Here are some fun and creative ideas to reuse plastic bottles and turn them into amazing crafts, all while helping the environment! From home decor to fun toys, there’s something for everyone in this list of easy plastic bottle crafts.
It is hard to avoid purchasing items that are in plastic containers. So why not reuse them? Below I have a list of over 30 craft projects that use plastic bottles and they are quite creative! But before we get to that, here are some benefits of using plastic containers in both adult and kid crafts:
- Environmental sustainability: By reusing plastic bottles, you help reduce the amount of plastic waste that enters landfills and the environment, promoting environmental protection and conservation.
- Cost-effective: Crafting with plastic bottles is inexpensive and budget-friendly. Instead of spending your money on new materials, you can reuse plastic bottles.
- Versatility: Plastic bottles can be used for a wide variety of DIY projects, including candle holders, bird feeders, planters, and storage containers.
- Educational value: Crafting with plastic bottles can be an educational activity, particularly for children. They can learn about recycling, environmental protection, and the benefits of reusing materials to reduce waste.
If you walk around your home, you will start to notice all of the plastic bottles you have. In the bathroom you have shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion bottles.
The kitchen and pantry have condiment bottles, cleaning supplies, drinks (water, soda, milk, juice) and more. Plus you have laundry detergent, pill containers, motor oil… and on and on.
So, if you can’t avoid purchasing items in plastic bottles (which would be best), use up the product and then reuse the container in crafting! Here is a list of ideas to help inspire you:
Easy Plastic Bottle Crafts
Grab your recycling bin and gather plastic bottles for these fun craft ideas!
For Kids
Here you'll find plastic bottle crafts that kids can make or use!
Adults should cut or supervise the cutting of the plastic bottles. Make sure to sand them down so there aren't any sharp edges before allowing children to play.
Cat Containers
Upcycle your plastic shampoo bottles into cute little cat containers! Kids can brainstorm uses for this cat craft.
Butterflies
This page shows you how to make 3 different butterfly crafts using plastic bottles: a mobile (shown), a hair clip and a bell jar! Kids will love painting the butterflies with nail polish.
Robot Nightlight
Love this!! This craft reused 10 plastic bottles to make a robot. Not only is it fun to look at and play with, it lights up! The torso has LED lights in it and it makes a fun night light.
Dinosaur Planter
Use 2-liter bottles, paint and some embellishments to make an adorable dinosaur planter! This site also shows you a cat planter.
Cactus
Raid the recycling bin for these cute cacti! I love this idea and want to make one for my desk at work.
Bird Feeder
Get birds to flock around your garden when making this adorable plastic bottle bird feeder! Great way to upcycle and have fun with your kids.
Water Bottle Love Bugs
Make these fun love bugs using small empty water bottles. Fill them with glow sticks and they will light up at night!
Apple Gift Boxes
Kids can create their own apple gift boxes for their teacher! You could put a gift card inside or fill it with candy — whatever your teacher may like.
Hanging Jellyfish
Wiggle away boredom with this hanging sea creature. All you need is paint and some googly eyes.
Plastic Bottle Bowling
Turn bottles into bowling pins with this fun idea! Kids can play this game over and over again.
Helicopter
In her post with 10+ ways to play with a spray bottle, Michelle shows how to turn a cleaning spray bottle into a helicopter. Look at it flying above the clouds!
Windsock
Turn a plastic bottle, ribbon and tissue paper into a colorful windsock! Kids can learn about the wind and directions while watching the pretty colors.
Hot Air Balloons
Water bottles come in all shapes and sizes, including small and round. Those make the perfect hot air balloons!
Christmas Trees
Get the kids into recycling with this Christmas tree craft. This Christmas tree water bottle craft is the ideal way to recycle empty bottles and have as many trees on display as you like!
Halloween Ghosts
Black felt, and Poly-Fil turn plastic bottles into fun little ghosts! I like them up on the pedestals, they look like ghost cloches.
Bottle Rocket
Take a kid's shampoo bottle and turn it into a rocket. Kids will have fun making this and then more fun playing with it!
Bubble Refill Station
Make a DIY bubble refill station from a laundry detergent bottle. I love that she Mod Podged fabric over the label!
Flower Stamping
Easily create a flower stamp using a plastic bottle! Use various sizes of bottles for different size flowers.
For Adults
Colorful Wreath
This DIY wreath is fun for all ages. You'll learn how to cut the bottles to create blooms and curly springs.
Snow Globe
Upcycle a soda or water bottle into a snow globe! There's no water, but when you shake it! The snow pellets fly. Kids will love it.
Concrete Candle Holders
Learn how to make cement candle holders using plastic bottles! These are such a unique home decor project.
Rope Storage Container
This tutorial can be done with any size plastic bottle, but the large water dispenser bottles will hold so much clutter!
Faux Succulents Terrarium
I can't believe these succulent "plants" were made from plastic bottles! You can have a bit of fun with fire with this project.
Halloween Potion Bottles
Learn how to make these cool Halloween potion bottles from old pill bottles! You’ll get free printables in this post, too.
Pendant Light Shades
Now this is an amazing upcycle idea and super thrifty! When Janice had a pendant light shade break, she replaced all 3 shades using 2 liter plastic juice bottles. Genius!
Concrete Planter
Using two different sized water bottles, you can make this rustic looking planter with a ready made indent pattern. Great for holding succulents.
Cell Phone Holder
Not sure where to put your phone while it’s charging? Make a cell phone holder from a lotion bottle using Mod Podge, and keep it near the plug.
Flower Lights
Above you saw how kids can use the bottom of plastic bottles to stamp flower art. Adults can use them to create some really fun looking floral lights!
Owl Night Lights
I can think of so many fun ideas for these owls! The original tutorial is for a night light, but it could be a vase, or a grown up version of the dinosaur planter from earlier. If you don't have the artistic talent for these, you could download a design to trace and paint. Note: this site is in Vietnamese but you can just right click to translate it.
Plant Pots
Can you believe these pots were made from cleaning supply plastic bottles? I love the addition of the leather strap for hanging!
Organizers
If you have a giant purse, I have a solution to losing things in the black hole – recycle pill bottles into organizers! So easy to make.
Decoupage with Napkins
Turn plastic iced tea bottles into cute decorative vases by decoupaging them with napkins. Mary takes you through her trial and error process so you don't make the same mistakes!
Watering Can
A laundry detergent bottle gets a sleek black makeover to become a watering can! This is a super easy project if you have a drill.
Greenhouse
I wanted to include this idea because it uses an amazing number of plastic bottles — 1500! This site has more examples in varying sizes plus it links to detailed downloadable instructions.
If you liked these easy plastic bottle crafts, I’d love it if you could share it using the buttons below. Then check out these other crafts using recyclable materials: