Household Recycle List

Household Materials for Creative Play and Art:
At Stretch the Imagination we have a recycle center in our basement where we
categorize our materials. This can help organize your treasure hunt. I realize that
most people do not have a lot of space to save all their found materials but here are
just a few of the endless treasures you can find and reuse:

PAPER PRODUCTS:

Boxes: All shapes and sizes
Cardboard Tubes:  Children of all ages love tubes. They can be telescopes,
binoculars, a game of peek‐a‐boo, a tunnel for a small vehicle and so much more.

Tissue Boxes: Great for young children. Fill with different textured materials and let
children discover hidden treasures

Egg Cartons: These can be used with blocks to add height and dimension to a
building corner. They are also great for arts and crafts to create caterpillars. Add
some watercolor and paper towel and a beautiful butterfly can emerge.

Take out drink holders: The kind you find at Pets that hold 4 cups  Old holiday cards, business cards, invitations, solicitations, wrapping paper etc.

Stickers: Always a favorite

Large easel paintings: Great for wrapping paper

PLASTIC:

Tops: Tops come is great shapes, sizes and colors and can be a great addition to any
art project. Glass milk bottles, plastic drink bottles, food jars etc

Plastic containers: Tupperware, Strawberry baskets, water bottles,
Straws, Bubble wrap and packing materials

WOOD:
Packaging: Packaging has not only become more eco‐friendly but it is often quite
elaborate. For example, the vehicles packaged by Plan Toys come with great pieces
of wood to add to a building area or project.
Dowels
Old wooden toys
Chopsticks
NATURAL MATERIALS:
Leaves, acorns, feathers, pine straw (banded together these can make a great paint
brush) rocks, sticks, sea shells, fallen flowers, dried flowers, corks
FABRIC:
Old clothes, socks, ribbon, felt, canvas, pillow cases
OLD ELECTRONICS AND COMPUTER PARTS
GLASS:
Glass jars: Great for storing all your found objects, paint jars, vases
Sea Glass, Marbles
OLD TOYS/ACTIVITES
Puzzle Pieces, Deck of Cards, and games with missing parts