Looking for a fun toilet paper roll craft for your kids? This cute little octopus craft made from a toilet paper roll is a great way to have some fun and recycle at the same time!
With Earth Day just around the corner, my family is looking for creative ways to recycle. We always love to save items from going in the trash by using them to make a fun craft.
This toilet paper roll craft is so easy to make. My preschooler had a blast making it and it was a great chance to teach out the importance of recycling.
As a family of 8, we always have plenty of empty toilet paper rolls ready to craft with. These do eventually get put in the trash but they get a second life for a while and we avoid having to buy any new materials for craft projects.
Before we get into the craft, I wanted to share some great tips that the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies has for any DIY project using recycled materials. They created the the Care To Recycle® program as a gentle reminder to recycle your personal care items in the bathroom.
I love that they are making it easier for families to recycle. For instance, do you have a recycling bin in your bathroom? a 2016 consumer survey found that only one in five recyclers have a recycling bin in their bathroom. Having a place readily available to put your recycling makes it so much easier to do.
We recycle quite a bit but it has honestly never occurred to me to put a recycling bin in my bathroom. I’m going to be adding one there now that I’ve realized just how many things in my bathroom can be recycled.
Recycled Craft Tips
- Look for ways to use packaging that is not currently recyclable, including tubes, #5 plastic containers (think makeup pads and floss), and plastic film (baby and makeup removal wipes).
- Avoid adding too much paint or glue and preventing the material from being able to be recycled in the future.
- Avoid cutting large bottles since that may prevent them from being properly captured at the Municipal Recycling Facility.
Toilet Paper Roll Octopus
Ready for the craft? First let’s gather your supplies.
Materials Needed
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Waterproof paint
- Paintbrush
- Googly eyes
- Scissors
Instructions
Take your toilet paper roll and cut about 2 inches from the bottom of the roll. Do this all the way around until you have 8 tentacles.
Bend each tentacle out so that the octopus can stand on it’s own.
Paint your octopus. We did a nice, bright blue but any color will work.
Add googly eyes and any other decorations you want. There you have it! A fun toilet paper roll octopus!
This would be so much fun as part of an “under the sea” preschool theme or as an activity to go along with your favorite ocean themed book.
Learn more about recycling personal care products that you have in your home on the Care To Recycle® website.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
