Rainy Day Upcycled Crafts for Kids

Rainy days cause restlessness in everyone, but this is especially true for children. Crafting is a great way to keep kids entertained and occupied on a rainy day, and reusing materials commonly found around your home has the added benefit of teaching them the value of recycling. These recycled spring crafts for kids use items such as paper towel rolls, corks, jar lids, egg cartons, cereal boxes and more.

Paper Roll Animals

This is fun project for kids and adults alike. The cutting and assembling may require an adult hand, but the creativity and playing is all for the little ones. All you need for this craft are some paper towel or toilet paper rolls, construction paper and some white glue, though a pack of googly eyes is a nice touch!

Instructions credit: FrugalFun4Boys.

Rainy-Day Paper Umbrellas

April showers bring May flowers, and this rainy-day paper umbrella craft is a fun spring craft for kids that’s cute and simple. Most of the supplies needed for these umbrellas you’ll already have lying around, such as scissors and tape, and some pipe cleaners, construction paper and cupcake liners complete your list. Kids can even personalize their umbrellas with crayons or markers to make them unique.

Instructions credit: My Teen Guide.

Marshmallow Catapult

It may look complicated, but this marshmallow catapult is simple, inexpensive activity that’s perfect for a child who enjoys building things. As an added bonus, you’re likely to have all of the supplies you need in your home already.

Instructions credit: It's Always Autumn.

*Note to editor: This isn’t technically a craft, I suppose, but it’s so fun I had to take a chance and include it. It also uses recycled materials.

Paper Beads

Making jewelry from paper was popular in the Victorian age when women would make paper beads from wallpaper with intricate designs. The technique is simple and requires few supplies, beyond recycled paper from magazines, junk mail, scrapbook paper or wallpaper, but offers plenty of opportunities for creativity.

Instructions credit: The Spruce.

Recycled Box Play Town

If your child has play cars and trucks, you can build a small town out of old cereal boxes for them to drive around in. There’s a lot of versatility with this craft, and you can even change the “storefronts” and buildings as often as you like to create a new play town. Other than your recycled boxes, you only need tape, markers and scissors to get started.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Recycled Milk Carton Fire Station

Like the play town, a fire station made from old milk cartons is a simple, inexpensive way to create a large-scale play area for your child to enjoy his or her toy fire trucks. Milk cartons and basic craft supplies are all it takes to make this fun fire station, and the size and scope of the project are left to your imagination.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Cork Bugs

These cork love bugs are designed for Valentine’s Day, but this craft can easily be changed to bees or butterflies for spring. Some corks, markers, glue, construction paper, scissors and a few pairs of googly eyes are all the supplies you need, along with some imagination for creating interesting bugs.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Recycled Rocket

This recycled rocket craft is made from an old bottle or milk carton, paper towel or toilet paper rolls, recycled bottle caps, a paper grocery bag and some basic craft supplies, but it can provide hours of fun, entertainment and discovery for your little one.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Recycled Bird Feeder

Bird feeders made from recycled materials are a great way to give back to the environment, while also entertaining your child. All you need for this craft are scissors, ribbon, a bamboo skewer or chopstick, birdseed and an empty milk carton.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Soda Bottle Flowers

Nothing says “spring” quite like flowers, and this craft allows your child to create some “messy art” flowers with recycled soda bottles. These are simple for a child to create and have limitless opportunities for flower shapes and colors, depending on the paint you have on hand.

Instructions credit: Inner Child Fun.

Newspaper Flowers

If you stockpile old newspapers and junk mail, this is the perfect craft to put them to good use. Newspaper flowers are fun and fast to make, but they give your child a chance to showcase creativity. Markers, crayons, buttons, pom-poms and construction paper can also be added to this craft to make it more interesting.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Paper Roll Puppets

Paper roll puppets double as a craft and a fun toy for kids. Recycled paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, pictures from magazines, scissors and some glue or tape are all you need to make this cute, fun craft that can give your child hours of imaginative play.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards.

Tin Can Wind Chimes

Wind chimes are a great way to reflect your style and decorate your outdoor space, but what better way to add a unique touch than with a hand-made, recycled craft from your child? Tin cans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and different tin cans make different sounds, which makes them an excellent choice for homemade wind chimes. Gather up some tin cans, washers, paint and yarn or tin to get started, but be sure to tape the edges of the tin to avoid any sharp edges.

Instructions credit: Hands On As We Grow.

Egg-Carton Bugs

Spring often brings ants, spiders and caterpillars around, so why not turn these critters into a fun spring craft for your kids? These adorable egg-carton bugs only require egg cartons, pipe cleaners, paint and googly eyes to make, but they can give your child an appreciation for these creatures and a new toy to play with.

Instructions credit: No Time for Flash Cards-Ant, No Time for Flash Cards-Spider, No Time for Flash Cards-Caterpillar.