Eco-Friendly DIY Projects You Can Make With Your Kids

There is nothing better than crafting with your kids to impart to them the value of taking care of our environment. Making it fun, and informative you will be sure to impress on their minds a love for nature and all that is clean and beautiful about it. Eco-friendly becomes a way of life this way!

Going into spring, I wanted to instill in my children a sense of season and all that is beautiful and exciting about it! Think – new blossoms, spring veggies and fun! Here we go. These 8 crafts are things you will not only be able to use as a learning method, but also in having fun with and creating a stronger bond with your kids.

Let’s go gardening!

There is something so special to a child to get to eat the vegetables planted by their own hands. This project kept us busy for a few Saturday mornings, and their excitement was a treat!
Egg carton planters

I had been storing up all my egg cartons for just this purpose. It looks earthy and can be written on, that is off course the paper mache type holders. If they are flat at the bottom it can be separated. If not, it’s best to keep them attached so it doesn’t run the risk of falling over. I am a fan of making things look fun and whimsical, so I decided we would make labels for the seedling planters.

We took

• colored paper string,
• cardboard, a punch for the hole and
• some colored sharpies.

I did the cutting and punching beforehand, and had the children write the type of seedling they were planting on there, and fasten it with the string. After cleaning the crafting mess, we got the potting soil and seeds, and got our hands dirty.

We planted carrots, cherry tomatoes, peas and strawberries – all things children will be able to pick, rinse and eat on the spot! With all the excitement created, be sure to keep a fresh fruit salad or something delicious and fresh for the hungry tummies that will follow.

After a few weeks, we spent another Saturday morning preparing the soil and planting out our seedlings. Make sure to plant the peas and cherry tomatoes by a fence or create a support structure for them to grow against. Even a pallet will do!

Bird feeder!

I have a whimsy for garlands and decorating trees. We turned this into a fun project that also helped the children understand the value of caring for wildlife. As a bonus, they will also see all kinds of seed eating birds in their own backyard, more than they would have normally.

You will need:

• A packet of bird seed
• An envelope of gelatin
• Enough water to mix the gelatin as per instruction
• Cookie cutters,
• Straws
• Colored string
• Wax paper
• Coconut oil for non-stick purposes.
• A small basting brush

Boil the water and dissolve the gelatin in it as per packet instructions. Mix in a ¾ cup of birdseed. Oil the cookie cutters and wax paper. Place cookie cutters on the wax paper and press the cooled seed mixture into the cutters, smooth it out with the bottom of a measuring cup. Press a straw all the way through where you intend tying the string so the feeder can hang off a branch. Let it harden overnight, then make an outing of hanging it on branches.

Eco-Tie-Dye

We also decided to have fun with some old, white T-shirts by doing an eco-tie-dye. We took this outside to minimize the inevitable mess, and carried a big old tub outside. We soaked the shirts in a tub of equal parts cold water and vinegar. Tying the T-shirts in sections, we had a blast squirting the wet T-shirts with some food coloring. We then tied the T-shirts up in a plastic bag and let them sit overnight. Be sure to wash shirts by hand and separated from each other; the color may bleed or run out of the shirts entirely. You can also add eco-friendly clothing labels with your family’s name to make it extra special! Visit this website for more information.

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