Soda Can Crafts

An average American drinks two cans of soda daily.  Instead of sending all these cans to a recycling plant why not put them to good use by bringing them along next time you're babysitting and using them to make soda can crafts with the kids? By re-purposing these aluminum cans with soda can crafts projects you show the kids how every bit counts when working to save the environment, you help the child practice fine motor skills and you save money by not having to purchase craft supplies.

Before starting your soda can crafts project you might want to check out this page on how to make an Activity Tray for Childrens Craft Projects.

Bracelets & Necklaces: Break off the soda can tabs and decorate them with paint and/or glitter. String the colorful  tabs on a length of string or fishing line. When you have the length you want, tie off the end.

Writing Buddy: Fill an empty soda can 1/4 full with sand. Seal off the hole at the top of the can with tape. Cover the can with colored paper. Attach two "arms" made of bent pipe-cleaners or better yet, wire salvaged from a used notebook. Let your child decorate their Buddy with crayons, markers and/or paint. Their new Writing Buddy can be used as a paper weight as well as holding a pencil and pen in its arms.

Marraccas: Fill your can about 1/4 full with an assortment of items you might normally have thrown away, such as beads, small toy parts, bent paper clips ... Seal the hole with tape. Decorate the can in the same way as described above with the Writing Buddy. Experiment with music and sound by trying different combinations of fillers and filling each can with less or more items.

Exercise Dumb-bell: Fill two soda cans part way with water, dirt or sand. Seal off openings with duct tape. Attach one soda can to each end of a wooden dowel or tree branch cut to size.Let the kids decorate their dumb-bells in any way they like. Then let them use their dumb-bells while you get your workout on.

These are just a few soda can craft ideas. I'm sure you'll come up with many more soda can crafts to share and I invite you to do so in the Comments section.

If you're looking for more eco-friendly green crafts projects using recycled cardboard then click on over to Candy Wrapper Art Projects. This kids craft project is not only easy but made with almost 100% recycled materials, so it's a green craft project. Green AND easy, ya gotta love that!

Stretchofoam Recipe

The Stretchofoam Recipe has moved to Goop & Slime Recipes. I thought it better to have all the goop, slime and glop recipes all on one page.