15 Eco-Friendly Crafts: Super Clever Recycled Crafts Ideas

Here is a round up of some eco-friendly crafts.  These green crafts are mostly focused on ways to upcycle using things that we have already in our homes and that may otherwise get thrown away or recycled. Most of these recycled crafts ideas are great for involving your children with both for fun and to teach them about environmentally friendly habits.

15 Cute & Clever Eco-Friendly Crafts

So go ahead and pull your recycling bin up to your craft table and get started on some of these fun recycled crafts ideas.

Recycled Craft Bean Bag Toss Game

One great way to reuse a few boxes is to make a bean bag toss. Not only is this a great family activity, it also provides some fun, in-door exercise during the winter months.

Upcycled E-Reader

Directions for making your own eReader case or tablet case from an old book and some fabric.  This is a fun way to have several covers (if your an accessory fan), to give a personalized gift or simply to have for practical reasons.
read more at DIY eReader Case

Make A Draft Stopper Eco Craft

Wintertime comes with hefty heating bills. Luckily there are lots of ways to lower your heating bills and save energy. Making a draft stopper is one way to help conserve energy and keep your family comfortable and away from those cold winter drafts! They also make a perfect gift during the holiday season…
read more at How to Make a Draft Stopper

Reuse Your Egg Cartons As Puppet Material For Kids

This post offers ideas for how to make leftover egg cartons into fun puppets with your kids. Then set up a show and enjoy your work!
read more at jennifischer.blogspot.com

Eco Craft for Kids: Making Your Own Pencil Box

Clear, plastic lettuce tubs with lids are perfect for holding paper scraps and repurposed shoe boxes are great for holding paints and paint brushes. We also use old diaper wipe boxes to hold crayons or cleaning wipe packages to hold pencils and markers. This DIY craft is a great “upcycling” project that teaches kids to reuse items.

Upcycled Sewing Machine Craft

Create a fun recycled art project using a old sewing machine and tons of secondhand buttons like this one by the Quilted Cupcake.

Making Seeded Paper Green Craft

Making paper with your kids is a great way to teach them about recycling and a really fun project they will enjoy.  When I started to show my daughter how to make plantable paper, she was immediately curious about it. She wanted to know if it was the way they made the paper she writes on and if all paper is made out of trees.

Turn A Plastic Bottle Into Bathroom Storage

This Recycled Plastic Bottle Bathroom Storage project from Cristin Frank is perfect for holding makeup, toothbrushes, or cotton balls.  It doesn’t take up any space on the counter so it’s great for small spaces.
read more at Plastic Bottle Storage

Eco-friendly Craft: Make Your Own Pet Motel

This fun craft will keep your kids busy not only while they’re making it but also for hours and hours of imagination and play time when they are done. This eco-friendly craft is a pet motel for your child’s stuffed animals. You can actually build any variation of this you like such a doll house or car park.
read more at Cardboard Boxes Crafts

Eco-Friendly Clay Elf Craft

Add some holiday cheer to your year by making your favorite elf! All you need is some clay (any non-hardening or sculpting clay will work), hair raiser (garlic press or strainer), a pencil and of course your IMAGINATION! “One of the most earth friendly ‘toys’ for children is clay.  Clay is mud, just mud and it brings delight and smiles to every student I teach and observe!”
read more at How to Make a Clay Elf

Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Puzzle Kids Craft

Allowing children to create a puzzle is an educational and fun craft that also saves you a trip to the toy store. A homemade puzzle is also a great way for them to reuse their artwork or old magazine photos. Not only do they practice problem-solving, but it allows them to learn about reusing and recycling…
read more at Eco-Friendly Puzzle

Recycled Box Music Makers

With the holidays bringing so many different size and shape packages to your doorstep, it’s a great time to have a little musical fun by creating instruments called rattle boxes. If you add textured fabric or paper as you decorate them, it becomes a musical and sensory experience as well!
photo credit: tinytappingtoes.wordpress.com

DIY Dog Bed Eco-Friendly Craft

Some clothing may be too stained or ripped to donate. What do you do with clothing that is not good enough to donate? You can reuse things like old T-shirts in several ways such as making rags to use for cleaning. If you have enough rags, you can use your old textiles to make a homemade pet pillow…
read more at Homemade Pet Bed

Recycled Picture Frame

Some tips on upcycling old picture frames.  From dump to office decor!
read more at DIY Memo Board

So which of these recycled crafts ideas are your favorites?