Teach Kids About Sustainability with Goodwill Crafts
It’s never too early to teach your children about sustainability and get them involved in your eco-friendly efforts. Kids learn quickly, especially when you can incorporate lessons into fun activities, like craft projects!
If you’re looking for sustainable craft ideas and supplies, look no further than Ohio Valley Goodwill. As an original supporter of the ” reduce, reuse, recycle” movement, we’re all about finding ways to help families go green and repurpose the affordable, gently-used items sold in our retail stores.
Check out these easy and eco-friendly craft projects to share with your little ones:
Turn recycled containers into bird feeders
Containers of all sizes make great bird feeders! You can repurpose peanut butter jars, soda bottles, and even glass jars or teacups and saucers from Goodwill. Just about any container will work, as long as it’s able to hang from a tree or pole and hold seeds. If you decide to make a teacup bird feeder, use a strong glue to adhere the saucer to the teacup. One idea is to arrange the teacup so it looks like the seeds are ” spilling” out onto the saucer!
Porcelain teacup from Goodwill
Finally, fill your container up with birdseed and hang your finished project outside a window. Kids of all ages are sure to love watching the different types of birds flock to their homemade feeder!
Upcycle t-shirts to make bracelets
Making homemade bracelets is a smart way to give old t-shirts a new life. Gather up some brightly colored cotton t-shirts, or pick up a few from your local Goodwill store. Then, cut strips about 2 centimeters wide from the bottom of the shirt. Tape three or more strips to the edge of a table and braid the strips together, adding decorative beads or charms if desired. Continue until the bracelet is big enough to wrap around your wrist and knot the ends together. You can also make headbands, necklaces, or anklets using the same method!
Colorful t-shirts from Goodwill
Grey and white t-shirts from Goodwill
Transform old books into journals
You don’t need to spend a bundle on new notebooks for your kids “” repurpose used hardcover books! Head to Goodwill to look for hardcover books in all sizes, all at affordable prices. Once you have your books, measure the pages and cut paper to fit over the pages. You can use any type of paper, such as kraft paper, patterned paper, or even repurposed greeting cards or brown paper grocery bags!
Cover the back of your paper with a glue stick or double-sided tape, then apply it over the book’s pages. Before long, you’ll have a beautiful, durable journal that can be used as a diary, sketchbook, or scrapbook.
Reuse, Upcycle, Sustain with Goodwill!
Sustainable living is easy with Goodwill!
Educating your children about the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling is one of the best ways to help them learn to respect and protect our planet. We only have one Earth “” let’s take care of it!
Living a more sustainable lifestyle can be as easy as shopping at your local Goodwill retail store and repurposing gently-used items, or donating your own pre-loved stuff! When you support Goodwill, you’re not only helping the planet, but you’re also helping job seekers in your community. Goodwill provides life-changing vocational programs and employment services for individuals with disabilities and our nation’s veterans, helping them achieve personal success through the power of work.
Are you ready to donate to Goodwill or plan your next Goodwill thrifting trip? Find your nearest donation center or retail store here. We’ll see you soon!
