Today we have a bunch of fun and easy DIY toys to make out of recycled materials. There are recycled toy ideas for kids of all ages. Grab your recycling bin, some creative recycled materials and make some kid-tested and approved recycled toys.
Make DIY Recycled Toys from Recycled Materials
These DIY recycle toy ideas are a ton of fun to make and there is something so special about homemade toys and gifts.
Related: More DIY toys you can make at home
And these homemade toys are extra special because they are made from recycled items around your house. Recycling is always a plus and your kids will love the toys made from recycled materials as much as their impact on the planet.
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DIY REcycled Material Toy Ideas
1. DIY Pool Noodle Lightsaber Toy
Pool Noodle Lightsabers! The ones pictured we were gifted at a party. They are by far our sons’ favorite toys! They love the “Star Wars” element and I love the fact that they don’t hurt each other (or the furniture) as they swing and “use the force” on each other.
Related: Upcycle toilet paper rolls with Star Wars character craft
2. How To Craft A Sponge Ball
You can make a soft ball for play with this fun recycled material toy idea from Wonderbaby! Cut up sponges into strips and tie them together to make a soft ball. These also make great bath toys or fun for water play outside.
Related: 12 homemade bouncy ball ideas
3. Make a Straw Flute
Need a quick toy? This is an easy one to make with supplies found at a fast food restaurant – making it a perfect activity for a road-trip. Here are instructions for how to make a toy whistle.
Related: More straw crafts for kids
4. DIY Instruments from the Recycling Bin
Do you have noisy kids? My children love to make a music. A metal trash can makes a great drum, cut various lengths of PVC pipe and string them up to become a set of chimes, and a variety of lengths of 2x4s can become a fence xylophone.
Related: Cool art ideas with outdoor found objects
5. DIY Wooden Blocks from Found Objects
Make your own DIY Wood Blocks, cut up a tree and use the blocks and branches for building in these wooden toys to make.
Related: Make tree blocks or recycled paper blocks
6. Recycled Hanging Waterfall Toy
Use recycled containers from your bin to make a homemade toy for your preschoolers. Love this waterfall created from yogurt cups.
Related: Make your own backyard water wall with recycled items
7. DIY Jewelry from Recycled Items
Recycled crafts are fun, especially when they become “bling”. You can decorate lids to become medals and necklaces.
Related: Make paper bead bracelets with recycled paper
More Homemade Toys Made from the Recycling Bin
8. Stilts For Kids Made from Recycled Items
Wish you were taller? I do! If you still have some beach toys left after making the summer, make a pair of stilts using string and sand castles!
Related: Make a DIY ball and cup game from your recycling bin
9. DIY Drums Kids Can Make
Explore how sound is made with a DIY drum for kids created from recycled containers. We covered our tubs with balloons or plastic wrap, got some drum sticks and noise makers (rice, beans, etc.).
Related: Make a rain stick from your recycling bin
10. DIY Shaking Toy
A great DIY Baby Toy to make for your tot is a collection of discovery bottles. Here is a super simple tutorial on how your kids can explore through rolling and banging bottles.
Related: Make a wind chime from recycled materials
11. Things To Make With Playdough
…and you can’t have a discussion about homemade toys without making a batch of homemade playdough. Here is a great collection of ideas on how to play with playdough.
Related: Make your own play dough
More Homemade Toy Ideas from Kids ACtivities Blog
- Want to make jelly toys? Now you can! It’s easy!
- You’ll definitely want to make these awesome kids toys.
- How cool are these pvc projects?
- Looking for some upcycling ideas for kids? We have them!
- Kinetic sand is not only fun to make, but fun to play with!
- Move over fidget spinner! These DIY fidget toys are easy to make.
- Check out some of these easy plastic bottle crafts!
Have you made your own recycled toys? We’d love to hear about them in the comments.
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These all look like so much fun!
These are all FANTASTIC ideas. I’m not on pinterest so I haven’t seen them before. We are certainly going to get crafty here today! Thanks!