With the Kids

Kids in the Craft Room: Recycled Materials + Giveaway

We love to craft with recycled materials. They are some of our favorite supplies. And they are cheap, pretty much anything we are done with using from a box, can, or paper tube! That’s what we are talking about in today’s video for our Kids in the Craft Room series.

There are so many fun things you can create from recycled materials. We’ve made tin can drums, chip bag book covers, paper tube lightsabers, and grocery ad color wheels. I actually love to use recyclable containers for toys at the beach. Some of the plastic cartons make for great sand castles!

My daughter has recently made a paper tube tower castle, yogurt container home for a lizard, and a cheese grater for her play kitchen. The possibilities are endless.

Here’s a few of our favorite recycled materials to craft with: 

 

Marie

Marie is a mom of 3 living in Seattle, WA. She's been the founder and managing editor of Make and Takes for the last 16 years, sharing DIY tutorials for home, family, and fun. Author of Make and Takes for Kids, Early Childhood and Elementary graduate, and currently teaching 2nd grade in Seattle!

Kids Crafts
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577 comments

  2. Definitely cardboard. We also like to use old drawings and turn them into puzzles.

  4. This is an awesome giveaway! I love making crafts and I love Mod Podge! Use it all the time.

  10. I am loving your Kids in the Craft Room series! I am filing it all away because right now I only have one 9-month-old. I would love to win the Mod Podge giveaway – how fun, the ideas are endless!

  14. I love Mod Podge and Mod Podge Rocks! This book looks great. Thanks for the chance to win.

  15. My son and I love to craft together, especially to make gifts. We would love to win this. Thank you for the giveaway.

  23. I love crafting with mod podge. Once I discovered it I don’t want to be without it.

  32. hi…i have just started using mod podge and its totally awesome. i cant believe i didnt know about this earlier. thanks for the chance to win something so interesting :D

  36. I would love to try Mod Podge. I’ve heard great things, but I’ve never tried it before.
    Maybe I’ll win and get to make some new things with the kiddos!!

  40. Just found this wonderful site! Lots of great ideas for the summer days when my granddaughter and I spend time crafting. The Mod Podge kit would be fantastic!

  51. Mod Podge, how do I love thee…let me count the ways! I have been enjoying this stuff & craftfing with it since the 70’s, & it’s such a human-friendly medium, being non-toxic & all.
    My 2 daughters & I would be so blessed to win this prize pack, so thanks for it, in advance, & blessings for the day – Julie H. :-)

  59. Just signed up for your newsletter can’t wait to start getting – love your ideas!

  60. We would love this! I always called it “Modge Podge” when I was growing up, took me a long time to figure out that wasn’t the real name!

  61. Would have lots of fun winning. My soon and I could really have a great time making done stuff. Thanks for the chance to win.

  64. I have done many a mod podge projects inmy day but ithink my 2 year old daughter is just getting old enough to try her first!

  69. Mod Podge rocks! I could use it for the crafternoon my daughter and I plan to have this summer :)

  77. Subscribed to the M&T. Need all the home projects to keep my 2 girls (9) and (4) entertained this summer.

  78. Hi, Loved looing at your Blog. My Girls and I anr looking for inspiration, for ideas for my daughters 5th Birthday Party that we are having this Saturday June 9. I have all ready started a banner that spells out Happy Birthday, and My Girls are really getting excited with all the things we are making for the Party. One Daughter is in the process of making a ring toss game our of paper plates, she’s almost done. then I hope to be able to make cupcakes (Flower cupcakes), I not a baker, very nervous. I have a lot to accomplish this week. Yes, Im starting late with all the decorations. I’m trying to keep the cost down and use what we have. So far we are doing great. I already had plain paper plates and I found some scrapbook paper and I was able to print out the letters on the scrapbook paper. Still looking around for easy Diy decoratins. The girls and I had a fun time with Mod Podge ( we made pen and pencil holders) and we made gifts for the girls teachers for the last day of school. Our first time using MOD Podge we made Clipboards. We would love to have more ideas on what else we could make with MOD PODGE. We would love to win the Giveaway.

  84. Awesome giveaway I just stared in crafting and this will be great to add to my supplies

  85. I would love to win a copy of this book – thanks for the chance to win!

  86. Modge Podge has literally changed the way I do “crafts.” It has made my crafting time into so much more, i.e. relaxation time/interior design/ creative thinking/dreaming time :) LOVE IT!

  87. I think my kids love playing with random boxes and empty containers more than “real” toys!!! Thanks for the chance to win that fun pack of goodies!

  89. Great giveaway!!! That books looks so fun.. I’m always and forever looking for crafts to do with my 5 yr old that will hold her interest :) TFS

  95. I am thrilled to have clicked on your link. I love what creativity you have to offer the world! It’s a dream to think about all of the things you are giving away so I went all out.

  97. I think this book looks like it has great ideas, I can’t wait to get my hands on one. I love to make stuff out of other stuff, ha, ha. Thanks for the chance to win one, I will keep my fingers crossed, (that is when I’m not making things).

  102. I’m a preschool aide and a mom to 3 boys and I’m always looking for great craft ideas and Mod Podge would be awesome! I would love to win this!

  103. My daughter and I love to craft together and using recycled materials is our passion! We’d LOVE to win! :) Thanks!
    ~ Doreen at whereisyourhappyplace.blogspot.com

  104. Hard to believe but we have never dabbled in Mod Podge…I hope we will be soon!! Thanks!!

  105. As a summer camp/recreation specialist, this would be the greatest resource, EVER! Keeping my fingers crossed.

  110. Awesome giveaway! I would love to share this gift with the Youth Services Librarian at our local library as she loves to do crafts with the local kids!

  116. I subscribe to MakeandTakes :-) And I have had my eye on this book for about a week, maybe. Oooo… it would be terrific to own it!!

  125. I left a Tweet about this wonderful giveaway & I now follow makeandtake!

  131. I am a mod podge addict so I have got to win this!:) LOVE this giveaway!

  134. My summer camp kids and I would love the chance to win this Mod Podge kit. I have just recently been introduced and love it!!! We made clipboards for our mommies on Mother Day’s…. I love your ideas of using recycled materials. Thank you

  138. I’ve used Mod Podge a few times. I like the result, but if you have 2 Mod Podged things next to each other, they can stick together.

  139. Oh, fun. Mod Podge does rock! We just made a Star Wars “house” out of bits of stuff I had saved up. I just put the bin in front of the kids and they went to down. I glued the big things down with the glue gun and they did the rest. :)

  143. The kids are out of school on June 20 and I am off work for the summer on June 29. We have lots of crafty plans this summer. This is an excellent give away!

  144. My daughter is finally getting old enough to do crafts with. I’d love to win this!

  145. This would be so awsome! Me and my kids would get a lot of use out of this prize!

  146. My son is always making something from recycled and/or found objects. His current passions are swords, wands, and spy gear. He snatches up all the cardboard tubes he possibly can and in a wink has created a fabulous new toy. Those seem to be his primary craft supply of choice as of late.

  150. I would love to win this so that I can try my hand at something new. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway.

  162. My kids already love Modge Podge, but would go nuts if they had their own stash of it!

  174. Mod Podge is wonderful–I’m a big fan of the original stuff, but the Dimensional Magic stuff is pretty great too!

  178. This would be great!! I’ve used Mod Podge a few times and loved it and am in dire need of some more!!

  180. My 3yr old son absolutely loves crafts. We make them a lot on our days off or rainy days. We recently made homemade hummingbird feeders abd regular bird feeders as well.

  182. Oh, I would LOVE to win this giveaway! Mod Podge is so versatile–the possibilities are endless!

  183. Did a modge podge pic for my mom for mothers day of me and my three sisters. It brought tears to her eyes.

  188. I would love to learn how to use Mod Podge! I’ve only used it once, but love crafting and am always excited to learn :) Thanks for the great giveaway.

  191. Wow, with summer break around the corner, I need inspiration to keep us busy! thanks for the opportunity!

  199. Love it! Hope I can win it — but I’ll definitely find it somewhere if I don’t.

  200. I would love to win this gift pack! It looks like me & my daughter could have fun with this!

  201. I love this product! I learned how to decopauge with my mom and grandma. I have now shared that love with the kids I teach:)

  214. Love, love, love Mod Podge! So many projects, so little time! Mod Podge rocks!

  216. I Mod Podge-ed my coffee table with Marilyn Monroe. Most beautiful coaster-less piece. Love this stuff!! Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!!

  221. I just ran out of Mod Podge and could really use some more. I’ve been working on a Pinterest project and I can’t wait to finish! I liked you on Facebook and added a button to my blog (although I’m not sure if I did that part right since I’m new to the blog world). I hope I’m picked…Thanks

  222. I LOVE mod podge!!! I am dying for this book too! How fun!! Thanks for the chance to win!

  224. My family and I love doing puzzles and we always use Mod Podge to seal them and hang them up in the kids room!

  227. This looks like a really fun book, especially with kids home and summer here.

  234. My oldest girl tells me EVERYDAY: Let’s make a project!!!!
    This is awesome for our “daily”projects :)
    Thank you!!!!!

  240. I would love to win this!!! I have 3 small boys and my craft desk is my oasis!!!

  245. Tweeted about the giveaway and am now following you on twitter! Hope we win…more summer craft ideas are much needed! :)

  258. Cute! Love the project, looks so fun. We love crafting, so we’d love to win :) Thanks!

  259. What a wonderful idea! I followed a friend over here for the free give away but ended up loving the whole site…. thanks for some awesome ideas!

  262. I think lots of fun could be had with these awesome goodies! Thanks for the giveaway!

  270. I have yet to use the wondrous modge podge this would be a great opportunity to start!

  282. This is great! I’ve been looking for some fun (semi messy) crafts to do with my son this summer! This would be perfect :)

  283. This is such a cute idea! This would be great to do with the whole family.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  292. This is a great giveaway! I have just recently got into mod podge and love it. There are so many neat things that can be done with it. I plan on doing a lot with mod podge over the summer!

  309. My twins and I would have so much fun with this – thank you so much for the contest!

  312. What fun! I’d love to be inspired by some new ideas! Thanks for the chance to play!

  314. Mod Podge is a lot of fun! Unfortunately, I lost all my crafting supplies in a flooded basement. Including a variety of Plaid products. I would love to win, and decoupage is so much fun. Mod Podge really does Rock!

  316. We love the Podge!!! I even love that minty smell’ and the last project I made with it was a map covered travel journal :)

  321. I would love to win!!! Can’t wait to get crafting with Mod Podge!!!

  330. I’ve heard so much about Modge Podge and hope to win this so I can give it a go myself! My niece & nephew are gonna love this!

  332. What I great giveaway my kids and I will be crafting all summer long. Hip hip hurray!

  337. OMG Mod Podge! I am entering the school years with my kids and basically envision Mod Podge-ing everything in sight for years to come.

  339. I love Modge Podge it is a blast from the past for me. My mom used it all the time from pictures to doll houses. I just made a doll house out of an old corner shelf and used it in all the rooms! I would love to win this who knows what else i can do for my kids with all of this! Thanks for the chance to win :)

  343. I am always disappointed with my results when I use Modge Podge. I’m SURE I’d find some helpful tips and info in that book.

  344. What a neat giveaway! Thank you for the chance to play with new supplies! :)

  352. I’m a Modge Podge beginner and this would be awesome to jump start my journey!

  355. Love this give away, how fun! Just posted about it on my facebook page.

  361. Great giveaway! I have some leftover Mod Podge that I could use some ideas for.

  370. I love to mod podge. I showed my high school son how to be creative with his school projects!

  375. Mod Podge is my favorite craft product to use. It’s amazing to be able to create so many things with such a simple product. I sure could use some more!

  379. Would love to win as i’ve never used Modge Podge before… and after reading all the other comments i guess i should really start lol

  382. I love Modge podge!! It goes over all my vinyl wood signs and when putting vinyl lettering on canvas, it is the perfect base to put over the paint and under the vinyl, then a quick top coat and your canvas is perfect every time.

  397. Omg I start teaching arts and crafts this Monday at our School camp. We have recycled materials week I know this would be awesome! Love your page ! Teacher Anabelle from Puerto Rico

  406. I would love to win this giveaway! I saw the book at Hobby Lobby and would love to have it!

  408. What a great giveaway,I love to do crafts would have so much fun doing this

  412. With summer ahead & projects to do this mod podge would serve my daughters & I well! Thanks for the giveaway, m&t!

  419. I am just learning about mod podge and have tapped into my inner crafter! I love Mod Podge AND Make and Takes! I would love this!!!!

  423. I <3 Mod Podge!!! I will put it on anything I can! Next project is to mod podge a clay pot for flowers!!! :)

  424. I love sharing inspirational ideas that help show children the wonders of the world. With this Mod Podge gift pack, my son and I would look forward to MAKING lasting memories that we can TAKE home after fun playdates with friends.

  428. I’m a nanny in southern California and LOVE using modge podge for craft projects and hair accessories. I as well as the munchkin I care for would be GREATLY appreciative to win this contest!!

  435. I love this and would have so much fun with my grandson when he comes for a visit this summer.

    Thank you

    sandyb720 at gmail dot com

  446. I love Mod Podge! I also follow the Mod Podge Rocks blog, always love the great ideas.

  448. Whoo hoo. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mod Podge. I hope I win because I just ran out of it. Hee hee… I added your button to my blog, retweet, shared on FB, etc all that.
    Keep up with your wonderful blog.

  453. I would love to win this to add to my craft book collection!!! Love Mod Podge.

  455. I have actually never used modge podge!! Can you believe it?? I can’t….I need to start now that my daughter is turning 3 I see much more crafting together in the years to come! This would help me get started. :)

  458. I joined the newsletter too! I love Mod Podge! As an artist/crafter with kids this would be an awesome win! Thanks for the giveaway!!!

  468. Love this page. First time here… adorable ideas. Thanks for the opportunity to win the awesome gift.

  479. I love Modge Podge products! I have used it for years on my collage canvases, but I see new schtuff in the picture. Must check it out now. I may have to see if that book is in my local library yet, also.
    Thanks for the chance to win such an awesome assortment of goodies!!

  488. Great giveaway! I’m not super familiar with Modge Podge so this would be a great way for me to get my feet wet! Thanks for the chance.

  489. My daughter is turning 5 next week and this would be great to add to both of our crafts collections!

  494. i LOVE Mod Podge! i used all of mine this morning finishing a basket. so pick me, pick me, cuz now i am out…lol

  497. I just blogged this morning about how I want to work on weekly craft projects with my toddler this summer, and I’ve been saving all our paper rolls! The book looks like a lot of fun. :-)

  499. We are using Mod Podge to decorate carboard boxes that we are going to put on shelves….used to hold all of our crafty goodies!!! :) Happy Mod Podging everyone! PEACE, LOVE, & MOD PODGE <3

  502. My mommy and I would have a great time making projects and gifts with this Mod Podge kit. This might even keep my ADHD under control long enough to do some fun stuff!

  507. I love mod podge! My favorite is to use it with scrapbook paper and tiles to make coasters! Good luck everyone!

  515. Awesome! I love crafting (esp for the kids) out of the recycling bin. I’m actually on a cardboard hunt right now for a project this afternoon.

  516. How neat is this!!! I love love love Modge Podge. I couldn’t imagine all the crafts I could do with this. Thanks for sharing :))

  517. This is a great giveaway! I would love to win, my kids would have a blast making things this summer vacation!

  519. My Daughter just loves she can go on here and make most of these things on her own. Wonderful site!!

  521. My daughter & I are just starting to do crafting so this would be a great start to our craft collection.

  523. I have never done Mod Podge, but I keep Pinning projects on Pinterest so I can get started. This kit would be PERFECT to get me started. Thanks for the contest!!!

  524. never signed up for a giveaway before but this looks like something we would love to get!

  533. I am the biggest Modge Podge fan! I have been all over some modge podge lately but would love some fun new ideas on how to use it! Thanks for the chance to win! Love you spot! Kids crafts are awesome!!

  535. Would love to win this! My daughter is just at that age where she is getting more and more interested in doing crafts. We even built our own craft table for her and I to use!

  538. I would love to win this – Mod Podge is great (and so are you!) Thanks for the chance to win!

  548. Great ideas for using recycled material!!! We have used diaper boxes to make buildings and towers to crash =) Thank you for sharing and offering the giveaway!

  553. Mod Podge is the best!
    I was not aware there are so many types of Mod Podge.

  556. This would be SO much fun to enjoy with my kids. Always looking for fun ideas especially for Summer Break. Thanks for the chance.

  557. I love Mod Podge and Mod Podge Rocks!! Thanks for the chance to win! (I follow on Facebook and Pinterest.)

  565. Love Mod Poge! Lots of fun summer crafting with my son is planned and that kit would be a great addition.

  567. With two daughters that are 8 and 9, Mod Podge Rocks would make for one amazingly fun summer! This is so them!

  571. My kids would <3 this…They love anything and everything that has to do w/creativity and mess :)

  575. Man! I know that my kids and I would love this! We are forever ‘crapping’ (that’s what my daughter calls it, gotta love it! :D ) with each other!

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