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This week's
featured blog: Married to Green
It might make you cringe to think about how much garbage from an event bypasses recycle bins and gets thrown straight into the trash, only to cease function as just another piece of waste in a landfill.
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Published on March 31, 2008
Children's craft ideas keep plastics, general junk out of landfills
 With 50 projects to choose from, children have the unique opportunity to keep junk out of their local landfills. My daughter brought her paper bead necklace, made using the 'Paper Bead-It' project on page 77, to show-and-tell at her school, impressing her teacher greatly. Using found objects and objects that were destined for a landfill, children and their parents can create toys, desk organizers, a steel drum set and more. Though the projects aren’t rated for age, there are occasional notes for when an adult is needed to help out. There were far too few of these warnings. The book rarely mentions adults at all and there are no photos of them helping children with projects. The introduction does not once mention that a responsible adult may be necessary for some of the projects. One of the projects that does not mention parental assistance instructs children to cut up an aluminum can and then use a hot glue gun to create a “Soda Can Bug.” While many children can handle these procedures, there are many who really shouldn’t. I wouldn’t let my kindergartener do most of the projects in this book without my help. Granted, there is a how-to at the beginning of the book on how to properly handle the tools for the projects, it should really state appropriate ages and be more cautious about when to require adult assistance. Aspen did get to do one of the projects.  Aspen, 5, rolls a triangle cut from an old apartment magazine around a pencil. Photo by Jennifer Tramm. I helped her, since I couldn’t find our safety scissors.  She glues the end of the triangle and allows it to dry. Photo by Jennifer Tramm. She got to do the rest when making a paper bead necklace.  Aspen strings the now-dry beads onto a length of twine. Photo by Jennifer Tramm.  The completed necklace is now one of her greatest treasures. Photo by Jennifer Tramm Aside from my comments on safety, this book has loads of great information. There are a lot of silly projects, but just as many that teach children good habits, such as how to compost old eggshells, shredded paper and the Brussels sprouts from last night’s surprise casserole. The book also has a nice two-page spread with 20 things children can do to be more environmentally responsible. Overall, this is a great book for children around age 11 and up. Parents: Check it out before letting your children get too attached to a project. Children: Have fun and watch those fingers! Back to "Books invite young minds to open to environmental possibilities" |