Are you feeling guilty about all the landfill your family produces every week? Do you find yourself doing the “garbage bin stomp” every bin night – standing with both feet in the bin then jumping up and down to squash the rubbish in?

This article will show you five great recycled activity ideas that will free up more space in your recycling bin. (All the more space for all those empty wine bottles you secretly tote out after midnight.)

And fear not: it’s not all egg carton and toilet roll “objects de craft”, and things you’ll eventually have to throw out again anyway. We’ve also included some activities and useful household objects that will have an ongoing purpose in your life.

So go out to that recycling bin, open up the lid and see what you can find for the following activities and crafts.

• You’ll save a lot on craft supplies,
• You’ll be doing your bit for the environment, and
• You’ll be a crafty mum.

Recycled craft: Cereal box note holder

Starting with the simplest and most practical, this cereal box note holder will solve a lot of fridge-clutter issues and make sure you don’t misplace all those important excursion permission slips and reminder notices from school.

• How to make a cereal box note holder

Recycled craft: Bottle wind spinner

This recycled wind spinner makes a sweet garden ornament that will fascinate  your children.You can make it together in the morning and then spend the afternoon watching which way the wind blows.

• How to make a recycled bottle wind spinner

Recycled craft: Homemade marble run

A homemade marble run is a fun way to engage your children in the most basic principles of physics. Challenge your kids to work out the best pathway themselves and maybe include one or two corners and off-shoots to make it more tricky and exciting.

• How to make a homemade marble run

Recycled craft: Homemade bowling alley

A homemade bowling alley made out of all the plastic bottles in your recycling bin is a fun idea that will have your kids amused for hours. It doesn’t matter if the bottles don’t match up, in fact it’s more fun to have all different shapes and sizes. If your kids are really into it, they might like to work out a scoring system based on the sizes and shapes of different bottles.

• How to make a homemade bowling alley

Recycled craft: Make a toilet roll octopus

Toilet rolls and egg cartons are the cornerstone of recycled craft. You can make a whole ocean scene out of egg cartons and toilet rolls if you’re so inclined. Start off with this cute toilet roll octopus and see how you go. If you would rather not use toilet rolls, use other cardboard tubes, ie from kitchen towels or gift wrap.

• How to make a toilet roll octopus

This article was written for Kidspot NZ. Thank you to Kidspot Australia for the instructional videos.

What is your favourite trash to treasure creation?

Read more on Kidspot:

• Make a snake sock puppet
• 6 Barbie games to play
• Gentle activities for sick children