Teaching and promoting Zero Waste with children is not just about recycling, repurpose and repair skill teaching has many benefits for child and the environment. Learning to fix things or repurpose for another use teaches children to problem solve and to use their imaginations. Repair and repurpose can teach that discarded materials are resources that create opportunities. Self-esteem and self-sufficiency as well as respect for tools are also benefits of children doing repair and repurpose projects.

This week we share 10 craft ideas that repurpose household items that may have otherwise ended up in garbage.

1. Cars: Make a rubber band car with repurposed compact discs, Styrofoam pieces and cardboard.This week we share 10 craft ideas that repurpose household items that may have otherwise ended up in garbage.

2. Slingshot: Fire off some marshmallows with this indoor slingshot made with elastic bands.

3. Sailboats: Build mini sail boats with corks. ( these use those elastic bands from produce too).

4. Stamps: Use corks or bottle caps to make stamps.

5. Beads: Make string wrapped beads for pieces of plastic straw.

6. Ninja figurines: use pipe cleaners and straws to make these bendable figurines.

7. Ring toss game: Use clothes pins and canning jar rings to make a ring toss.

8. Finger puppets: Use old rubber gloves to make finger puppets.

9. Marble Roller Coaster: Make a roller coaster  from pipe insulation.

10. Extending Grabber: Use Popsicle sticks to make this extending grabber.