Part of our mission at Golden Road Arts is to teach children an appreciation for nature as well as to introduce them to the world of art. This endeavor can easily go hand-in-hand with art projects at home, and make chore time more fun too!
Sorting items for recycling and including your children in this activity is a great way for families to bond during multiple household projects. It instills responsibility for taking care of the home, and builds the idea that we all play a part in taking care of our environment.
Recyclable Items for Making Eco-Friendly Kids’ Art at Home
One of the great benefits of doing art as a family at home is getting to use everyday items. Making art doesn’t have to be expensive, and involving recycling is an ideal way to develop creativity and curiosity among family members.
Paper, Newspapers and Magazines
Set these items aside to use in collages or to make papier-mâché. Magazines come in quite handy for mood/vision boards, and for inspiration for paintings and all sorts of drawings.
Egg Cartons and Cardboard
Egg carton gardens are a time-tested fun activity that can bring together art and nature. Cardboard is a good base that can be used creatively for many kids’ art projects.
Bottle Caps
Those bottle caps are quite versatile—they can be glued to boards to make designs, especially if you have multiple colors of tops. They can be added to make 2D drawings into 3D experiences, and caps can also be used to draw perfect circles.
Plastic Utensils and Chopsticks
When you order take-out, the plastic utensils can be used later to stir paint, apply glue and adhesives, or be a part of a project itself. Wooden chopsticks are wonderful to use to make borders for homemade frames, or can serve as “lumber” to make birdhouses, fences and more.
Coffee Cans
Whether your empty coffee cans are metal or plastic, they can easily be made into coin banks. These containers can also be used for various other small-item storage ideas.
Old T-Shirts and Clothing
We’re pretty sure you already donate old clothing, but you can also use these items as texture in art or for sewing projects. Old cotton clothing makes great cleaning wipes when cut into smaller pieces. They can be used to clean up after art time rather than using disposable paper towels or grabbing a “nice” towel by accident.
We hope that working on eco-friendly art projects with your children brings you some important family time. We also trust that these activities show why kids need art, and illustrate why art is an important component in their lives. Art has the potential to increase wonder about the world around a child as they learn how to transform old items into something new.
Get Free Eco-Friendly Art Project Ideas for Kids Online
Find more ideas for eco-friendly family art projects in our free online kids’ art lessons. Golden Road Arts in Hillsboro partners with the local Northwest artist community to make this magic happen. Check out our lessons, or if you’d like you can support our cause through our art gallery.
