How to Reuse Empty Toilet Paper Rolls

Once the paper's gone, use the empty roll.

Going green can be done in big ways and small. One little way to help keep trash out of landfills is by reusing the empty rolls of toilet paper in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Sidewalk chalk:
• Empty toilet paper rolls
• Liquid tempera paint
• Plaster of Paris
• Water
• Plastic Wrap
• Tin foil
• Masking tape, 3 inches wide
• Large bowl or bucket
• Stick for mixing
• Little people dolls:
• Uncooked macaroni shells, various shapes and sizes
• Cotton balls
• Colored Markers
• Glue
• Glitter
• Birthday scroll:
• Butcher paper or other long paper
• Scissors
• Crayons or markers

Instructions

Sidewalk Chalk

1. Seal one end of the empty toilet paper roll with masking tape.

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

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.

4. Repeat this process with three more empty toilet paper rolls.

5. Pour 3 cups of plaster of Paris into a bowl to make the chalk.

6. Add a total of 3 cups of water and liquid tempera paint. Add small amounts of tempura paint at a time -- about 1 tablespoon -- since a little color goes a very long way.

7. Stir slowly with a stick. 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.

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

9. Let dry for at least 48 hours. Remove the cardboard toilet paper covering and use the open end as chalk.

Little People Dolls

1. Gather the kids and have them draw a face on the top third of each toilet paper roll.

2. Tell them to color the rest of the roll as desired.

3. Let them glue different sizes of uncooked, dry macaroni on the empty toilet paper rolls as decoration. They can even paint the dry macaroni shapes.

4. Have them sprinkle the rolls with glitter.

5. Have them add cotton to the top for hair, coloring it if they wish.

Birthday Card Scroll

1. Cut a piece of paper 20 inches long and wide enough to cover the toilet paper roll.

2. Run a line of glue down the toilet paper roll. Attach one end of the paper to the glue.

3. Twist the roll until it is covered by the paper.

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

5. Do the same thing for the other end of the strip of paper on another roll. Let this dry for 30 minutes or so.

6. Decorate the section of paper between the two rolls as desired. Kids can do anything in this area: They can draw pictures, print a personal birthday greeting and decorate with glue and glitter.

7. When dry, roll up the two sides of the scroll and tie them together closed with a piece of string or ribbon to be presented to the birthday girl or boy.

References

• Ezi-Kids-Stuff-Galore: Home Made Chalk and Glitter
• SundaySchoolNetwork.com: Paper Towel Rolls