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Did you know that every time we take on an arts & crafts project, whether it's to entertain youngsters or nourish our own creative craving, that there's an opportunity to be eco-friendly and inspire others to be as well?
Here are 3 (kid-friendly) arts & crafts ideas that promote recycling and creativity:
- Shape your waste! Reclaim milk jugs, plates, water bottles and other plastic container to cut out stencil shapes such as stars, hearts, squares, triangles, and circles. Simply carve out the plastic silhouettes, then trace your stylish shapes right on to fabric or paper. Hold on to these reusable stencils for future sketching.
TIP: Look for the ACMI seal on paints, markers, and crayons to guarantee that materials are toxic free. - Create a collage for a textured canvas! Paint a mural or abstract picture directly on to a collage of salvaged materials that would otherwise be thrown away, like:
- plastic netting from a bag of organic oranges
- sturdy paper from wedding invitations and holiday cards
- card board from yesterday's whole wheat pizza delivery renew
How? Well, try pasting carefully cut collage pieces on to recycled or hemp paper, and then use a non-toxic acrylic paint to coat the collage with a unique image or portrait—acrylic colors are known to stick to almost anything, even foil!
This crafty idea is inspired by the work of New York based artist Jonathan Blum.
TIP: If you're really adventurous, consider making your own recycled paper for the collage's base from scratch! - Make a magical mobile! Renew those aluminum roasting dishes or takeout plates by cutting out hanging stars, planets, a moon, and sun. Use markers to color each planet and star a different shade. Punch holes in each cosmic wonder and use string to tie each piece to a hanging base from the ceiling.
TIP: Reuse an aluminum, plastic or paper plate as the base too!
For more reuse inspiration check out Tree Hugger's, Turning Bike Racks into Works of Art or Planet Green's Turn an Old Suit Jacket into a Backpack.
Do you have any eco-friendly arts & crafts ideas to share with us? If so, post it comments below!
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