Earth Day is almost here, so to celebrate, use recycled materials to create some fun art projects! If your house is anything like mine, you probably go through a lot of paper towels and toilet paper rolls, which are the perfect recycled art supplies! Start saving them now, and by Earth Day, you’ll have plenty saved up for some creative crafts!
Try one of these creative ideas if you need a fun rainy-day spring craft!
Paper Towel Necklaces
This adorable idea from Eighteen25 is easy and fun to make! It’s fun and colorful, and you can use the pieces to reinforce patterns, practice counting, and name colors!
Supplies
- Paper towel rolls
- Scissors
- Ribbon or string
- Paint
- Paintbrush
Instructions
- Cut the rolls into 2″ sections
- Paint various colors
- Once dried, thread them on a piece of string
Tubular Owls
These adorable little owls are from Fresh and Fun. Your child’s creativity can soar as they experiment with colors, patterns, and shapes. Resist the urge to “correct” your child if they place the beak at the bottom or add three wings or four eyes. Art is all about the process, not the finished project!
Check out my book 50 Things About Crafting with Preschoolers to learn more about crafting with kids and the importance of open-ended art for young learners.
Supplies
- Paper towel rolls
- Scissors
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Glue
- Googly Eyes
- Fabric Scraps
Instructions
- Cut the rolls in half and paint the desired colors
- Allow them to dry
- Once dry, push the tops in to make owl ears
- Use glue to add googly eyes
- Cut wings and a beak from the fabric scraps and glue
Paper Towel Roll Trees
Use excess paper towel rolls any time of year to make these adorable trees, and they’re the perfect craft for celebrating Earth Day!
This crafty idea is from MW Craft Studio. Watch the full tutorial above!
Supplies
Depending on the type of tree your child is making, you will need different supplies, but the basic ones needed are:
- Paper towel rolls
- Scissors
- Brown paper bags
- Colored construction paper
- Glue or tape
Instructions
Depending on your child’s age, you may need to prep some of the supplies first. However, older preschoolers and kindergartners can practice their cutting skills with pre-traced leaves.
- Attach the brown paper bag to one end of the paper towel roll
- Use a marker to draw branches on the bag
- Cut the branches out
- Trace or pre-cut flowers and leaves
- Encourage your child to glue the flowers and leaves on the tree
Paper Towel Sandcastle
This adorable little project from Make Early Learning Fun is the perfect recycled art project! The base idea uses paper tubes, but you could add cardboard boxes and other recyclable materials to create a much larger castle!
This simple project is sensory-loaded and only requires a few supplies! These castles are the perfect craft for outdoors on a sunny day!
Supplies
- Paper towel rolls
- Scissors
- Glue
- Craft Sand & glitter (optional)
- Paper plates
Instructions
- Cut the paper towel rolls to look like a castle turret
- Cover one paper plate in sand and glitter
- Coat the rolls in glue
- Roll the glue-coated rolls in the sand
- Allow the rolls to dry, then glue them to the plate
Your child can jazz up this project by adding seashells and small ocean creatures or making water from tissue or construction paper.
Updated April 10, 2024, by L. Elizabeth Forry
