Not everything needs to end up in landfills! Here are some Recycled Crafts for World Environment Day that use things you already have!

“But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”

As humans, we have a tendency to take things for granted. Love, friendship, water, electricity – and even our planet. The problem with taking anything for granted is that we stop appreciating it, and may even end up destroying it through disregard.

That’s why it helps to have specific opportunities to remind ourselves of how blessed we are, as well as how we have a responsibility to maintain everything we have. One example is World Environment Day, which falls on the 5th of June every year.

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What is World Environment Day?

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme, World Environment Day was established at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. This is the day organizations and individuals the world over raise awareness on various topics related to our environment.

Kids in several countries join in the observance of this day by organizing various activities that promote sustainable consumption. We can increase awareness in our own little ways too, and with kids at home, you can’t find a better way than by making recycled crafts!!

So here we round up the best of the internet, with special recycled crafts for World Environment Day. You can use this opportunity to start a conversation with your kids about how we can prevent our landfills from piling up, by making use of things we generally throw in the trash.

15 Recycled Crafts for World Environment Day

1. Recycled Spoon Witch Craft

It would be wonderful if we could just wave a magic wand and clean up our landfills, wouldn’t it? Well, we can’t do that, so here’s the next best thing – recycled crafts for World Environment Day, featuring a spoon witch!

2. Recycled Plastic Cup Pumpkin Craft

Thanksgiving may be a few months away, but that doesn’t have to stop you from making these cute little paper cup pumpkins! You can get creative and try making other fruits and vegetables too!

3. Decoupage Glass Jar Pencil Holder

Glass jars are some of the best materials to turn into recycled crafts for World Environment Day. Here, we’ve used decoupage to transform an empty glass jar into an attractive pencil holder!

4. Upcycled Tin Jewelry Boxes

It’s not just glass jars that can be recycled; tin cans work just as well! With some paint and a few embellishments, you can turn a plain tin can into a gorgeous little jewelry box that’s worth gifting!

5. Gulmohar Seed Pods Instruments

Sometimes Mother Nature gives us the raw materials to make recycled crafts for World Environment Day! If you find Gulmohar seed pods, turn them into these lovely DIY percussion instruments.

6. Colorful Dotty Robot Craft

This is one of our favorite projects to make, because it uses up lots of little odds and ends that would otherwise end up in a landfill! It’s an open-ended project, so you can use up all your bits and bobs to make a colorful robot craft!

7. Recycled Sock Barbie Dress

Lost a sock during laundry and don’t know what to do with the remaining one? Turn it into a new outfit for your Barbie doll! This is an easy, no-sew project that even kids can make themselves.

8. Recycled Water Bottle Piggy Bank

One Little Project shows us how to turn an empty plastic bottle into a cute little piggy bank. Yes, it’s literally a pig! What’s more, they also show you how to retrieve the money you’ve saved up, so it’s always accessible.

9. Recycled Cork Sail Boats

Isn’t it great when our recycled crafts for World Environment Day double up as toys we can actually play with? Take these cork boats from Mas and Pas, for example – they actually float!

10. Plastic Lid Necklaces

Sustainable fashion is all the rage these days, and Projects with Kids shows us how we can join the trend by turning plastic lids into funky necklaces! Now, that’s a custom piece no one else has!

11. Recycled Key Wind Chime

The best kind of music is the natural kind! Caress the wind and perk up your space with this one-of-a-kind recycled key wind chime from Inner Child Fun.

12. Recycled Items Wind Chime

Here’s another wind chime that is a perfect example of recycled crafts for World Environment Day! First Palette shows us how to use beads, straws, cups and bells to create something truly unique and fun!

13. Mr. Recycle Head

On World Environment Day, Mr. Potato Head dresses up as Mr. Recycle Head, and he looks great!! Repurpose an old can and other craft supplies to make this little guy!

14. Recycled Plastic Toy Wreath

If you’ve got lots of little toys floating around but your kids don’t want to throw them away, here’s an idea – save them from the landfills and make a toy wreath, like this one from Fun Crafts Kids!

15. DIY Bottle Cap Animals

You throw away so many bottle caps in one year. You wouldn’t do it if you knew you could make such lovely bottle cap animals with them! Check out Love and Lollipops for more details.

We’re sure you didn’t know there was so much fun to be had from waste!! Just think, you’re reducing your consumption so much by making use of things that you would otherwise throw away, rather than buying new supplies. So next time you’re about to throw something away, just stop and think – you might be able to turn it into something beautiful!

If you’d like to try out more recycled crafts, we have lots to choose from: