Keeping teenagers occupied in productive things is a challenge, as parents would confirm. Especially during the holidays when they don’t have school, and they soon run out of things to do. You can involve your teenagers in some fun DIY activities to pass the time, and if these DIY crafts were eco-friendly, you would be teaching them to care about their environment too. Upcycling waste or unwanted things into useful items is a good way to teach youngsters about recycling. Check out these 5 DIY eco friendly ideas for teenagers:
T-shirt tote bag, bracelets/ bangles
You could ask your teenager to take out some of his/her old ragged T-shirts and help them transform these into some exciting new things.
Materials
T-Shirt and scissors, glue, bangle
Instructions
To turn a T-shirt into a tote bag, cut the sleeves off leaving intact the seams. Cut out the neckline deeper and turning the T-shirt inside out, close the bottom. Turn it inside out once more and you’ll have a unique tote. You can use a tank top to make a tote bag too.
First, cut out the hem from the T-shirt’s bottom. Then cut bands which are one inch wide from the bottom, and cut out the hems from each side of the loop, and stretch out the strips. You could braid the strips to make bracelets or wrap them round a metal or plastic bangle, and tie together the ends or glue them.
Lantern made from tin can
These lanterns can be used to add sparkle to your barbecue or outdoor dinner party. The holes in the can make beautiful patterns of light on your table, when you put a candle inside it.
Materials
A few tin cans, assorted nails, hammer, paper, candles, pencil
Instructions
Remove the labels, clean and fill the cans with water and freeze them overnight. The ice will prevent it from moving when you punch in the designs. Draw on a piece of paper the pattern you want and tape this on the can. You can make a freehand design too, if you wish. Put the frozen can on a towel and with the hammer, gently tap out the design.
Charging station
You can make a cool charging station from a flat plastic bottle.
Materials
Flat plastic bottle, scissors, plastic or acrylic paint
Instructions
After washing and drying the bottle thoroughly, cut out the top. Slice across the bottle front (up to half), then cut vertically at the back, in order to make a flat strap at the back. You can decorate it by painting with plastic spray paint or acrylic paint. After the paint dries, line up the hole at the back with the charging station and plug your charger through the hole, placing the cellphone inside the holder.
Terrariums
Your teenager has grown out of his/ her toys and instead of adding to the clutter, you can make beautiful terrariums out of these unwanted toys.
Materials
Hollow plastic toy, scissors, soil, rocks, aloe vera or other leafy green plants, glass jar
Instructions
Cut out an opening in the toy for your plant, and layer in soil and rocks. Just stick an aloe or a leafy green plant and your toy terrarium is ready.
To make a glass jar terrarium is extremely easy and rewarding. Just put in the soil and rocks and plants of your choice, and it’s ready. Cacti and succulents don’t need much water so you can use them.
Bird feeder
Your teen can place this bird feeder outside the window and observe the winged inhabitants that would come to feed in it.
Materials
Peanut butter container with lid (any size but a screw on lid), yogurt container lid, utility knife or nail, nut or washer, sturdy string, glue, pencil or bamboo skewer or stick
Instructions
Drill a hole in the yogurt lid so that the string can pass through it. Then make holes near the bottom of the peanut butter container with the knife. You can place the bird feeder wherever you want or hang it outside.
These eco-friendly DIY projects with your teen can be done with his/her friends too. Having a recycling party will be fun and educational for all of them.
