Eco-Art: Doing Good One Box at a Time
Obviously, I recycle. Nearly everyone I know does. But on some days – some very busy, tired days – I get a little annoyed with the process. Usually, my annoyance peaks at the end of the day, when the kitchen all but dares me to unload the dishwasher, load it again (because let’s face it, I’m nearly always a cycle behind), and somehow pull together a reasonably healthy dinner while mopping up the milk Little Miss Three just spilled and helping Miss Kindergarten spell each word in her latest poetic enterprise.
At that point, collapsing the pasta box and removing the little plastic window does, in fact, seem like too much to ask.
So now you know the truth. My eco-craft box was born out of laziness and frustration, rather than a high-minded desire to save the earth. One day, I simply refused to collapse that pasta box. Because I still couldn’t bring myself to toss it in the trash, I started a small box in the corner for recyclables with crafting possibilities.
Little did I know, the possibilities truly are endless.
Without any guidance at all, without even being told the boxes were for her to use, Miss Kindergarten raided the eco-craft box several times over the past two weeks. She dug out an empty tissue box and taped a flap of construction paper over the top: voila – an instant jewelry box for her princess game. She found a couple of empty fruit cups to use as fine china for her tea party.
Some of her creations from the eco-art box rival her actual toys in terms of lime-light play time.
Perhaps you keep an eco-art box handy near your own crafting area. Or perhaps your recycling bin is organized enough to double as an eco-art box. If so, you might find the websites below handy. Keep in mind that some of these ideas might make great gifts for siblings, cousins, or grandparents. The holidays are coming, and nothing makes a kid happier than gifting their own creations!
- Kinder Art’s Recycle Section
- Family Fun’s Recycle Section
- Kaboose’s Earth Day Crafts
- All Free Crafts
Because Miss K and Little Miss Three are both very interested in building little towns, roads, and farms lately, I dug out some old Family Fun instructions for a recycled box village. We combined it with the insert from the latest Highlights magazine, which featured doors, storefronts, and signs for a small town. Unlike the Highlights paper bag suggestion, using our recycled boxes meant we could cut doors and windows into the boxes, giving Little Miss Three’s fleet of tiny horses many places to shop, dine, and check out their library books.
The girls have given their new creation a place of honor in the play room. At least for now, my (formerly annoying) recycling has been re-purposed.
Tags: Craft, Free, Healing the Earth
