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Ten Tips for Using Recyclables for Crafts
By Joanna Young
My aunt was an avid crafter and a recycling whiz. Visiting her house was always amusing, not only for the fun crafting opportunities but to learn wonderful ways of recycling household items. Here are a few recycling tips I picked up from my creative aunt (along with a couple of my own) that I’d like to share with you and your preschooler.
Tip 3: A unique idea for preschool painting is to fill a clean, used squeezable mustard bottle with acrylic paint. Preschoolers love to paint and this method allows for less mess and a fun way to paint.
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My aunt was an avid crafter and a recycling whiz. Visiting her house was always amusing, not only for the fun crafting opportunities but to learn wonderful ways of recycling household items. Here are a few recycling tips I picked up from my creative aunt (along with a couple of my own) that I’d like to share with you and your preschooler.
Tip 1: Never throw away an egg carton! One way my aunt recycled this versatile household item was to use it to separate different sizes and colors of beads. Another good use for egg cartons is the Flower Egg Carton Garden.
Tip 2: Used egg cartons are also great for filling with craft paint. The holders are perfect for keeping colors separated.
Tip 3: A unique idea for preschool painting is to fill a clean, used squeezable mustard bottle with acrylic paint. Preschoolers love to paint and this method allows for less mess and a fun way to paint.
Tip 4: Many preschool crafts call for yarn, but tangled yarn is no fun! My aunt’s solution to this problem was to turn a plastic clothes hanger and a toilet paper roll into a wonderful yarn roller. Simply cut the bottom rung of the hanger with strong scissors or utility knife, slip the toilet paper roll onto the hanger, and wind the yarn around it. Hang the yarn roller on a doorknob and your ready to go!
Tip 5: Ever buy hot glue sticks and lose half of them? My aunt’s solution to loose hot glue sticks: store them in an empty checkbook box.
Tip 6: My mother hated Easter grass because it always ended up on the floor and finally in the trash. My aunt, however, decided that Easter grass could be used for more than stuffing Easter baskets. She would fill little handmade pillows with it instead of expensive stuffing.
Tip 7: Used spice containers (those plastic ones that sprinkle seasonings like paprika or onion powder) are perfect for shaking glitter onto preschool holiday crafts.
Tip 8: Preschoolers and play dough go hand in hand. A great tool and a safe alternative to a plastic knife is a used popsicle stick.
Tip 9: Another great play dough tool is a used shampoo bottle filled with warm water. The shampoo bottle can be used as a rolling pin and the warm water helps keep the play dough more pliable.
Tip 10: My aunt stored her homemade play dough in clean, used margarine bowls. They were sturdier than plastic baggies and served more purpose than just storing leftovers!
Share Your Recycling Ideas
Do you have a tip for turning household items into handy craft tools? We’d love for you to submit your recycling tips and we’ll publish them here!
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