Got plastic waste in your house? Today we’re showing you how to repurpose it with over 30 recycled plastic crafts!

Turn your plastic trash into treasure with these ideas for used bottles, lids, bags, containers, and more.

You might also like these recycled cardboard toy ideas

When you think of recycling crafts, often the first thing that comes to mind is cardboard — boxes of all shapes and sizes and paper rolls — but what about plastic waste? 

Don’t discard plastic as a craft material, because there are tons of things you can make from that too.

A plastic bottle can easily be re-imagined as a planter or a rocket. A bottle cap can become a necklace or a musical instrument. A plastic bag can become a kite or a coaster.

Here are 30+ upcycling projects for kids to get you started on your stash of used plastic.

30+ recycled plastic crafts for kids

Things to make from recycled plastic bottles

• Turn a milk jug into a leaf luminary like these ones from Kids Craft Room
• I love these recycled plastic Earth suncatchers by Books and Giggles
• These Monarch butterfly decorations are made from recycled bottles, by Our Family Code
• Isn’t this plastic bottle jellyfish the sweetest? By Frugal Coupon Living

• Used plastic soft drink bottles can be turned into woodland animal planters
• I love this plastic bottle bug hotel by Red Ted Art
• How pretty are these plastic bottle sun catchers by Our Family Code
• Kids will love making their own plastic bottle rocket like this one from In The Playroom

• Make your own sprinkler from a plastic bottle — so fun! This one is by Gluesticks Blog
• Turn a milk jug into a recycled plastic dragonfly, by Kids Craft Room
• These adorable DIY gift boxes are made from repurposed plastic bottles, by Red Ted Art
• Create a recycled plastic bottle herb garden — ours is Halloween-themed

Crafts made from recycled plastic containers

• These tissue paper lanterns are made from recycled yoghurt tubs
• Make a fruit tub tortoise using our printable template
• These glitter dice shakers are a godsend for board games with little kids — no more dice rolling onto the floor every second turn!
• Don’t throw away your used play-dough containers! Turn them into planters, by projects with kids

Things to make from plastic lids and trays

• Used patterned plastic trays to make process art with this printing technique by Picklebums
• Bottle caps have been turned into sweet DIY necklaces over at Projects for Kids
• Create musical shakers from bottle caps and duct tape
• Milk bottle lids make the BEST spinning tops — and you can make one in two minutes!

• Takeaway container lids can be decorated to make a pretty recycled mobile
• This easy mosaic leaf dreamcatcher uses a plastic lid for the base
• Make the cutest plastic lid faces like these ones by Picklebums

Plastic bag craft ideas

• Kids can make a recycled plastic squid craft while they learn about plastic waste, by Mini Mad Things
• My kids had fun with these plastic bag kites (grocery bag + string + windy day!)
• Make a recycled plastic coaster like this one by Kelly’s Classroom Online
• Plastic and bubble wrap have been used in these recycled plastic jellyfish, by Teach Me Mommy

More recycled plastic crafts

• How cute is this recycled plastic egg frog, by Artsy Craftsy Mom?
• Here’s an innovative way to turn plastic figurines into DIY Christmas ornaments, by The Gingerbread House
• An assortment of containers have been turned into a DIY learning toy, by Active Littles
• Here’s a cute recycled plastic pen holder made from an old plastic-weave basket, by Mama Smiles

You might also like:

• 30 creative ideas for Earth Day
• 50 DIY toy ideas
• 30 fun things to make from paper rolls
• 27 ways to make art with nature
• 40 recycling crafts for kids