Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Christmas Recycling Crafts
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Christmas Recycling Crafts is a free printable guide for families, classrooms and home educators. It shows how to turn Christmas leftovers into something useful or fun, instead of putting them straight in the bin. Children read the guide, choose what to make and get creative with materials they already have at home.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Page 1 is the guide for your child. Page 2 is for the grown up and has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
What is on the sheet
This sheet is a guide to Christmas recycling. Children use it to think about what happens to wrapping paper, cards, boxes and other festive leftovers once the day is over. They can then pick ideas from the guide and make something new from materials that would otherwise be thrown away. It suits children who like making things, and it gives them a reason to look at everyday rubbish in a new way.
Getting ready to make
Collect first
Keep a box or bag for clean leftovers in the days after Christmas. Card, paper, ribbon, cardboard tubes and small boxes all work well. Let your child do the collecting so they start thinking about what could be reused.
Clear a work space
Cover the table with newspaper or an old cloth. Have scissors, glue, tape, pencils and paint to hand. Children should use child safe scissors only.
Plan before sticking
Ask your child to lay out the pieces and decide what they want to make. Changing a plan is easy. Changing something that is already glued is much harder.
Finish and show
Give each finished piece a purpose. It might be a decoration, a gift tag, a storage pot or a gift for someone. Making something with a use helps children see why reusing matters.
Why recycle at Christmas?
Christmas is a time when homes fill up with paper, card, packaging and bits of ribbon. Much of it is used once and then thrown away. Thinking about what to do with it is a simple way for children to notice how much we use and how much we waste. It also shows them that rubbish can sometimes become a resource.
Recycling crafts also help with creative thinking. A cardboard tube is just a tube until a child decides it is a candle, a rocket or a stand for a pencil. Choosing and changing materials builds design skills, practical skills and confidence. Children learn that they can solve problems with what they have to hand.
Adults should do any cutting of thick card, and any use of hot glue or craft knives. Children should use child safe scissors only. Keep tins and glass out of the craft pile, as their edges can be sharp. Wash and dry any container before it is used, and keep small pieces away from young children who may put them in their mouths.
Did you know? Christmas waste facts
- Reusing means using something again as it is. Recycling means breaking something down so the material can be made into something new.
- Paper and card can usually be recycled. Wrapping paper with glitter, foil or plastic on it often cannot.
- A scrunch test can help. If wrapping paper stays scrunched in a ball, it is usually plain paper that can be recycled.
- Real Christmas trees can be recycled. Rules differ between local councils, so check what your area offers.
- Cardboard tubes from inside wrapping paper rolls are a handy craft material.
Skills and curriculum link
- Creative thinking
- Reusing materials
- Following a guide
- Fine motor skills
- Planning and designing
- Talking about the environment
Ideas for helping your child
- Start with a sortPut clean leftovers on the table and sort them by material. Paper, card, fabric and plastic can each go in their own pile. This helps children see what they have to work with.
- Ask what else it could beHold up an item and ask, "What could this turn into?" There are no wrong answers. Odd ideas often lead to the best crafts.
- Talk about the binBefore anything is thrown away, ask whether it can be reused or recycled. Make it a quick habit rather than a lecture.
- Let them leadOffer help with cutting and sticking, but let your child choose the design. Work they have planned themselves tends to mean more to them.
Key words
- RecycleBreak down a used material so it can be made into something new.
- ReuseUse something again, either for the same job or a new one.
- MaterialWhat something is made from, such as paper, card, plastic or fabric.
- WasteThings we throw away because we no longer need them.
- DesignPlan what you want to make before you make it.
- CollageA picture made by sticking different pieces of paper or other materials onto a surface.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Read the guide together. Talk about what Christmas leftovers your family has and what could be saved.
- Gather clean materials and clear a work space. Adults handle any hot glue or tough cutting.
- Let your child choose an idea from the guide, plan it and make it. Encourage them to change the idea to suit the materials they have.
- Finish by talking about what they made and what they reused. Display it or give it as a gift.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Choose one simple idea and gather the materials together before starting. Show your child the first step, then let them try the next one. Use big, easy pieces such as card shapes and thick paper. Praise the effort and the choices, not how neat it looks.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to design their own craft that is not in the guide. They should draw a plan, list the leftover materials needed, then make it. Afterwards they can write a short note explaining how someone else could copy it.
Make it a game
Play the Leftover Challenge. Put ten clean leftovers in a bag. Each player pulls out three items and has a set time to make something from them. Everyone then shows their creation and says what it is for.
Talk about it
- What do we usually throw away after Christmas?
- Which of those things could be used again?
- What is the difference between reusing something and recycling it?
- What would you like to make, and what will you need?
- How could you change your idea if you ran out of a material?
- Who would you like to give your finished craft to, and why?
Take it off the page
Leftover card makers
Cut up old cards and wrapping paper (clean, plain pieces) to make a collage picture. Use a glue stick and let children arrange the shapes before sticking.
Tube town
Collect cardboard tubes and small boxes. Decorate them with paper and pens to build a small town, then use it for pretend play.
Reuse hunt
Walk around the house and find five things that could be used again instead of thrown out. Talk about what each one could become.
Who it is for
Parents
Do the sorting and talking together, then let your child lead the making. Keep hot or sharp jobs for yourself. Short sessions work well, and you can spread the crafts over several days after Christmas.
Teachers
Use it in the last weeks of term or the start of January as a link to design and technology or art and design. Ask children to collect clean materials, plan, make and then evaluate. It also supports discussion about the environment and looking after our world.
Home educators
Pair it with a day of making and a short chat about where rubbish goes. Children can keep a record of what they made and what it was made from. Display the finished pieces to mark the end of the festive season.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children benefit from simple sorting and talking about materials, such as paper, card and plastic. Basic cutting and sticking skills also help. Many children have already made things from boxes and tubes at nursery or school.
After this sheet, children can move on to planning and making more detailed projects. They can design for a purpose, choose materials with care and say what they would improve. The habit of looking at waste as a possible resource can carry on all year.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What is Christmas Recycling Crafts?
It is a free printable guide from Jaques of London's Mini Minds Hub. It helps children think about Christmas waste and turn leftovers into crafts. It is for use at home or in school, and needs only basic craft materials.
- Do I need to buy anything?
No. The idea is to use leftovers you already have. You will probably want scissors, glue or tape and some pens or paint, but you do not need to buy special craft supplies.
- Is it safe for children to do alone?
Children can do the planning and simple sticking, but an adult should be nearby. Adults should do any cutting of thick card and any use of hot glue or craft knives. Children should use child safe scissors.
- What does page 2 contain?
Page 2 is for the grown up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea. Keep it to hand while your child works from page 1.
- Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes. It works well as a December or January activity linked to design and technology or art and design. Ask children to bring in clean leftovers and plan, make and talk about what they create.
- What if we do not have many leftovers?
You can still take part. Look for clean card, paper, tubes or boxes from the recycling bin. Even a few pieces are enough for a small craft, and a smaller project is easier to finish.
- Which wrapping paper can be recycled?
Plain paper usually can be. Paper with glitter, foil or plastic on it often cannot. A simple scrunch test helps: if the paper stays in a ball, it is usually fine. Check your local council's guidance.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.