Earth-Friendly Crafting: 100 Things to Recycle & Make

I received a copy of this book for review. While the book was complimentary, all opinions are my own. 

This post contains affiliate links.

100 Things to Recycle and Make by Fiona Hayes is an awesome book! As a crafty mama, I’ve always loved the idea of working side by side on a project with my kids, but when it comes to kids crafts, I’m clueless. Finding a project that will spark their interest but that also doesn’t cost much or use a bunch of plastic pieces (eco-guilt!) can be a challenge. If there’s something I can put together out of things I already have around the house or from my backyard, I’m in! 

And this book is full of them!

The moment my toddler saw the book, she immediately gravitated toward the colorful creatures all over the front cover saying, “I want to make that! I want to make that!” The projects are wonderfully whimsical and eco- and budget-friendly. 

Honestly, I’m really grateful for this book. While you might think that a lot of these ideas can be found on Pinterest, it’s wonderful to have a hardcopy available for you to flip through with your little. If you’re like me, you try to keep your technology use to a minimum with your littles around, so having a hardcopy is invaluable. 

The Projects are Budget-Friendly

Almost everything in this book is made from things you’ll have around the house or in your backyard. Even if you only have a small dollar store crafting stash, you’ll have everything you’ll need to complete 80% of the projects. If not, most of the projects could be slightly modified to fit what you have available to you. 

The Projects Are Eco-Friendly

One of my biggest struggles as a crafter is the eco-guilt that comes along with purchasing plastic pieces or excess stuff to stash for a someday that may never come. Most of what’s in this book are projects involving items around your home that you would normally just toss into the recycling or compost anyway — toilet paper tubes, pinecones, cereal boxes, egg cartons. Details like googly eyes and colorful foam could easily be modified to a more environmentally friendly alternative.

The Projects Inspire Resourcefulness 

Like I said above, many of the projects could easily be modified to fit what you have around your home. Don’t have feathers? Make some out of construction paper. Don’t have flexi-straws? Use pipe cleaners. Acorn caps? Bottle caps. While these aren’t necessarily listed in the book, I feel like the projects inspire the creator to see these everyday items in a new light. 

Our Projects

The projects in this book range from in complexity from the super simple to slightly complex. As my daughter is only three, we mainly stuck with simple projects. 

Exhibit A. A simple spring hat made from a paper hat and bowl inspired us to make flowers and May Day wreaths for our neighbors. 

Exhibit B. We made bracelets for the grandmas for Mother’s Day.

Exhibit C. This castle is the perfect neighboring kingdom for her wooden castle. The castle’s royal court could take hot air balloon rides around her room. 

Exhibit D. Simple octopuses visited some princesses in submarines. 

All in all, the book is a fantastic way to inspire whimsy and get the creative juices flowing for both you and your kid. I know I’m excited to craft my way through it over the years with my munchkins. 

What’s been your favorite eco-friendly project with your little? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

— Funky Crunchy Mama