Recycled Tin Can Craft

Looking for a thoughtful gift mom or dad will love this year? Try this planter craft from “The Easiest Kids’ Crafts Ever” by Jacinta Sagona.

Families looking for a personal gift for either Mom or Dad won’t go wrong with these planters that can be personalized to each member of your house. (These are great for grandparents, too.)

Make these little planters with real flowers for spring or add fake flowers or craft supplies for use all year long.

Items needed:

• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Empty recycled tin cans (labels removed, cleaned and dried)
• Scissors
• EVA foam or colored construction paper
• White school glue
• Washi tape
• Pipe cleaners
• Succulents, plant cuttings or young plants purchased from a garden center
• Potting mix*

*If you are making a planter, remember to use potting mix outside or in a well-ventilated area.

Instructions:

1. Paint the tin cans with acrylic paint and allow them to completely dry. You may need more than one coat to get even coverage.
2. While the paint is drying, cut the EVA foam or construction paper into facial pieces. Cut out a nose, mouth, eyes, eyebrows and any other details you’d like, such as cheeks or eye lashes. Cut one set for each planter you’re making.
3. Next, paste the facial pieces onto the tin cans with glue and allow the glue to dry completely.
4. While the glue is drying, cut the washi tape into short strips and press the strips onto the tin cans as hair. Twist pipe cleaners into glasses and attach with glue. This can be tricky! First, fold one of your pipe cleaners in half to mark the center. Then take both ends of the pipe cleaner and twist them to the center. Open the two eye holes to create a glasses shape and then twist one new pipe cleaner to each eye piece to make the ear rests. You might need to trim the length of the ear rests to fit snuggly to the sides of the can.
5. Finally, head out into your garden with an adult and take a cutting of a succulent or another flower suitable for transplanting. Alternatively, you can visit a garden center with an adult and pick out young plants to put in your planters. Fill the planters with potting mix and gently place your plants into them. Have an adult help you water the plants regularly, and keep them in a sunny location to help them grow.

Get creative

Try using different materials to make facial features on these planters, such as bottle tops, buttons, straws, googly eyes and beads. These planters would also look amazing with alien heads, robot faces or even your favorite animals.

This craft was reprinted with permission from The Easiest Kids’ Crafts Ever by Jacinta Sagona, Page Street Publishing, Co. 2021.

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