By Jane Marsh
Upcycling is a great way to bond with your kids while helping the environment. It can also bring out your child’s creative side. Plus, transforming waste products into new items saves you money. Here are some additional benefits of upcycling.
The Benefits of Upcycling
When you repurpose materials, it helps reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills and the ocean. When waste products break down, greenhouse gasses are emitted into the air, causing pollution. Also, the trash that ends up in the ocean can harm marine life.
Upcycling can also have a personal impact. Upcycling encourages you to be creative and use problem-solving skills.
When you collaborate with others to create something brand-new, it can form bonds within your community.
This activity can even earn you some extra cash. Some companies purchase these upcycled products to produce new ones.
Top 7 Upcycling Activities for You and Kids
While upcycling can often be confused with recycling, they are different from one another. Recycled items are collected and processed before being repurposed. On the other hand, upcycling refurbishes objects within their current state.
Now that you know some of the benefits of reusing items, here are seven fun upcycling projects to create with your kids.
1. Fairy Houses
Use old milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and body wash to build adorable little fairy houses. This project will give your kids something new and whimsical to play with. It also prevents the containers from being thrown away. Creating fairy houses is an amazing art and crafts activity to keep your kids entertained and off their devices.
2. Tin Can Planters
Take your tin food cans and turn them into plant holders. This is a great way to add unique decorations to your home. It can also teach your kids about gardening techniques. Consider filling your can with an easy-to-maintain and beautiful-looking coffee plant.
3. Jump Ropes
Take used plastic bags and tie them together to create a jump rope. Consider making the handles out of durable and recyclable material, such as bulk bags. This project is a great way to encourage your kids to stay active.
It also helps the planet by preventing plastic from ending up in our rivers and oceans.
Also, when plastic gets incinerated, it releases greenhouse gases into the air, contributing to climate change.
4. Egg Carton Sea Turtles
This is a fun way to get your kids’ creative juices flowing. Art projects allow your kids to express their emotions constructively. This craft project is also the perfect chance for you to let your inner child out.
Consider encouraging your kids to use the sea turtles as room decorations. This saves you money and helps the planet. Manufacturing processes can emit gases into the air that contribute to pollution.