Creating Art from Recycled Materials | The New York Historical

April 30, 2026

Creating Art from Recycled Materials

We’ve been having so much fun making art from recycled materials during Earth Month here at The New York Historical. Read on below for instructions on the seven different earth-friendly craft projects featured on our Family Programs Instagram page! https://www.instagram.com/nyhistory_family

Water Bottle Pencil Holder

Rinse and dry a plastic water bottle
With the help of a grown-up, cut off the top
Decorate! Use stickers, ribbon, tissue paper, and more!
Set it on your desk, kitchen table, or nightstand to hold your pens, pencils, and markers!

Spoon Butterfly

Rinse and dry a plastic spoon
Use cardboard or scrap paper to make butterfly wings and antennae
Attach them with tape
Add googly eyes and start flying!

Egg Carton Coral Reef

With the help of a grown-up, cut out two or three cups from an empty egg carton
Fill the cups with tissue paper to create coral
Draw fish on scrap paper and make seaweed with pipe cleaners
Add everything together with tape and popsicle sticks!

Milk Carton Bird Feeder

Rinse and dry a milk carton
With the help of a grown-up, cut off the top, and cut a large hole in one side
Below the hole, cut a small slit and slide in a popsicle stick
Decorate!
Add a string on top, fill it with bird seed, and hang your feeder outside for your birdie neighbors to enjoy!

Egg Carton Turtle

With the help of a grown-up, cut out one cup from an empty egg carton
On a piece of scrap paper, draw and color the shape of a turtle’s body - head, legs, and tail!
Attach the egg cup to the body using tape or glue. If you’re having a hard time, ask a grown-up to use hot glue!
Decorate the shell, add googly eyes, make this turtle your own!

Toilet Roll Microphone

Find an empty toilet paper tube
Decorate it using markers, felt, stickers, and any other art supplies you’d like
Make a ball of tinfoil and attach it to one end of your tube using tape or glue
Sing your favorite songs!

Toilet Roll Confetti Popper

Find an empty toilet paper tube, some scrap paper, and a balloon
Decorate your tube using markers, felt, stickers, and any other art supplies you’d like
Cut the scrap paper into small pieces to make confetti
Without blowing it up, tie the end of the balloon in a knot and cut off the top
Stretch the open cut part of the balloon over one end of your tube and secure in with tape
Put the confetti inside the tube, pull down on the knotted end of the balloon and let go!

Thanks for following along and taking care of the earth this month, and every month. What else can you make with recycled materials? Share your artwork by tagging us @nyhistory_family

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