Crafts for Kids Made From Peanut Butter Jars
Recycle old peanut butter jars into an assortment of craft projects that kids can make on their own, or with just a little help from an adult. Turn empty peanut butter jars into pencil containers or vases, lanterns or nightlights, terrariums or holiday-decorated canisters. Collect your empty peanut butter jars and store them away for a quick rainy-day activity that the kids will love.
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Pencil Containers and Vases
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Turn empty peanut butter jars into colorful vases or pencil containers. Clean and wash the peanut butter jars before beginning the craft project. Allow children to attach fabric or tissue paper to the outside of the jar with decoupage glue. Decorate further by adding ribbon and jewel stones. Jars can also be decorated with non-toxic paints, markers, self-adhesive foam pieces and construction paper. Cover the outside of the jars with a clear-drying glitter glue to add an extra touch to the craft project. Kids can decorate the jars' lids so the containers can be used to store small items such as erasers, paper clips or change. Jars can also be used to store pencils and pens, or used as a vase for fresh wildflowers.
Lanterns and Nightlights
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An empty peanut butter jar can quickly become a lantern or nightlight for kids with just a few simple materials. Line the inside of a cleaned peanut butter jar with waxed paper attached with transparent tape. Use hook-and-loop fastener to attach a small battery-powered candle to the inside of the lid. Turn the light on and screw the lid into place to complete the nightlight. To add a decorative touch, kids can use tissue paper or paint on the outside of the jar to create a colored light. Attach a small handle with a piece of rope to create lantern that can be used indoors or out.
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Terrariums
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Your peanut butter jar is just a few steps away from becoming a miniature ecosystem. Kids can fill the bottom of their peanut butter jar with just an inch of potting soil and bury the roots of a small plant. Decorate the inside of the jar with decorative stones and add a small amount of water to moisten the soil. Seal the lid on the peanut butter jar and place it in the child's bedroom window so he or she can watch the plant grow inside the jar. For more entertainment, your child add ladybugs or a caterpillar to the tiny terrarium.
Holiday Canisters
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During the holiday season, the kids can decorate their peanut butter jars with fabric and ribbon and fill them with an assortment of homemade candy or cookies. These recycled peanut butter jars make excellent gifts for family members, teachers and friends. Consider filling the peanut butter jars with cookie mix and attaching a small cookie cutter to the outside of the jar with ribbon as another simple gift idea. For other holidays, such as Halloween and Easter, provide other holiday decorating options. Paint ghosts on the outside of peanut butter jars and fill with candy corn for Halloween. For Easter, consider attaching ears to the lid of the jar and painting a bunny face, complete with a cotton ball nose to the front of the jar. Fill the jar with jelly beans and give it as a gift to family or a teacher.
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