If your bin is overflowing with cardboard rolls, paper cups and packaging, you’re sitting on some recycled crafts just waiting to happen. These projects turn everyday “rubbish” into something colourful and fun, fixing boredom on rainy-days, holidays, or after school.
DIY cardboard fairy wings
Image: @craftedbybears
These rainbow wings lean into imagination and fantasy, using up those large cardboard boxes that never seem to fit in the recycling bin.
Once you’ve cut out your wings, decorate with markers, paint, glitter, or whatever matches the theme of your fairy! They’re a great craft for imaginative play, book-week costumes, or a class show-and-tell.
Paper koi fish
These koi fish are a simple way to use up cardboard rolls and scrap paper from other projects. Just cut out some scales and tail strips from colourful paper, glue them onto a toilet roll, add eyes, and hang them so they flutter whenever a breeze comes through 🍃
You can check out how we made them in our handy tutorial.
Paper cup fish craft
Image: @katewoodscrafts
Make the most out of leftover paper cups and a bit of coloured card by making a school of fish! Cut out fins, tail, and eyes from scrap paper, then glue them onto a bright cup to build your fish character. It’s an easy group activity for parties, classroom craft time, and holiday create sessions.
Cardboard plants
Image: @craftedbybears
Old cardboard boxes can turn into monster plants with just a few tweaks… and some imagination! Cut out some plant shapes, dab paint on with brushes, sponges or if you’re using finger paint – your hands – then add eyes and mouths so each one has its own personality. What colours would you pick?
Paper heart mobile
Image: @craftedbybears
Help your kids make their room their own with some DIY décor. This paper heart mobile uses scrap cardboard (save those cereal boxes and spare packaging!) cut into hearts, stuck to a string, and tied onto a stick – simple! Let your little artist pick out their paint colours and find the stick to really extend the activity.
Mushroom paper craft
Image: @katewoodscrafts
Paper cups and scrap cards can be used in so many ways, including making a mushroom cottage! Flip the cup, draw on windows and cut out a door, then add a cone-shaped roof cut from coloured card to top off your mushroom. Now the cottage can be used for playtime, story time, or decoration!
Paper cup lighthouse
Image: @katewoodscrafts
The paper cups are back again for another cute craft – this time turning into a lighthouse.
The magic happens when you open up the bottom of a paper cup and stick a plastic cup inside to make the see through tower. Decorate the house with paint and pens, then pop a battery tealight inside to create a cosy “beacon” for fantasy play, storytelling, and show-and-tell presentations.
Toilet roll monsters
Toilet rolls are a great material to save up for recycling crafts – they have so many uses! Whether you’re making seasonal crafts, like these monsters, or creating your own story characters, there’s loads to explore!
You can check out how we made these spooky decorations in our easy tutorial.
Ready to raid the recycling bin? ♻️ Upcycling ‘rubbish’ is a handy way to keep costs down, reduce waste and give growing artists a sense of pride in turning nothing into something they’re excited to show off.
Share your recycled creations with us by using #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to see what you come up with!
If you want to see more art, browse our Inspo collection. You can sign-up to Creative Connection by popping in your email down below to get stacks of free art projects sent straight to you. We’re here to keep you inspired!
