Did you know April 22nd is Earth Day? In 1970,  people organized a national demonstration to raise awareness for environmental issues. Rallies were held across the country, before the end of that year the government had formed the Environmental Protection Agency to help make sure our planet was taken care of as best that we could for years to come. By 1990, Earth Day was being celebrated by over 140 countries around the world.

You might have heard the phrase, REduce, REuse, REcycle, as a way to help explain ways we can help the Earth and keep the environment clean. This is something we can even do when creating artwork! In our Muse Art Studio we are creating Recycled Art, but it’s also something you can do at home!

To start all you need are:

• Some recyclable or reusable items, like bottle caps, cardboard, paper cups, pipe cleaners, or cupcake liners

• You can add markers, scissors, glue, or staplers to help decorate your art

You can make something to use later, like an airplane to play with or a bird feeder. Or you can make something abstract with these items. The great thing about recycled art is that it can be anything you want. Making art in an open ended way like this is called process art. It’s a great way for kids to explore self-expression and help with fine motor skills. 

Making recycled art during April is a great way to teach kids about recycling and reusing everyday items that might otherwise end up in the trash, and opens conversation with your child to talk more about Earth Day and why it is important!