. Carefully cut off both sleeves. Make sure to have adult supervision or help while cutting. The holes will be the handles of your bag.
4. Draw out a deeper ‘U’ shape around the neck of the shirt to make an opening for the bag.
5. Once you’re happy with it, carefully cut along this line.
6. Turn the shirt inside out. Along the very bottom edge, cut slits that are 5cm deep and about 2cm apart. Make sure you are cutting through both the front and back of the shirt at the same time.
7. Grab one fringe piece from the front and the piece directly behind it from the back. Tie them together in a tight double knot.
8. Repeat this for every pair all the way across the bottom.
9. Turn the shirt right-side out. The knots will now be tucked away on the inside, and your bag is ready!
10. Give the handle loops a firm tug to stretch the fabric. Take a scrap of fabric from the sleeves you cut off earlier. Wrap that scrap tightly around the very top of the handle (where it sits on your shoulder). Tie it with a double knot. This stops the handle from being a thin string that digs into your skin!
11. You could add some decorations to the t-shirt using fabric pens or paints, sewing or gluing on fabric cut offs, or adding embellishments, such as sequins.

1. Once you've finished using a 2-litre bottle, put it to one side until you're ready to get making.
2. Lay the bottle on its side, and draw a 3cm long x 1cm wide rectangle in the middle of it. This is the slot where you'll drop the coins in!
3. With adult help or adult supervision, keep the bottle on its side and carefully cut out the rectangle. Be careful of any sharp edges. 
4. Next, you'll need 4 bottle lids to be the feet. If you've some spare sticky tack or play-dough, stuff a little bit inside each bottle-cap ‘foot’ before you glue it on. This makes it more sturdy and secure.
5. Tape the 4 bottle lids to the bottom of the bottle so your pig can stand up straight without rolling away.
6. The bottle-cap on the front is the pig's snout. Draw 2 dots on it for nostrils.
7. Next, you can paint the whole bottle pink, stick on pink tissue paper using PVA glue, or leave the bottle clear. You could also do a different coloured pig, such as blue or purple!
8. Stick on 2 googly eyes or draw eyes just above the snout.
9. Carefully cut 2 small triangles out of pink felt (or card) and glue them near the top to make ears for your pig.
10. Finally, twist a pipe cleaner into a spring shape and tape it to the back for a curly tail.

1. Find some old fabric, such as an old t-shirt. It should be fabric that's old and worn, and not suitable to be donated or fixed. For example, it could be a t-shirt with a hole in it.
2. Cut a rectangle of fabric. It should be 10cm wide and 40cm long.
3. Fold it in half length-wise. Make sure the nicer side or the pattern is on the inside.
4. Glue or sew along the long open edge to turn your fabric into a tube. Don't sew or glue the two short ends shut!
5. If you're using a needle and thread, make sure to have adult guidance or supervision.
6. Reach inside and pull the fabric through itself so the nicer side is now on the outside.
7. Carefully clip a safety pin to the end of a 20cm piece of elastic - or ask an adult to help.
8. Next, wiggle the safety pin all the way through the tube until it comes out the other side. You can hold onto the other end of the elastic, so it doesn't get lost inside!
9. Because the fabric is twice as long as the elastic, it will naturally bunch up into ruffles.
10. Tie the two ends of the elastic into a tight double knot.
11. Finally, tuck one fabric end inside the other and use a little glue or a few stitches to close the gap and hide the knot.
12. You could try making more scrunchies out of old fabrics, such as socks, bedding or even towels.

1. Wait till you've finished using a cereal box and it's empty, or ask a friend for an empty one if you don't have cereal.
2. Tape the top and bottom of the cereal box shut.
3. Place the box flat in front of you. Mark a dot on the edge of box about 12cm up from the bottom-right.
4. Draw a line from the top-left corner diagonally down to the dot.
5. Carefully, with adult help or adult supervision, cut along the line.
6. Finally, decorate your box. You could cover it in paper using PVA glue, or you could paint it. You might want to add sequins or stickers.

1. Collect old, worn or broken plastic bags that can no longer be reused. You might want to use plastic bags from deliveries and packaging, rather than supermarket bags.
2. Cut plastic bags into 4cm strips.
3. Tie 3 strips together at one end and tape the knot to a table.
4. Now, start to braid them. Cross the right strip over the middle strip. Then cross the left strip over the new middle strip.
5. Repeat this over and over. As you reach the end of a strand, simply tie on another 4cm strip to keep the rope growing!
6. Keep going until you have a long rope.
7. Take the end of your finished braid and coil it tightly into a small, flat circle (like a cinnamon roll).
8. With adult guidance and supervision, use a needle and thick thread to sew the edges of the coils together so the circle stays flat. Keep coiling and sewing until the base is as wide as you want your bowl to be.
9. To make the bowl go up, start stacking the rope on top of the outermost edge of your base.
10. Keep coiling the rope upwards, round and round, sewing each new layer to the one beneath it.
11. Once the bowl is tall enough, tuck the end of the braid inside and sew it down firmly.

1. Collect 2 clean 500ml plastic bottles.
2. With an adult’s help or supervision, cut the bottles to get 2 sturdy bottom pieces. Don't use the top part with the spout. Cut the bottom half of 1 bottle so it's 15cm tall and cut the other so it's 5cm tall.
3. The 15cm bottle will be the bottom of your case and the 5cm half will be the lid.
4. Glue 1 side of a zipper to the inside top edge of the 15cm base.
5. Glue the other side of the zipper to the inside edge of the 5cm lid so the 2 pieces can zip together.
6. Use stickers or colourful tape to decorate the outside and hide the glue lines!

1. Wait until you've finished using some plastic bottles or a plastic food container or tub. You can also use a tin can.
2. If you're using an old plastic bottle, with adult help or supervision, cut it in half. 
3. Watch out for any sharp edges on the plastic bottle or tin can - ask an adult to stick tape on the edges to cover them and make them smooth.
4. With adult help or supervision, carefully make 3–4 small drainage holes in the bottom of the container.
5. Wrap the outside in colourful wool, or use paint pens, pen or a permanent marker to draw faces so the plants look like hair!
6. Fill the container with potting soil, leaving about 2cm of space at the very top so water doesn't overflow.
7. Using a finger, poke some small holes in the top of the soil and add seeds. You could use bee-friendly flowers (like lavender or sunflowers) or even plant strawberries.
8. Cover the seeds with some more soil and add a little bit of water.
9. Place your planter in a sunny spot and water it regularly to help your wildlife garden grow!
10. When you're finished with the planter, clean the bottle or tub and recycle it.

1. Wait until you've finished a carton of juice, then rinse it out, making sure it’s thoroughly cleaned out. If you don't have a carton, you could ask a friend for one of theirs once they've finished it.
2. Draw out a rectangle (roughly 8cm x 10cm) on 1 side of the carton. The rectangle needs to be at last 5cm from the bottom of the carton.
3. Next, with adult help or supervision, carefully cut out the rectangle to create a window.
4. Poke a hole under the rectangle and push a sturdy stick through for a perch.
5. Use waterproof acrylic paints, paint pens or outdoor stickers to decorate the carton. Make sure to avoid things that might fall off and be eaten by birds, like sequins.
6. Near the very top of the carton, with adult help or supervision, poke 1 hole on the left side and 1 on the right side. Make sure they are level with each other.
7. Push a long piece of string, twine or wool through both holes. Bring the 2 ends of the string together at the top and tie a strong double knot.
8. Finally, hang it somewhere high off the ground in a safe spot for birds.

1. Collect old, worn or broken plastic bags that can no longer be reused. You might want to use plastic bags from deliveries and packaging, rather than supermarket bags. You could also recycle plastic bags at the supermarket.
2. Cut your plastic bags into long strips about 4cm wide.
3. Tie these strips together using small, tight knots to make 3 very long pieces of plastic string. They should each be about 3m long.
4. Take your 3 long strings and tie them together at the top.
5. Tape the knot to a table so it doesn't move.
6. Next, braid them: Cross the right string over the middle one. Then cross the left string over the new middle one.
7. Keep going until you reach the end.
8. Do this 2 more times so you have 3 separate braids.
9. Now, take your three finished braids and tie them together at one end.
10. Braid these 3 braids together! This makes the rope thick and heavy so it's easy to jump over.
11. Tie a big knot at each end of your rope. These knots are your handles. They make it easy to grip the rope while you skip.