crafts
Cardboard Box City
Delivery boxes, tape and markers become a town that survives all week.
70 minIndoorLow mess
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Recycled and Junk Model Crafts
Junk modelling is the closest most children get to open-ended engineering. There is no instruction sheet, no correct outcome and an unlimited supply of material.
Keep a box of tubes, lids and small cartons somewhere accessible and this whole category becomes available at a moment's notice.
Browse by age
Number of activities suitable for each age. Many activities suit several ages, so these overlap.
Featured recycled crafts activities
crafts
Space Small World in a Box
Black paper, foil balls and a torch make a galaxy on the living room floor.
55 minIndoorLow mess
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learning
Cardboard Marble Run Challenge
Tubes, tape and a wall — an engineering problem with an instant pass or fail.
60 minIndoorNo mess
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painting
Bubble Wrap Printing
Leftover bubble wrap painted and pressed onto paper leaves a honeycomb texture children love repeating.
25 minIndoor or outdoorSome mess
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crafts
Cardboard Tube Animals
Empty toilet roll tubes become owls, foxes and giraffes with paint, paper scraps and glue.
40 minIndoorSome mess
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crafts
Paper Cup Flowers
Snipped and folded paper cups turn into simple flowers that stand up on their own in a jar.
30 minIndoorLow mess
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nature-crafts
DIY Bird Feeder
Peanut butter, seed and a toilet roll tube make a bird feeder that hangs outside within the hour.
20 minIndoor or outdoorSome mess
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paper-crafts
Paper Bag Puppets
A flat paper bag folds into a puppet mouth that flaps open when children talk for it.
30 minIndoorLow mess
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recycled-crafts
Egg Carton Caterpillars
A cut-and-painted egg carton strip becomes a bendy, bobble-eyed caterpillar in one sitting.
35 minIndoorSome mess
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crafts
Father's Day Handmade Gift
A photo keepsake box and simple thumbprint card that a child can build and decorate mostly by themselves.
50 minIndoorSome mess
See the activity →Free download
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Twenty printable activity cards for ages 2–8, sorted by time and mess level. One email, no spam, unsubscribe any time.
Frequently asked questions
What should I save for junk modelling?+
Tubes, small boxes, bottle caps, egg cartons and clean plastic trays. Stop when the box is full, or it takes over.
What sticks cardboard best?+
Masking tape for speed, a hot glue gun for strength. PVA is too slow to hold a child's interest.