How to Reuse Empty Toilet Paper Rolls

Member

By PattyOh
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(7 Ratings)

Every household in America goes through hundreds of toilet paper rolls every year. If you’ve ever wanted to find crafts for kids, help our environment by recycling, or find another use for empty toilet paper rolls, keep reading.

Here are 3 great ideas for creative craft projects that you and your children will love making--all out of empty toilet paper rolls.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

FOR BIRTHDAY CARD
Empty toilet paper rolls
Butcher or other long paper
Scissors
Glue
Crayons or markers

Recycle Empty Toilet Paper Rolls Into Sidewalk Chalk

Step 1

Using the masking tape, seal one end of the empty toilet paper roll completely.
Step 2

Tear off a 5-inch long strip of tin foil. Form it into a loose ball.
Step 3

Place the empty toilet paper roll into the ball of tin foil, sealed end down. The tin foil will act as a holder to keep the toilet paper roll upright.
Step 4

Repeat this process for 3 more empty toilet paper rolls.
Step 5

Pour 3 cups of plaster of paris into a bowl to make the chalk.
Step 6

Add water and liquid tempera paint until 3 cups of liquid have been added. The tempera paint should be added in very small amounts, 1 tablespoon at a time, since a little color goes a very long way.
Step 7

Stir slowly with a stick (not your hands). The tempera will color the chalk, so you can add as much or as little as you’d like to achieve the color you want. The chalk will dry lighter than the color when it’s wet.
Step 8

Pour the chalk mixture into each of the empty toilet paper rolls.
Step 9

Let dry for at least 48 hours. Then remove the cardboard toilet paper covering and enjoy your sidewalk chalk!

Recycle Empty Toilet Paper Rolls Into Little People

Step 1

Draw a face on the top 1/3rd of the toilet paper roll.
Step 2

Color the rest of the toilet paper rolls as desired.
Step 3

Glue different sizes of uncooked, dry macaroni on the empty toilet paper rolls as decoration. If desired, you can even paint the dry macaroni shapes.
Step 4

Sprinkle with glitter.
Step 5

Add cotton to the top for hair. Enjoy playing with your special empty toilet paper roll dolls!

Recycle Empty Toilet Paper Rolls Into a Birthday Card Scroll

Step 1

Using scissors, cut a piece of paper 20-inches long and wide enough to cover the toilet paper roll (generally about 4-inches wide).
Step 2

Run a line of glue down the toilet paper roll. Attach the end of the 20-inch long strip of paper to the glue on the toilet paper roll.
Step 3

Twist the roll so that the entire toilet paper roll is covered by the paper.
Step 4

Secure this with another line of glue so that the toilet paper roll won’t unwind to reveal the brown cardboard roll.
Step 5

Do the same thing for the other end of the strip of paper. Let this dry for 30 minutes or until the glue is dry.
Step 6

Decorate the section of paper in between the 2 rolls as desired. Kids can do anything in this area--they can draw pictures, print a personal greeting or even decorate with glue and glitter.
Step 7

When dry, roll up the 2 sides of the scroll, and tie the card closed with a piece of string.