Recyclable Crafts for Third Grade

Ask parents to donate craft supplies such as egg cartons, cereal boxes and left over paint.

As school budgets tighten and resources become limited, teachers may find a once well-stocked art cabinets drying up. However, the need for art education and creative thinking continues to be an important part of learning. If you're looking for ways to supplement your third-graders' craft lessons, look no further than these recyclable craft ideas.

Recycled Paper Paintings

Post direction for making recycled paper on an overhead project or chart paper. Have third-graders follow the directions to make recycled paper. Help student with steps that require using a blender or hot iron. After paper dries, invite students to decorate the recycled paper art. Student may choose to paint pictures or make oil pastel drawings on the paper. Give students black pens to create comic strips or use colored pencils to draw self-portraits.

Milk Carton Bird Feeders

Invite third-graders to bring in half-gallon milk or juice cartons from home. Have students rinse milk cartons and glue tops shut. Help students cut two holes on opposite sides of the milk carton. Paint outside of milk cartons with nontoxic paint, like left over exterior house paint. Glue craft sticks to the roof. Punch a hole in the top thread and with wire to make a hanger. Fill bottom of birdfeeders with seed and enjoy.

Cardboard Castles

Invite students to bring shoeboxes, tissue boxes, cereal boxes, empty toilet paper and paper towel tubes, round cardboard containers and other small cardboard pieces to school. Break students into small groups and invite them to glue boxes together to create castles. Encourage students to make towering walls and turrets, drawbridges, moats and whatever else comes to mind. Have students to paint castles. Use craft sticks and recycled pieces of paper to create windows, flags and other castle decorations.

Egg Carton Bouquets

Invite students to cut apart an egg carton into individual egg holders. Have students paint the inside and outside of each egg holder. Twist two pipe cleaners together. Poke a hole in the bottom of egg holders and thread pipe cleaners through holes to create flower stems. Bend tops of pipe cleaners inside egg holders to keep stems from sliding out. Place egg carton bouquets in a recycled jars or chip cans covered in scraps of wrapping paper.

References

• Family Fun: Make Recycled Bird Feeder
• Better Homes and Gardens: Make It: Egg Bouquet

Resources

• EcoKids: Save Trees By Making Your Own Paper
• Family Fun: The Great Cardboard Castle