Recycled Robots

Recycled Robots is a fantastic craft project that encourages creativity and sustainability. Kids use household recyclables—like cardboard, bottle caps, toilet rolls, and foil—to build their own unique robot characters. It’s a great way to spark imagination while reinforcing the idea that art supplies don’t have to come from a shop.

Children can design their robot’s look, name, and even invent their function or backstory. Whether it’s a space explorer or a kitchen helper, every robot is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece!

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Materials Needed

• Small cardboard boxes (e.g. cereal boxes, tissue boxes)

• Toilet paper rolls or paper towel tubes

• Bottle caps, buttons, tin foil, lids, old CDs, scraps of cardboard

• Glue, tape, and/or a glue gun (with adult help)

• Paint, markers, or stickers for decorating

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Tools Needed

• Scissors

• Glue stick or craft glue

• Optional: low-heat glue gun (for older kids with adult help)

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Steps

1. Gather Supplies: Collect a variety of clean recyclables—different shapes and sizes make the best robots!

2. Plan the Robot: Let kids choose a body shape and decide where to attach arms, legs, head, and features.

3. Build the Robot: Use glue or tape to attach parts together. Boxes for bodies, toilet rolls for limbs, and bottle caps for eyes or buttons.

4. Decorate: Add color, personality, and flair using paint, markers, stickers, or foil.

5. Introduce Your Robot: Give it a name and invent its purpose—maybe it’s a dancing robot or a bedtime story bot!

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Variations

• Robot Pet: Make animal-inspired robots like robo-dogs or robo-cats.

• Movable Parts: Use paper fasteners to create moving arms or legs.

• Themed Robots: Build a robot with a job—chef, explorer, artist, etc.

• Group Build: Combine pieces from multiple kids to make one giant team robot!