Celebrate Earth Day with These Recycled Art Projects for Kids

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Check out our list of nature art tips and recycled art projects for little ones that are entertaining to make AND more friendly for our Earth. 

Updated April 2021

To celebrate Earth Day next week, our group gathered collectively a list of 30 nature primarily based art activities and recycled art projects for little ones.

Through art, there exists a excellent chance to teach youngsters to be great stewards.  Children discover to reuse lids, caps and milk cartons. To turn a cardboard box into a castle, fort, or robot. To recycle cardboard tubes and produce sculptures.

The possibility to assemble and make new issues even though recycling or upcycling the old sparks children’s imagination as they discover these non-standard supplies.

And a quick stroll outdoors with my son makes it possible for us the chance to breathe deep, soak in the sunshine and fresh air. To collect pinecones and sticks, some rocks and more sticks. Then to head house with our new treasures.

As we gather recyclables, save cardboard and take into account how to give one thing old a new goal, our little ones are watching and mastering this ability themselves. Below are some tips that will hopefully inspire and place some of that recycling bin to inventive use.

Happy Earth Day!

30 Nature Based + Recycled Art Projects for Kids

7 Recycled Art Projects Using Recycled Materials

1. Painted Wood Block Sculptures on The Artful Parent by Danielle Falk. An quick sculpture project employing wood scraps that is entertaining to make for little ones of all ages. 
2. Cardboard Tube Sculptures on Art Bar. Put these cardboard tubes to great use with this entertaining sculpture project.
3. 5 Greatest Toddler Art Activities on The Artful Parent by Catalina Gutierrez. Paint a nature wall, produce a collaborative recycled wall, reuse plastic caps and lids for sensory bins &amp use sticks, leaves and the like for set-ups!
4. Milk Carton Sailboat on Art Camp. Perfect for the sailboat loving kid in your life–use a recycled milk carton to produce an remarkable tiny sailboat.
5. A Happy Handmade Unicorn Craft on The Artful Parent. Create magical unicorns employing empty cardboard tubes.
6. Stacked Cardboard Sculptures on Art Bar by Shannon Merenstein. A great sculpture project for even the youngest artist.
7. Simple Flower Crowns for Kids from Paper Bags on The Artful Parent. Kids can really feel like royalty with this great craft employing recycled paper bags. 

14 Recycled Art Projects Using Cardboard

1. Mixed Media Collage Portraits for Kids on The Artful Parent by Krista Simcoe. These adorable collage portraits are a excellent way to reuse a cardboard box and are SO cute. 
2. How to Make Miró Inspired Magic Animal Masks For Kids on The Artful Parent by Catalina Gutierrez. Create wild and colorful animal masks with cardboard, paint, and a couple of other supplies. 
3. Make Cardboard Robot Puppets that Move! on The Artful Parent by Danielle Falk. These robot puppets are friendly on the Earth and SO entertaining to play with and produce. 
4. Monochrome Art– Beautiful Collage Paintings for Kids on The Artful Parent by Samara Caughey. Gather collage supplies and cardboard to make these vibrant tiny collages.
5. Colorful Cardboard Hearts on The Artful Parent by Rachel Withers. Great for Valentine’s Day, or any day definitely!
6. Recycled Hanging Rainbows on Meri Cherry. Create a colorful rainbow mobile with cardboard and buttons.
7. Drip Painting with Kids at a DIY Cardboard Easel on The Artful Parent. Explore gravity in art with drip painting that outcomes in one of a kind artworks each and every time.

Recycled Art Projects Using Cardboard (continued)

1. Making Cardboard Masks with Kids on The Artful Parent by Danielle Falk. Create vibrant cardboard masks ideal for imaginative play!
2. Cardboard Rainbow Collages on Art Bar. Use cereal boxes and old paintings to produce these colorful collages.
3. Giant Cardboard Donuts on Art Bar. Just hunting at these giant cardboard donuts is positive to bring a smile to your face.
4. Recycled Shape Art for Kids on Meri Cherry. A excellent way for young little ones to work on mastering their shapes by way of art.
5. How to Make a Cardboard Castle for Hours of Pretend Play on The Artful Parent. Need we say more? 
6. Make DIY Stamps with Cardboard on The Artful Parent by Joanna Walker. Design and produce your extremely personal stamps to print with.
7. DIY Cardboard Frame with Kids Art as a Handmade Gift Idea on The Artful Parent. Display your kids’ art in style!

9 Nature Art Projects Using Found Materials

1. Make a Nature Mobile for Kids With Gathered Materials + Air Dry Clay on The Artful Parent by Abbey Donald. A stunning craft that showcases nature’s tiny treasures. 
2. Make A Magical 3D Nature Suncatcher From A Cardboard Box on The Artful Parent.  A one of a kind and entertaining way to experiment with light, colour, and organic supplies. 
3. Nature Collage on Cardboard on Art Camp. A beautiful way to paint and show gathered nature supplies.
4. Feather Art in a Box – A Nature Drawing &amp Painting Activity for Kids on The Artful Parent by Samara Caughey. Kids can make their personal feather art with this excellent chance to discover some of nature’s patterns, shapes, and lines. 
5. Flower Mandala Suncatcher on The Artful Parent. A easy and stunning project employing light and colour. 
6. Macrame Rock Necklaces on The Artful Parent by Gina Vide. Showcase your kids’ favored rock or other outside obtain with this DIY macrame necklace tutorial. 
7. Make Your Own Nature Paintbrushes on Messy Little Monster. See what patterns and textures you can produce with these DIY brushes created with supplies located in nature. 
8. Nature-Inspired Drawing Prompts on Playful Learning. A entertaining and easy way to slow down and appreciate nature by way of art. 
9. Make your own craft supplies using things found in nature on Mother Natured. Suggestions for replacing standard art supplies with nature-primarily based substitutes.

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About The Author

Rachel Withers

Rachel is the Editorial Manager at The Artful Parent. She is passionate about engaging with little ones by way of art, no matter whether at art groups or by way of teaching photography at a regional elementary college.

Rachel lives in Portland, Maine, and loves going on adventures with her loved ones. As a mother of two young little ones, she is excited to discover how nature, art, and play combine in a child’s mastering and improvement. Creating art with her little ones and hosting a toddler art group are existing highlights.