We may be in the depths of winter, but here are 7 items to start saving now for your April Earth Day crafts.
Earth Day takes place on April 22nd of each year. One fun and inexpensive way to celebrate is to do crafts using recycled materials.
By using recycled materials, your troop is following the Girl Scout Law :
- Considerate and Caring (to our planet)
- Responsible for What I Say and Do
- Use Resources Wisely
- Make the World a Better Place
As a teacher, I have always tried to use recycled materials. They are free, good for planet, and keep my school budget on track. The same perks worked for my Girl Scout troop, and this will work for yours. Asking parents, family, neighbors, work mates, and friends for the items that will be listed here, will have all the materials you need for the Earth Day craft(s) you want to do with your troop.
Brown Paper Bags
In this blog post from 2010, I shared how my girls made paper hearts from brown grocery bags.
My daughter made this for me back in 2010.
You can find the directions here.
Milk Cartons
Your girls can make bird feeders out of washed out milk cartons. You can find easy to do directions here at PBS Kids.
Toilet Paper Tubes
Another craft that we did back as Daisy Scouts in 2010 was to use toilet paper tubes, fill them with treats, and then wrap them in tissue paper. We gave them as gifts to our families. Your girls can do this on a bigger scale and make them for a senior center, a food bank, or even to sell at a craft fair as a fundraiser.
You can find the directions here.
Another thing my troop did with toilet paper tubes was make cat toys for our local animal shelter as part of our Bronze Award. You can find a list of cat toys to make here.
Cardboard Egg Cartons
Cardboard egg cartons make great planters and tie in perfectly with Earth Day. The girls can plant different flowers in it and then transplant them at home once they get bigger.
All you need to provide is:
- Table coverings (newspaper works well-use resources wisely)
- Egg cartons
- Planting soil
- Seeds
- Scoops
- Water
Two Liter Soda Bottles
My troop made planters from two liter soda bottles that were cut in half, and then planted daisy seeds. You will need the same materials as using an egg carton, except you will need more potting soil.
Make Puppets from Mini Cereal Boxes
I used to make this craft when I was a child. It uses the individual sized cereal boxes, construction paper, and other craft items you probably already have on hand. Highlights has the directions for different characters in this post.
Make Puppets from Big Cereal Boxes
Another item to save is regular sized cereal boxes. This video shows you how to make them.
What are you planning to do with your troop for Earth Day?