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