Top 19 'Recycle-Bin-Rockets' DIY Projects to create with kids before the trash gets picked up
Is that the rumbling sound of the garbage truck I hear? Quick! Before that bin of "trash" gets hauled away, let's take a peek inside. That cardboard box? It’s not just a box; it’s a castle. That empty plastic bottle? It’s a deep-sea submarine waiting for an intrepid explorer. Welcome to the world of "Recycle-Bin-Rockets"—crafts so fast, fun, and imaginative, you can make them in the nick of time.
These projects are more than just a way to pass an afternoon. They are mini-lessons in creativity, resourcefulness, and sustainability, all rolled into one. By transforming what we might consider waste into something wonderful, we teach our kids a powerful lesson: that with a little imagination, potential is everywhere. It’s about seeing a yogurt pot not as trash, but as a wind chime; a cereal box not as empty, but as the body of a rock-and-roll guitar.
So, let's dive into that glorious bin of possibilities. Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we've compiled our top 19 favorite DIY projects that give your recyclables a second, more adventurous life. Grab the glue, the safety scissors, and your little co-pilots. It's time to create!
1. The Classic Cardboard Tube Rocket Ship
This is the quintessential recycled craft for a reason—it’s simple, iconic, and offers limitless potential for imaginary space travel. The humble toilet paper or paper towel tube is the perfect fuselage for an interstellar vessel, ready to blast off to distant galaxies (or just the other side of the living room).
To get started, you’ll need a cardboard tube, some scrap cardboard or sturdy paper for the fins and nose cone, and your choice of decorating materials. Create the nose cone by cutting a circle out of paper, cutting a slit to the center, and overlapping the edges to form a cone shape. Secure with tape or glue. Cut out three or four small triangles for the fins and attach them to the base of your rocket.
Pro-Tip: Wrap the body of the rocket in aluminum foil for a sleek, metallic finish. For a spectacular launch effect, tape or glue red, orange, and yellow crepe paper streamers to the inside of the tube's base to create fiery rocket boosters.
2. Plastic Bottle Submarine
Explore the mysterious depths of the bathtub sea or the shag carpet ocean floor with a custom-built submarine. A 2-liter soda bottle or a smaller water bottle makes for a perfect, watertight hull. This project is fantastic for talking about buoyancy and underwater exploration while you craft.
Lay the bottle on its side. Use sturdy, waterproof tape (like duct tape) or a hot glue gun (with adult supervision) to attach fins and a tail made from cardboard or plastic from another container, like a milk jug. A plastic bottle cap can be glued on top for a hatch, and a straw can become a periscope. Let your child decide the submarine's mission: are they searching for lost treasure or studying colorful sea creatures?
Pro-Tip: If you want the submarine to actually submerge a bit in the water, you can add some weight by putting a few clean pebbles or marbles inside before sealing it up.
3. Egg Carton Critters
An empty egg carton is a goldmine of creative possibilities. Each little cup is the perfect starting point for an adorable bug, a slithering caterpillar, or even a whole family of turtles. This craft is excellent for little hands, as the bumpy texture is fun to paint.
For a caterpillar, cut a long strip from the carton, turn it upside down, and let your child paint each bump a different color. Add googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae to the front cup to bring it to life. For ladybugs or turtles, simply cut out individual cups, paint them the appropriate color (red with black dots or green), and add little paper legs or heads.
Pro-Tip: String a few caterpillar segments together with yarn to make a wiggly, pull-along toy. The possibilities are endless—a row of cups can also become the bumpy back of a crocodile or a dinosaur!
4. Newspaper Pirate Hat & Sword
Ahoy, matey! Turn yesterday's news into today's grand adventure. This timeless craft requires no glue or tape, just some clever folding. It’s a fantastic way to develop fine motor skills and following instructions, and the payoff is an afternoon of swashbuckling fun.
Find a large double-page spread of a newspaper. Fold it in half to create a crease, then open it up again. Fold the top two corners down to meet at the center crease, forming a triangle. Fold the bottom rectangular flaps up on both sides, and you’ve got a classic pirate hat! For the sword, simply roll a few sheets of newspaper tightly from one corner to the other, securing the end with a piece of tape. You can create a hilt by wrapping a smaller piece of cardboard around the base.
Pro-Tip: Let your little pirate decorate their hat with a skull and crossbones drawn with a black marker. They can also paint their sword silver for a more realistic look.
5. Cereal Box Diorama
A cereal box is a ready-made stage for any world your child can imagine. Whether it's a prehistoric landscape with toy dinosaurs, an enchanting fairy garden, or a deep-sea wonderland, a diorama offers a 3D canvas for storytelling.
Simply cut out one of the large rectangular faces of the cereal box, leaving the other sides intact to create your stage. Your child can then paint the inside walls to create a background—blue for the ocean, green for a jungle, or black for outer space. They can then add details by gluing in pictures cut from magazines, small toys, or natural elements like twigs and pebbles.
Pro-Tip: Create depth by hanging paper fish from thread taped to the "ceiling" of the box or by making paper creations that can stand up on their own with a small folded tab at the bottom.
6. Milk Jug "I-Gloo" or Ghost
The opaque white plastic of a milk jug is perfect for all sorts of creations. In the winter, it can become a snowy igloo for toy penguins. Around Halloween, it transforms into a friendly (or spooky!) ghost.
For an igloo, carefully cut the bottom half off a clean, dry gallon milk jug. Use a black marker to draw the ice block lines. You can even cut a small arched doorway. For a ghost, keep the jug whole and simply draw a face on it with a permanent marker.
Pro-Tip: To make a glowing ghost lantern, carefully cut a hole in the back of the milk jug and place a battery-operated tea light or a string of fairy lights inside. It creates a wonderfully spooky, safe glow for a front porch or window.
7. Tin Can Robots
Build a futuristic friend from the odds and ends of your recycling bin. Tin cans come in various sizes, making them perfect for creating robot bodies, heads, and legs. This project is a fantastic introduction to assemblage art and 3D construction.
Safety First: Ensure an adult thoroughly cleans the cans and checks for any sharp edges around the rim. You can cover the rim with a strip of duct tape just to be safe. Use a strong adhesive like a hot glue gun or E6000 (with adult supervision) to stack and attach cans. Bottle caps make great eyes, nuts and bolts can be antennae, and wire or pipe cleaners are perfect for bendy arms.
Pro-Tip: Before assembly, let your kids paint the cans with acrylic paint. A metallic silver or a bright primary color can give their robot a distinct personality.
8. The Great Cardboard Box Fort
There is no recycled craft more epic than the cardboard box fort. An appliance box is the holy grail, but any large shipping box will do. This isn't just a craft; it's an exercise in engineering, architecture, and world-building that can provide hours, or even days, of imaginative play.
Start by planning your design. Will it be a castle with turrets and a drawbridge? A spaceship with a control panel? A cozy cottage with windows and a door? Use a box cutter (adults only!) to cut out openings. Let the kids take charge of the interior design, drawing controls, windows, or bookshelves on the walls with markers.
Pro-Tip: Connect multiple boxes with tape or by cutting strategic flaps and slots to create a sprawling multi-room complex. Drape a blanket over the top for a cozy roof.
9. Bottle Cap Mosaic Art
Don't toss those colorful plastic bottle caps! They are the perfect tiles for creating a vibrant mosaic. This project is wonderful for practicing color recognition, sorting, and pattern-making.
Start with a sturdy piece of cardboard as your base. Have your child sketch a simple design—a flower, a rainbow, a fish, or just an abstract pattern. Then, using craft glue, they can start filling in the design by attaching the bottle caps, flat-side down.
Pro-Tip: For a more permanent piece of outdoor art, use a waterproof adhesive and a piece of wood as your base. You can create a colorful stepping stone for the garden (note: this would be decorative, not for actual stepping).
10. Junk Mail Collage
Turn that pile of flyers, old magazines, and catalogs into a beautiful and textured piece of art. A collage is a fantastic, open-ended activity that allows children to explore themes, colors, and textures while practicing their scissor skills.
Give your child a theme, like "Animals," "My Favorite Things," or "Things That Are Blue." Let them flip through the junk mail and cut out any pictures, words, or colors that fit the theme. Then, they can arrange and glue their findings onto a piece of paper or cardboard.
Pro-Tip: Challenge older kids to create a self-portrait using only pictures and words cut from magazines that they feel represent them. It’s a fun, introspective exercise.
11. Yogurt Pot Wind Chimes
Add a splash of color and a gentle sound to your garden or balcony with homemade wind chimes. Cleaned yogurt pots or K-Cup pods are the perfect size for this musical and decorative craft.
An adult should carefully poke a small hole in the center of the bottom of each yogurt pot. Have your child paint the pots with bright, weatherproof acrylic paint. Once dry, thread a long piece of string through the hole, tying a large knot or a bead on the inside to keep it from pulling through. You can add more beads, bells, or even old keys to the string below the pot to create the chiming sound. Tie several of these decorated strings to a larger stick or a plastic lid to complete your wind chime.
Pro-Tip: Experiment with different materials to see what sounds they make. Metal washers, seashells with holes, and small pieces of bamboo all create unique tones when they clink together.
12. Plastic Lid Frisbees
Get ready for some outdoor fun with a DIY flying disc. This simple craft turns two matching plastic lids—like those from large yogurt or sour cream containers—into a surprisingly effective frisbee.
First, have your kids decorate the tops of the lids using permanent markers. They can draw cool patterns, their initials, or a team logo. Once the decorating is done, place the lids together like a clamshell and secure the rim with a strong, colorful tape like duct tape or electrical tape. This adds weight and stability.
Pro--Tip: For better flight, you can add a little bit of weight by placing a few flat stones or some sand inside before sealing the two lids together.
13. Cardboard Tube Binoculars
Every great explorer needs a trusty pair of binoculars to spot rare birds, distant mountains, or sneaky siblings. This is a quick and easy craft that instantly fuels imaginative play.
Simply take two toilet paper tubes and glue or tape them together side-by-side. Punch a hole on the outer edge of each tube and tie a piece of yarn or string through them to create a neck strap. Now for the fun part: decoration! Your child can paint them camouflage for a safari adventure, black for a spy mission, or cover them in glitter for a more glamorous expedition.
Pro-Tip: Tape a small piece of yellow or blue cellophane over the ends of the eyepieces to let your child see the world in a whole new color.
14. Cereal Box Guitar
Let your little rockstar take center stage with a homemade six-string. This STEM-friendly craft combines art with the physics of sound, creating an instrument they can actually strum.
You'll need an empty cereal box, a paper towel tube, and several rubber bands. An adult should cut a soundhole in the front of the box and an opening on the side just big enough to insert the paper towel tube "neck." Secure the neck with plenty of tape. Stretch different-sized rubber bands around the box and over the soundhole to create the strings.
Pro-Tip: Show your child how a tighter or thinner rubber band creates a higher-pitched sound, while a looser or thicker one creates a lower pitch. It's a fun, hands-on science lesson! As an educator and parent, I, like Goh Ling Yong, find these teachable moments in crafting invaluable.
15. Cardboard Box Puppet Theater
Put on a show! A medium-sized cardboard box can be easily transformed into a magnificent stage for sock puppets, paper puppets, or even favorite small toys.
Position the box so the opening is facing you. On what is now the "front" of the theater, an adult can cut out a large rectangular window for the stage. Let your child paint the box to look like a real theater, complete with red curtains painted on the sides and a fancy sign at the top with the theater's name.
Pro-Tip: Drape a small piece of fabric over the top that can be pulled back to "open the curtain" at the beginning of the show. Kids can hide behind the box to operate their puppets.
16. Styrofoam Tray Printmaking
Unleash your inner Warhol with this simple and satisfying printmaking technique. A clean, flat styrofoam tray (like those from produce or meat) makes an excellent printing plate.
First, ensure the tray is thoroughly washed and dried. Have your child use a dull pencil or a ballpoint pen to etch a design into the styrofoam. They don't need to press hard, just enough to indent the surface. Next, use a small roller or a paintbrush to apply a thin layer of tempera paint over the entire surface. Press a piece of paper firmly onto the painted tray, rub gently all over, and then carefully peel it back to reveal your print!
Pro-Tip: You can wash the paint off the tray and use it again and again with different colors. This is a great way to make homemade greeting cards or wrapping paper.
17. Wine Cork Stamps
This is a great craft for parents to prep and kids to enjoy. Wine corks are the perfect size for little hands to grip, and their flat ends are ideal for creating simple stamps.
An adult can use a craft knife to carefully carve a simple shape into the end of a cork—a star, a heart, a letter, or a smiley face. Then, just pour a little paint onto a paper plate, let your child dip the cork stamp into the paint, and get stamping!
Pro-Tip: Use different corks for different colors to avoid mixing them. These stamps are fantastic for decorating homemade cards, personalizing notebooks, or just making patterned art.
18. Glass Jar Lanterns
Transform an empty spaghetti sauce or jam jar into a beautiful, glowing lantern. This is a calming and beautiful craft that results in a lovely piece of home decor.
Tear small pieces of colored tissue paper. Using a mixture of white glue and a little water (or Mod Podge), paint a section of the outside of the jar, stick a piece of tissue paper on, and then paint over it again to seal it. Continue this process, overlapping the pieces, until the entire jar is covered in a colorful collage.
Pro-Tip: Once the jar is completely dry, place a battery-operated LED tea light inside. The light will shine through the colored paper, creating a magical, stained-glass effect. These are perfect for creating a cozy atmosphere during story time.
19. DIY Marble Run
This is the ultimate recycle bin engineering challenge! Using a collection of cardboard tubes, small boxes, and plastic containers, you can create an incredible, gravity-defying run for marbles.
Start with a large, sturdy piece of cardboard or the side of a big box set up at an angle. Cut paper towel and toilet paper tubes in half lengthwise to create channels. Let your kids experiment with taping these channels, along with yogurt cups (as funnels) and other "obstacles," onto the board to create a path for a marble to travel from top to bottom.
Pro-Tip: Encourage problem-solving. If the marble gets stuck, what can they change? If it's going too fast, how can they slow it down? This is a project that can be constantly tweaked and improved, making it a new challenge every time.
The next time you’re about to haul the recycling to the curb, take a moment. That bin isn’t just full of disposables; it’s a treasure chest brimming with potential rocket ships, robots, and rock-and-roll guitars. These projects prove that the best creative adventures don't require expensive supplies—just a little bit of imagination and a willingness to see the magic in the mundane.
So, go on, rescue that cardboard tube from its fate. You're not just saving it from the landfill; you're launching a priceless afternoon of creativity and connection with your kids.
What amazing creations have you and your family rescued from the recycling bin? Share your favorite projects in the comments below or tag us in your photos on social media. We can't wait to see what you build
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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