Earth Day is fast approaching (April 22), though there really is never a bad time to celebrate Mother Earth. It’s important to teach students the environmental benefits of recycling, like conserving energy and natural resources and reducing air and water pollution, all year long. While recycling breaks down old items in order to create something new, upcyling makes something new from an existing object in its current state. Challenge your students to create something unique and wonderful from preexisting items like magazines, plastic water bottles, tin cans, egg cartons, and more. Check out our list of the best recycled crafts for Earth Day or any day, and give some of them a try!
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1. Mix up some wildflower seed bombs
Give back to Mother Earth with these easy-to-make seed bombs. Blend together used scraps of construction paper, water, and wildflower seeds in a food processor, then form them into tiny muffins. Let them dry, then toss them in the ground. As the seed bombs receive sun and rain, the paper will eventually compost and the seeds will germinate.
Using a roll of wide masking tape, form a bracelet on each student’s wrist, sticky side out. Then, take your kids on a nature walk to search for interesting leaves, flowers, berries, and such. When they find things they like, have them stick them to their bracelet.
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3. Construct a bug hotel
Create a cozy place for all the creepy-crawlies to hang out. Collect two-liter plastic bottles. Cut the ends off of each bottle and give one to each student. Now, go outside and gather sticks, pine cones, bark and other natural materials. Stuff the organic materials tightly into the plastic cylinder. Then loop a piece of twine or yarn around each cylinder and hang your bug hotels from a tree branch or fence.
Textiles make up a huge portion of municipal solid waste—over 16 million tons per year! Teach your kids to repurpose old material that would otherwise end up in the landfill by putting together a cozy quilt.
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6. Piece together magazine collages
Generations of kids have loved creating freeform collages from magazines. Ask families to donate used magazines. Then, when you have a decent supply, set your kids loose.
7. Plant a hanging garden
Large plastic bottles become beautiful hanging planters in this green-living, green-thumb project. A great way to make a gorgeous hanging garden.
Scraps of paper are the only supplies you need for this recycled-flower-garden activity and lesson. The measurement and math element is an added bonus.
Save those egg cartons and create these adorable recycled trees. First, paint a tree trunk and grass on the bottom 2/3 of an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Then, cut each section out of an egg carton and paint the bottom sides green. When the sections dry, have students glue them above the trunk.
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10. Repurpose toilet paper rolls into binoculars
Save those paper rolls so your class can customize their own binoculars! Have a variety of paints, stickers, and the like on hand so your students can really personalize their bird-watchers.
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11. Earth Day shaving cream project
Your young learners will love this fun art project! To begin, cut out circles from card stock to represent planet Earth. Then, in 2 separate containers, combine shaving cream and green craft paint and shaving cream and blue craft paint. Display a picture of Earth, then give each student a circle, a paintbrush and the blue and green paints and watch them create.
12. Fashion a pop-top bracelet
Aluminum beverage pop-tops become wearable jewelry thanks to some ninja ribbon work. Show this video on your interactive whiteboard to give your students the full 411, and then get crafting!
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13. Create colorful sun catcher wind chimes
Tape sheets of clear Contac paper onto desks, sticky side up. Then, have student press found sticks, flowers, feather, etc. onto the paper. Once the treasures are secure, place another sheet of Contac paper on top, sticky side down. Use a mason jar lid to trace a circle over the sheets. Cut out the circle then pop it into the lid. Tie string to the lids and dangle from a stick.
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14. Make Earth Day crafts from paper bags
Brown paper bags become eco-canvases for artwork made from paint, crayons and chalk. Bonus points if you can source handled bags because the handles serve as built-in artwork hangers.
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15. Build a tiny city from recycled materials
Have your students create an adorable village using little more than paper rolls, construction paper, scissors, paint, glue, tape, and their imagination!
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16. Create pebble art
Take students outside to collect small rocks and pebbles. Have them arrange the rocks into a pattern of their choice. Get creative, and try for as many different designs as you can!
The Gunny Sack
17. Use old crayons to make Earth Day crayons
This isn’t just any recycled crayon—it’s a gorgeous Earth crayon! You can make these with your kids using a muffin tin. You just need to sort out the right colors.
STEM and recycling go together wonderfully! Have students glue/tape straws, stones, wood beads or blocks down to create a maze in the bottom of a shallow cardboard box. Then see if they can ‘run’ the maze using a marble.
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19. Make a rope snake
Recycling projects that use objects you may have lying around your garage or shed are some of our favorites. Grab that old rope you’ve been saving and create these adorable rope worms/snakes with your students. Use tape to create stripes and a wooden spoon as the head.
20. Feed the birds
Herald spring with this easy crowd-pleaser: the large plastic bottle bird feeder. This short video will teach kids how to get started constructing their feeders.
Tin cans are easy to get your hands on, and they are great for organizing supplies. Simply paint a few with colorful acrylic paint, then glue them down to a cardboard or plywood base. Perfect as a supply station for each desk group.
Childhood 101
22. Make papier-mâché pots
Cut off the bottoms of beverage bottles or reuse food containers and jazz them up with bright-colored paper scraps. Except for the glue, these papier-mâché planters are composed solely of recycled materials.
Earth Day art that is wearable is a bonus. Use found objects and colored string to create these unique necklaces. Materials to use: nature objects, decorated cardboard squares, pom-poms, beads, anything your students can think of!
24. Make chair fidgets out of old tees
Give old T-shirts new life with this craft by making chair fidgets. This uses a simple braiding technique, and your kids will love helping out.
Kids can work together to create an aluminum-can recycling center. Watch the video to get the simple instructions and learn how your school can make recycling fun and rewarding.
Recycling projects like these are the best. The materials are easy to source and most kids are fascinated by robots. Have a supply of clean, used tin cans, recycled materials such as bottle caps, corks, plastic lides, paper, material, etc. Then let your kids, and their imaginations, loose.
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27. Cupcake paper flowers
This project is so fun and easy. All you need is cupcake liner papers, mini-cupcake liner papers, buttons, paper straws and glue. To construct, glue a button to the center of the small cupcake liner. Then, glue the smaller liner to the center of the larger one. Finally, attach a straw to the back to serve as stem and add paper leaves.
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28. Create a giant upcycled art wall
Challenge your students to create an amazing recycled wall masterpiece. Tape a large square of cardboard to a wall then let students add recycled materials to it, paint it, and create with it whenever they have free time throughout the day. Materials to consider: egg cartons, popsicle sticks, paper rolls, etc.
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29. Make your own games
Use plastic bottle caps to create game pieces for a tic-tac-toe game. Or paint caps red and black to be used as checkers. Create a makerspace challenge. Lay out a supply of upcycled items (paper, plastic, foil, cardboard, etc.) and classroom supplies and challenge teams of students to create games with them.
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30. Make a treasure magnet
Treasure magnets make a beautiful gift! Using a recycled metal bottle cap, glue a variety of craft gemstones and beads inside. Then add a magnet to the back.
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31. Craft stick flower pots
This project is not only cute, it’s a great exercise to build fine motor skills. All you need is a small recycled plastic container, glue and wood craft sticks. It’s so simple- simply have students glue the sticks vertically around the perimeter and voila! To personalize your pots, decorate the sticks with paint or markers before you glue them on.
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32. Make a terrarium
Recycled plastic bottles can get a second life as museum-worthy terrariums as well as a home for an environmental science project. Cut the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of a 2-liter bottle off. In the bottom half, insert small plants or flowers into a mix of soil, activated charcoal and moss. Then pop the top on to create a humid, protected growing environment.
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33. Paint with corks
This is the perfect kind of Earth Day project since you use recycled material to paint your favorite scene from nature. Put out an all-call to families for used corks or buy an inexpensive set of corks online. Set out paper, bowls of paint and corks for dipping, then let students create to their hearts’ content.
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34. Earth Day paper plate craft
Help your students show their love for planet Earth with this fun and easy craft!
35. Form flowers from water bottles
Create these stunning flowers from plastic bottles and water-based paint markers. String them together for a colorful garland for your classroom.
Gather up a supply of recycled cardboard products. Think cereal boxes, tissue boxes, paper rolls, milk cartons and more. Add in a roll of masking tape and glue, then set your tiny teams of engineers to work. You’ll be amazed by what they create!
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37. Make newspaper owls
Old newspapers find their spirit animal when they become recycled newspaper owls. Simply supply a template of the outline of an owl’s body and another for the wings. Then have students trace and cut the pieces from recycled newspaper and glue the pieces together. Finally, decorate with crayons and water colors and add large googly eyes and a beak made from orange construction paper.
38. Construct a plastic bottle recycling bin
Water bottles come together, as do your kids, to make this water bottle recycling center. This project combines teamwork with respect for our environment, a double win.
Slime is an exciting activity no matter the holiday! Check our video for the best glitter slime recipe around!
40. Make musical instruments
There are no limits to the art projects you can create using recycled cardboard. Check out this video to make a cardboard flute. Or collect oatmeal containers and have students decorate with paper and paint for hand-sized drums.
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41. Create a spinning top
Do you have a bunch of CDs lying around that never get played anymore? How about a box or drawer of markers that barely write? If yes, then this is the perfect project for you! Simply have kids decorate a CD with a painted design, then insert a dead marker in the middle and voila! A custom spinning top.
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42. Fashion lady bugs from bottle caps
Ladybugs are so cute- most kids can hardly resist them! To make your own versions, paint plastic bottle caps red. Then, add black polka dots and a black semi-circle on one edge for the face. Glue googly eyes on and there you have it- your own little pocket ladybugs.
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43. Create a coffee filter Earth
One of the classic Earth Day art projects! Simple to make and beautiful to display, these coffee filter Earths are a cinch. Simply color paper coffee filters with blue and green markers, then squirt with a water bottle.
Art With Jenny K.
44. Create Earth Day agamographs
An agamograph is a piece of art created from strips of paper strung together. Choose an Earth Day theme, such as the recycling symbol or trees or clean water and try your own!
Not only is it beautiful paper, it can be used to grow beautiful flowers!
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46. Craft a pair of egg carton glasses
How creative is this egg carton craft for Earth Day? All you need is a 2 egg section of an egg carton for the goggles. Cut the small ends out so students can see through them. Add pipe cleaners on either side for the strap. Then personalize them with craft paint. Superhero goggles from an egg carton, who knew?
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47. Put together an Earth Day mosaic puzzle
First, cut out a circle of thin cardboard to serve as the Earth. Next, have students glue small scraps of blue and green to represent the continents and the oceans. When the glue dries, top with clear Contac paper. Flip the “Earth” over and have students draw the pieces of the puzzle. It may be easiest to find a puzzle template to trace. Finally, cut out the pieces and you’ve got a snazzy Earth Day puzzle.
48. Construct a papier-mâché globe
Most kids love the sloppy process of papier-mâché. Here, learn how to make a DIY globe with recycled paper that they can treasure forever.
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49. Make Earth Day salt dough crafts
Salt dough crafts are so much fun to celebrate Earth Day! Make these colorful Earth Day medallions, then attach string. Your kids will wear their Earth Day pride for all to see.
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50. Mesmerize with DIY Earth Day sensory bottles
It’s amazing what a calming effect these dreamy bottles can have. Simply fill a small, clear plastic bottle or jar with 1/2 water and 1/2 baby oil. Add a few of these Planet Earth marbles and maybe a little glitter.
What are your favorite things to do for Earth Day? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!
