We all want to do what we can to make our planet safer for future generations.

And one of the easiest things we can do now is to recycle materials we no longer need. Every time we reuse something, we save it from the landfill for a bit longer.

And that’s always a good thing.

Today I’m sharing over 25 easy recycled craft ideas for kids to make!

These are fantastic for in-class projects or parents who want to make crafts with their kids at home!

And they all make use of materials that can be reused, so they’re a wonderful introduction to the idea of recycling and repurposing too.

Read on to see the full list.

And be sure to take a look at our Coffee Filter Earth Craft if you’re looking for more Earth Day ideas!

What You Need to Try These Easy Recycled Craft Ideas for Kids

Most of these crafts use materials you likely already have, such as paper towel and tissue paper rolls.

Here are some other recycled materials that are good for making recycled crafts:

• Empty plastic bottles
• Cardboard (whole or scrap)
• Compact discs
• Shoeboxes

In most cases, as long as the recycled material is clean, you can use it as a base for a craft project.

How to Use Recycled Craft Ideas with Students

Many of these recycled crafts feature animals, so they’d make a great project for a science unit such as zoo animals, the forest, or winter.

You can also use any of these as a craft project for an Earth Day or a recycling unit. Invite your students to save recyclables from home and bring them in to participate!

Recycled Crafts Books for Kids

Would you like even more ways to make use of recycled materials with young learners?

Here are a few books with plenty of kids’ crafts that use recyclables too! (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Cardboard Creations: Open-Ended Exploration with Recycled Materials
• Fun and Easy Crafting with Recycled Materials: 60 Cool Projects that Reimagine Paper Rolls, Egg Cartons, Jars and More
• Low-Mess Crafts for Kids: 72 Projects to Create Your Own Magical Worlds
• Cardboard Creations for Kids: 50 Fun and Inventive Crafts Using Recycled Materials

Get a look at the full list of easy recycled crafts below!

Try these simple craft ideas for kids too!

Making paper snowflakes is one of the winter craft projects I remember the most as a child.

My classmates and I would see who could make the most complicated design. Then we’d fold in half, cut it out, and open it up. Sometimes we’d try cutting out phrases or faces.

And the teacher would hang them on the window afterwards. Good times.

If you’re looking to make a traditional paper snowflake craft with kids this winter, this colorful one with a printable template is a neat twist!

These are simple to make too. And there are three different template designs to choose from!

Read on to grab the printable template and to read the full instructions.

And, take a look at our All About Snowflakes unit for more ways to create a snowflake theme with primary grade students!

Easy Paper Snowflake Craft for Kids

To make this paper snowflake craft, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• White printer paper (cut into squares)
• Colored cardstock (cut into squares)
• Child-safe scissors
• Craft glue
• Hole punch
• Printable Paper Snowflake Craft Template (download this to use as a tracing guide, if desired)

You’ll start with a square-sized piece of white printer paper.

You could also use coffee filters, craft paper, or drawing paper.

Then you’ll download the printable paper snowflake craft template.

On the template, there are three different designs: in a large size and a small size.

The templates are optional, so if you have a design in mind, you may not need them.

But if you’re making this for the first time with kids, the templates can help them make a snowflake design.

How to Make a Paper Snowflake Craft

To get started, fold the square of white paper in half diagonally.

The corners should be lined up so that the paper forms a triangle.

Next, fold the triangle in half. Now you should have a double-layered smaller triangle.

What we’re doing is folding the paper into four layers. This way, we only have to cut the snowflake design once to create all four sides.

Now, print the snowflake template and choose which design (and size) you’d like to use.

Use a pencil to trace the chosen design onto one side of the folded paper triangle.

Let kids use child-safe scissors to cut along the tracing lines.

For the circle in the center, it’s easiest to use a hole punch.

Now, help them unfold the triangle. They’ll see a finished snowflake!

All that’s left to do now is to glue the finished snowflakes onto the squares of colored cardstock.

These are adorable for hanging from a garland!

They’d also make sweet cards to send to family members and friends.

Simply fold a separate piece of cardstock in half. Write a thoughtful note inside and glue the paper snowflake craft on the front!

However you decide to use them, these simple snowflake crafts are fun for kids to craft during winter!

Try some of these other winter activities for kids!

Making animal crafts during fall is such a fun way to welcome autumn with early learners.

But when you’re working with preschoolers or kindergartners, you don’t usually have much time to get a craft completed.

This toilet paper roll owl craft is just the activity for the job!

When my kids were younger, we went to the zoo often. And one of our favorite animals was the Great Horned Owl.

We don’t have owls in our neighborhood, so that was the first time we got to see one in real life. It was gorgeous.

I wanted to hear it hoot, but owls are nocturnal animals, and they spend most of the day sleeping. Oh well.

If you make a group of these paper roll owls with your class, though, I’m sure they’ll be happy to supply the hoots!

Read on to see how to make this craft and to get the printable owl craft template.

And, for more fun with owls, take a look at our list of engaging owl books for kids to read!

What Do You Need to Make a Toilet Paper Roll Owl Craft?

What I like about this easy owl craft is that you only need a few supplies.

So you won’t have to find any unusual items or keep a lot of materials on hand to make it.

Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make the toilet paper roll owl craft. (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Toilet paper roll (Try having students bring them in from home)
• Colored craft paper
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Child-safe scissors
• Glue stick
• Washable markers
• Printable Toilet Paper Roll Owl Craft template

Once you’ve printed the paper roll owl craft template, cut out the individual pieces. (Try printing the template on cardstock to make the tracing pieces more durable.)

Trace the pieces onto craft paper and cut them out before beginning the project.

Depending on the age of your students, you may want to cut the pieces out in advance. Older elementary students can cut them out on their own.

How to Make a Toilet Paper Roll Owl Craft

Start by wrapping the square piece around the toilet paper roll. Make sure the paper wraps all the way around. Use glue to secure it.

Begin adding the owl’s “feathers”.

Glue the individual feather pieces onto the bottom half of the toilet paper roll.

Layer them so that the edges overlap at the sides. After you complete the first row, move down and begin adding the two lower rows.

Glue them underneath the first row and continue overlapping the sides to make your owl’s feathers appear layered.

Glue the wing pieces onto the owl’s body. Be sure to place one on each side.

Use glue to add the owl’s beak right in the center above the feathers.

Now press the top of the toilet paper roll in the center to form the owl’s ears.

Try to fold the front and back of the roll down, but have the kids form the sides into points.

Have students color in the eyes and then glue them at the top of the owl’s face.

Finished!

Use different colors of craft paper to make an owl family! It would make an adorable display for parent night.

If you decide to make this paper owl craft with your students, I’d love to know how they liked it!

Fall Early Learning Activity Calendar

This paper owl craft for kids is a perfect addition to an owl theme for early grades.

And that’s one of the fall preschool themes on our printable Fall Early Learning Activity Calendar!

This handy printable has 12 different themes for you to use with your students during autumn.

Plus, there are web-linked activities you can complete each day of the week with your students!

Try some of these other fun fall crafting ideas for kids!

Looking for a simple fall-themed paper craft kids can make? This easy origami pig bookmark craft is perfect!

I love corner bookmarks. They’re easy to use and they make adorable little gifts.

The good thing about this one is that kids can make it for themselves – and learn some origami folding skills in the process!

This would be an adorable craft project for either fall or spring. Especially if you’re working on a farm unit with little ones.

Read on to get the full bookmark craft instructions – and a printable template!

And, for more fun farm animal crafting, take a look at these paper bag farm animal puppets!

What Supplies Do You Need to Make an Origami Pig Bookmark?

I’m always partial to crafts that don’t require any special supplies.

And this is another one of those. Yay!

To make this paper pig origami bookmark craft, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are provided. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Colored craft paper
• Origami paper
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• Washable markers
• Ruler
• Printable Pig Bookmark Craft Template

Once you’ve printed out the pig bookmark craft template, use a pencil to trace the individual pieces onto craft paper.

Cut each piece out with scissors.

If you’re working with young kids, have them use child-safe scissors or do this step for them.

Now you’re ready to move on to making the origami bookmark craft!

How Do You Make an Origami Pig Bookmark Craft?

To get started making this paper corner bookmark, fold a piece of pink origami paper in half diagonally.

Lift up the point of the top half and fold it back to meet the top of the triangle.

You should see the bottom half of the folded paper underneath.

Fold the left side of the folded paper downward to meet the point of the bottom half.

Don’t fold the top half back down.

Bring the right side of the triangle down to meet the point of the bottom half of paper.

At this point, both the left side and the right side should be folded over and down.

The paper should form a diamond shape.

When we folded the top half of the paper upward, we formed a little pocket.

Bring both ends you just folded down up and tuck them underneath that top half, folding them into the pocket.

Use scissors to cut a rounded edge on the bottom half of the folded paper.

Now assemble the template pieces you cut out earlier. Glue the inner ear pieces and the nostrils onto the ears and nose pieces.

Use glue to attach the nose and the ears to the bookmark.

Finally, add the eyes and use a black marker to color them in.

Done!

You can also change the eyes by drawing them on. Kids might want to try making closed eyes or winking eyes.

To use the bookmarks, place them on the top or bottom corners of the book you’re reading.

They’ll hold your place for you!

Printable Fall Themed Early Learning Calendar

If you’re planning to add this pig bookmark craft to a fall unit, you might be looking for other early learning fall themes.

This 12-week fall themed activity calendar can help!

It’s got 12 different fall themes, plus a different learning idea for each day of the week.

And – links to the activities too!

Try some of these other easy crafts for kids!

I absolutely adore using farms as a theme for early grades. They’re a great way to weave in some favorite kids’ themes – animals, community, occupations, nature – all in one unit!

Any time we do an early learning unit, we try to include at least one craft.

If you’re using a farm unit with early grades this year, this 3D paper barn craft is a cute kid-friendly project to add!

This is such a great craft project, because kids can complete it on their own and they get some good fine motor skill practice along the way.

You don’t need any special supplies either, which is always a big help.

Get the full project instructions and the printable template below. Plus, read on to get a free fall themed activity calendar for early learners!

And, for more ways to learn about farms, take a look at our list of fun farm books for kids to read!

Easy 3D Paper Barn Craft for Kids Supplies

To make this paper barn craft, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Colored craft paper
• Child-safe scissors
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Craft glue
• Paper Barn Printable Template

The great thing about this farm themed craft is that it’s so simple to make.

Kids only need to know how to use scissors, glue, and fold paper to make it!

Since some of the pieces are smaller, you may want to assist in cutting out the small template pieces or making the smaller folds. But children can largely complete this project on their own.

How to Make a Barn Craft with Kids

After you’ve printed the paper barn printable template, you’ll be ready to get started with your paper barn craft!

Begin by using scissors to cut the template pieces out. Then use a pencil to trace the templates onto colored craft paper.

Kids can cut those out and then start assembling the barn.

The template pieces have lines that show where to make creases. Help students follow the guide and make their folds accordingly.

Spread glue on the end of the barn template marked “1”.

Then fold that piece over to join the other end and press it down to glue the sides together.

Use the roof template to make creases along the roof piece.

Spread glue along the underside of the roof and attach it to the walls of the paper barn craft.

Now it’s time to add the window and door!

Glue the white strip pieces around each side of the door.

Go back and add two more strips in an “X” shape to complete the door.

Add four smaller strips around the edge of the window. Use glue to attach all of the strips to the door and window.

Now – add glue to the back of the door and window and attach them to the front of the barn.

Glue the end of the chimney to the back of the barn roof at an angle.

Your 3D paper barn craft is all done!

If you like, you can let kids cut out some green jagged pieces of paper to add shrubs around the barn – as you see in the picture.

Fall Themed Preschool Activity Calendar

Want to share even more fall learning ideas with preschoolers?

Pick up this free fall themed activity calendar!

It features 12 planned fall early childhood themes (one for each week), along with web-linked activities and ideas to share each day, including the paper barn craft.

There’s a non-linked version you can print out and check off as you complete too!

Don’t miss these other farm themed activities for kids!