Making Recyled Paper for Kids

Recycle newspaper into handmade paper.

Newspaper, magazines, old phone books and advertorial flyers can be turned into recycled paper for kids. Enlist the help of your kids and add drops of food coloring to create colored paper that they can use for crafts, art projects and greeting cards. Whether you choose to surprise kids with a batch of recycled paper for crafting, or include them in the creation process, recycled paper is a craft that you can make at home.

Make the Paper

Put your little helpers to work and have them shred your collected recyclable papers into thin shreds. If you have time, soak the shreds in warm water; otherwise, add the shreds to the blender and pulse with enough warm water to make a pulpy consistency. Either pour the pulp onto a sheet of flannel or pour it onto a screen above a pan to catch any dripping water. The pulp mixture can then be carefully flipped onto wax paper. Leave it to dry or use a fan set on low to speed up the drying process.

Colors and Additives

During the blending process, add drops of food coloring to the pulp if you wish to make different colors of paper. For two different looks, divide the batch into two portions, leave one batch a natural color and add food coloring to the remainder. Mix pressed flowers, bits of wool string or thread, leaves, grass, colored tissue paper and other oddities to the pulp to create original paper for the kids. One idea is to arrange flower petals and grass into a pattern along the bottom edge of the paper.

Shapes

Leave the edges of the recycled paper rough or pull out some decorative scissors to create different edges. Scallops, zigzags and other patterns can be used to create visually interesting edges. Older kids can do this job for you. One idea is to use a heart-shaped decorative hole punch to punch a collection of hearts out of the recycled paper. Kids can use them to write Valentine's messages, to dress up a scrapbook page or to create a festive garland for a party.

Ideas for the Paper

Use the recycled paper for invitations to a birthday party. One idea is to mix wildflower seeds into the paper pulp after blending, and write party information on the invitation. Guests can plant the whole sheet of paper in a sunny location and grow wildflowers. Another idea is to create small booklets with sheets of recycled paper. Sew the papers together with decorative ribbon, wool or thread. The booklets can be used for a journal or given as gifts or giveaways for a party.

References

• Children of the Earth: Make Recycled Paper
• Canadian Living: Learn How to Create Flower Seed Paper
• Craft Expert: How to Make Paper From Recycled Paper