Earth Day Crafts for Kids 2026: 15 Upcycled Projects Under 40¢

Quick-Start Upcycled Crafts

Toilet-Roll Planters & Seed Starters

Toilet paper rolls make the most adorable little seed-starting pots -- and they're free!

Flatten your roll and crease it into a rectangle, then cut four slits at each fold and fold those tabs inward (no glue required, friends!). ^[1] Fill each mini pot with potting mix, nestle them together in a waterproof container, and give them a good drink of water -- you want that cardboard nice and moist. ^[2] These little biodegradable buddies are perfect for finicky seeds like sunflowers, peas, beans, and pumpkins that hate having their roots disturbed.

Just plant the whole thing in the ground when it's time -- the tube composts right into the soil! ^[2]

Magazine Mosaic Earth Art

Grab a cereal box and trace a circle on it -- instant Earth canvas! Raid those old magazines and cut them into tiny squares, sorting by color (blue pile here, green pile there).

Using a printed Earth template as your guide, glue blue squares over the oceans and green ones over the continents, leaving tiny gaps between pieces for that authentic mosaic vibe. ^[3] Pro tip: PVA or school glue works way better than glue sticks once eager hands start grabbing these beauties. ^[4] Add a yarn loop to the back and voilà -- instant wall art! Since every Earth turns out wonderfully unique, they look amazing displayed together. ^[3]

Bottle-Cap Bloom Magnets

These bottle-cap blooms are pure crafting magic! Start collecting those metal bottle caps (psst... this is a great excuse to enjoy some beverages), then use pliers to gently flare the edges outward until each cap looks like a tiny flower.

Spray-paint them in whatever colors make your heart happy -- the more variety, the better! ^[5] Once they're dry, let kids personalize their blooms by gluing in tiny photos, doodles, or colorful paper circles. A thin coat of white glue over the paper keeps everything protected and pretty. ^[5] Stick a small magnet on the back with strong craft glue (patience, friends -- let it cure overnight!), and you've got charming little magnets ready to brighten up any fridge. ^[6]

Nature Meets Recyclables

Pine-Cone & Paper Plate Owls

Who knew pine cones and paper plates could transform into adorable owls? Both versions work great for kiddos from preschool through early elementary (and honestly, adults love them too!).

For the pine-cone version, you'll tear cotton balls into fluffy bits and tuck them between the scales -- instant snowy owl! The trick: hot-glue your felt eyes, beak, and wings directly to the pine cone, not the cotton. ^[7] Otherwise, those cute little faces might fall right off when little hands start playing with them.

Want the paper plate version instead? Paint that plate brown, grab some construction paper for wings, eyes, and beak (templates make this super easy), and glue everything on once the paint dries. ^[8] Kids 7 and up can handle these independently, which makes them perfect for classroom Earth Day celebrations or spring parties! ^[7]

Birdseed Cookie Ornaments

These birdseed ornaments are such a win -- the birds get a treat, kids get crafty, and you barely spend a dime! Plus, everyone gets to pick their favorite cookie cutter shape (stars? hearts? butterflies? yes please!).

To make them: dissolve two packets of unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup of boiling water, then stir in two cups of birdseed until everything's nicely coated. ^[9] Spoon this mixture into cookie cutters on a parchment-lined baking sheet -- pack it down good! Now for the hanging part: press a knotted twine loop into each ornament, add more seed mixture on top, then use parchment paper to really compress everything together. ^[10] Let them dry for 24 hours at room temperature before popping them out of the cutters.

Fair warning: that gelatin starts setting up in about 15-20 minutes, so if you're making these with a big group, whip up several small batches instead of one giant one. ^[9] Each batch makes 6-8 ornaments depending on your cutter size. (Psst... if you need cookie cutters or craft supplies for Earth Day projects, Oriental Trading has tons of options to get you started!)

Zero-Waste Classroom Fun

Crayon-Melt Planet Sun-Catchers

Got a crayon box looking a little worse for wear? Perfect! Those broken crayon bits are about to become the star of the show.

Grab a pencil sharpener and start making colorful shavings (psst... this is also weirdly satisfying). Layer those shavings between two sheets of wax paper like you're making the world's most colorful sandwich. ^[11] Now here's where an adult takes over -- iron on low heat without steam until everything melts together, or pop it in the microwave for 30-second bursts up to 60 seconds total. ^[13] Once it's cooled down, cut out planet-sized circles and here's the fun part -- glue a black cardstock ring around each one for that awesome stained-glass look. ^[12] Hang these beauties in a sunny window and watch the magic happen! The best part?

One crafting session creates enough for every kiddo in class, and you can grab bulk wax paper sheets to keep costs super low. ^[11]

Decorate & Celebrate 2026

CD Suncatcher Rainbow Mobiles

Got old CDs collecting dust? Time to turn them into rainbow-making magic!

Start by stripping off that painted coating with a sneaky tape trick -- just press a small piece of tape on the painted side, scratch the edge underneath with scissors, then peel it back to lift the coating away clean as can be. ^[14] (It's oddly satisfying, trust us!) Once you've got that shiny clear disc, break out the permanent markers or suncatcher paints and go wild with your designs -- swirls, flowers, Earth Day messages, whatever makes you happy! Thread some fishing line through the center hole and jazz it up with beads above and below your decorated disc for extra sparkle. ^[14] Want to make a whole mobile?

Even better! Hang two or three finished discs at different lengths from a dowel or sturdy stick (even a branch from your yard works great) so each one can spin and dance freely, casting those gorgeous prismatic rainbows everywhere. ^[14] Pop that mobile in a sunny window and watch the magic happen -- seriously, the rainbow light show is absolutely mesmerizing and makes for an unforgettable Earth Day display that'll have everyone asking how you did it! ^[15] At Oriental Trading, we've got tons of suncatcher paints and beads if you want to really make these shine, but honestly, even just markers work beautifully for this project.