7 Toys Made With Recycled Material For Children

Who has not happened? After spending time and money to get the Christmas or birthday present that we thought was perfect for a child, he ends up happier playing with toys made with recycled material, such as the box where the gift came.

When this happens, something very important is demonstrated: Children between the ages of 2 and 5 do not need expensive toys to have fun  or discover the world around them.

Therefore, it is not necessary to have great skills: with a little imagination and recycled material we can get the toy that makes our child happy.

However, it is clear that the toy that is suitable for young children may not be as attractive for those over 6 years of age.

Children’s interests and abilities change as they grow and evolve, both in motor, psychological, emotional and social aspects.

Elements to build toys made with recycled material

To make the toys made with recycled material ourselves, the first thing we have to do is collect them.

The search for recycled material is a task that involves everyone: family, friends or neighbors.

It can also be an activity that ties in with the school or preschool the child attends.

Among the materials that can be accumulated to make toys made with recycled material are:

• Magazines, to cut out colored papers.
• Scraps of fabrics or used clothing.
• Rolls and cardboard boxes of different sizes.
• Plastic bottles of all kinds (soda, detergent) with their lids.
• Milk or juice carton containers.
• Egg cartons.

To put all this together and shape it, you will surely need:

• Glue (white glue) or plastic tape.
• Threads, yarn or cords.
• Paints (tempera or cold paint in different colors) or food coloring.
• Cardstock or paper of different colors.
• Heat glue gun or liquid silicone.

Toys for children between 2 and 3 years

1. Puppets with stockings

• Stockings (which are often left without a partner) can become a cute puppet.
• With buttons, fabric cutouts and yarns you can recreate different characters that give life to our songs or stories.
• Children play with small stockings, while parents play with large stockings.

2. Playing to order!

• With boxes of different sizes a train is created. Each wagon can be used to store one type of toy.
• Decorate each car with colored paper cutouts or shapes that will identify the contents of each car.
• Attach the cars with a strip of fabric or cords, and once the game is over, make the invite – let’s save!

3. Ecological paints

• First, mix a cup of flour or cornstarch with a cup of water.
• Next, boil two cups of water and mix with the previous mixture. It is stirred until it takes greater consistency.
• Finally, paint with food coloring of different colors.  We can use it on paper, cardboard or on the body itself, as it is not toxic.

4. Excavator shovels

• With detergent bottles you can make shovels for digging in sand parks.
• The handle of the bottle will be the handle of the shovel and the body will be trimmed from the bottle.
• Likewise, it is important to wash the bottle well so that it does not have traces of detergents and to file the edges before giving it to the child.

Toys for children 4-5 years

5. Puppets with clamps

• With the clothespins you can make animals that open their huge mouths and tell stories.
• With pieces of paper and glue you can create different characters.
• Moving the clamps involves developing motor and intellectual skills while creating the stories.

6. Fortresses, rockets or kitchens

• With large boxes of appliances you can create from fortresses, pirate ships or rockets, to the house, the kitchen or the castle for the princess of the house.
• Likewise, the idea of ​​these large pieces is that children can enter and leave.
• With paints and colored paper you can create the ideal setting for the imagination of the little ones to flow.

7. Giant dominoes

• Making this game is quite a challenge. First you have to gather 28 boxes of cereals, of similar size, to make the classic dominoes.
• Then it can be lined with the traditional black and white colors, or create new designs.
• Instead of the dots, the numbers can be placed so that the child learns to identify them while playing.

Final thoughts on toys made from recycled material

With the game you stimulate the senses of your child and develop their physical and mental abilities. Take advantage of the opportunity that play provides to develop your child’s potential and strengthen the bond.

In addition, collecting recycled material is an educational experience for the whole family, since it motivates the sense of responsibility that must be had with the planet.

It also means that playing helps develop language: use new words and set clear rules that you can understand and follow.

Therefore, participating in the making of these toys stimulates the creativity of the child and the adult. At the same time, it gives them the possibility to share time with the family.