milk jug "scoops" catch game

Time needed: 15 minutes
Skills needed: cutting
Materials needed:

• 2 clean used plastic milk jugs
• scissors
• tennis ball, bean bag, or wrap up old tape, rubber bands etc. to make your own ball

This idea is one we found in this wonderful book, EcoArt Earth-Friendly Art and Craft Experiences for 3 to 9 year-olds. This book is full of great recycled toy ideas!

Instructions:
1. Trace the shape of how much you want to cut off. We found it best to cut it starting an inch or two below the handle, with a oval that extended until the tip of the corner. (You may need to play with it. If you leave just a little lift at the end, it helps the ball or bean bag lift into the air, but if you leave too much on the end, it will hinder the ball from coming out!)2. Start your cutting hole right in the center of the piece you will discard. Cut along your line.


To play, Use like mini underhand lacross sticks. Play catch and have fun trying to catch your ball in the scoop!

TP roll binoculars

Time needed: 5 minutes
Skills needed: cutting and taping
Materials needed:

• 2 toilet paper rolls or 1 paper towel holder cut in 2.
• scissors
• tape
• yarn/string

We first saw these cute, easy binoculars at our church nursery. The kids love looking through them and they are SUPER easy! Tape together 2 TP rolls of the same size.
Cut a piece of yarn or string to about 18 inches or 2 feet. Tape it on opposite sides of the rolls.

Measure the length of the rolls on the paper of your choice and cut off enough that it will wrap around it. (11 or 12 inches is plenty)
Tape on the paper down on the inside so it won't slide off.
Then tape it on the outside.
Enjoy exploring!

aluminum can telephones

Time needed: 10 minutes
Skill needed: hammer
materials needed:

• string
• 2 aluminum cans
• hammer
• nail

This is a classic! I think every American kid for the past 4 generations has made one of these can telephones. The amazing thing is, they actually kind of work (as long as you hold the string tight)! (Although it doesn't make much of a difference if my kids are yelling into it anyway!)

Instructions:

1. wash out the cans.
2. Using the hammer and nail, poke a hole in the center top of each can.
3. poke the string through the top of the hole and tie a knot.
4. repeat on the other side.
   
5. play telephone!
   

Aluminum can stilts

Time needed: 15 minutes
Skills needed: hammering
Materials needed:

• 2 clean cans
• scissors
• string
• hammer 
• nail

This is a classic. Aluminum can stilts. So classic, they were once tin can stilts. start with 2 large cans. Since these are for my preschooler, I didn't use the really big number 10 cans, but I used some canned peach cans. Using a hammer and nail, poke a hole on each side of each can near the top. Loop strings through the holes and tie the string in a knot.
Make sure each string is the same length. Then, let them enjoy it! My daughter loved these stilts!