NOTE: Recently we received a great request from a Home Economics teacher. She told us she uses our site regularly in her classroom along with another site that she thought we might like to have a link for on our site. She was right. And in fact, we would love to have more than just the link as shown below. We very much appreciate the input, the thoughtfulness and great idea! So Thank you very much to Keri E. !!

Fun At Home Arts and Crafts for Kids that are Earth Friendly

Resource:

* https://usinsuranceagents.com/at-home-arts-crafts

Overview

Arts and Crafts are a creative way of expression and an important part of fun, learning, and child development. However, we need to be certain that the materials being used are safe for kids as well as for the environment. There are a myriad of art projects that can be completed by reusing materials that would have otherwise been discarded, thus giving those items a new life while reducing the need for the production of new materials. Get creative and see what you have around your house, school, yard, or community!

• Stanford: Recycled Materials: A resource for young children’s creative expression and design

• Penn State: Environmentally friendly activities for children

Using items around the House:

:Resources:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Tornado in a bottle

• Public Broadcasting Service: Milk jug DIY jewelry

• Thinkery: DIY egg carton flower

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Repurposing with a purpose

Reusing and Recycling Arts and Crafts:

Resources:

• Levi Strauss Foundation: Kid-friendly crafts made from denim

• Reset: DIY Upcycled kid’s clothes

• Recycle Art: Upcycled crayon art

• Utah State University: Reuse: Creating a next life for common items

• NASA: Make a CD Saturn

Outdoor Arts and Crafts:

Resources:

• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Arts and crafts

• Missouri Department of Conservation: How to make a pinecone bird feeder

• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Holiday decorating with fresh greenery

• Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Drying and preserving flowers and plant materials for decorative use

Are you still looking for more ideas? Here are some of our favorites:

Resources:

The National Aquarium has a how-to page for making a kite with recycled materials that you can find around the house.

The Wisconsin Green Schools Network has a huge guide that includes ideas for reusing egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, oatmeal containers, paper bags, and more.

The OpenLab at City Tech has suggestions for making beautiful holiday gifts with reused glass jars.

Are you interested in creating your own handmade paper? CalRecycle has a step-by-step lesson plan to follow.