C
hildren have the gift of
seeing life through fresh
eyes and the ability to
“make the ordinary come
alive”. Items which we find mundane,
such as salt shakers or spoons, take
on unexpected uses when put in the
hands of a child and can provide hours
of enjoyment. Some kids even have
more fun playing with the packaging
of a new toy, than with the toy itself.
Instead of feeling pressured to buy
every shiny new toy on the market,
we should encourage our children to
find fun in everyday items. Not only
will this recycling ease the strain on
our over-burdened environment, it
can help nurture our child’s budding
creativity and imagination. A great
place to start is at home where, with
a little inspiration, some scissors
and glue, many toys are waiting to
be created from items which would
otherwise be binned. While the
possibilities are endless, to get started
here are 10 ideas for items which can
be recycled into toys, from glass jar
snow globes to egg carton gardens!
1
Water bottles for meditation
magic
Think twice before chucking out
those plastic water bottles. Babies are
fascinated by the water swirling inside,
even before you’ve finished your drink.
When the bottle is dry, you can pop
in some rice or dried pasta to make
a simple rattle. Or line bottles up as
pins to give your child some bowling
practice. Louise, a mother of two, uses
them to make ‘meditation bottles’.
Just help your child fill the bottle with
water, add some food colouring and
sparkly glitter, and shake to marvel
at the swirling magic inside. To avoid
any accidental spills, you can glue the
top on for added security. When your
little one throws his or her next hissy
fit, ask them to shake the bottle and
try to calm down before all the glitter
settles. Great fun, with the bonus of
being a tantrum-taming tool, these
bottles are gold!
2
Cartons for crazy crawlers
Moving house? Save those large
packing cartons a little longer to make
a racing car, fort or secret hideout,
where your child can enjoy hours of
creative play. To make a simple crawl
tunnel, open the cartons up on both
ends and connect as many as you
wish securely with strong tape. Carve
some holes in the cardboard to make
windows or doors and watch your little
ones go wild!
Top10
upcycled
toys
Want to nurture your child’s creativity and
ease your green conscience?
Sue Lynn Tan
shows you how to make 10 simple toys from
everyday items lurking in your recycling box.
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