You know that whole thing where the inventor of the K-Cup said that he regretted it big time? Yeah. Whoops. Anyways, as convenient and delicious those little pods are … they really are bad for the environment. Most of them are made from a kind of plastic that just sits in landfills and refuses to decompose. No bueno. But the good news is that those cups don't ever even have to reach a landfill because they're the perfect size for crafting with your kids!
Yep. Crafting. And we're not the first people to figure this out … not by a long shot. There are a million ideas out there for using your old K-Cups adorably and creatively, and we rounded up our favorites that you can do with kids.
Let's all do ourselves (and the K-Cup inventor and the earth) a favor and turn these little guys into adorable memory games or flower pots instead of letting them sit in landfills for our kids to deal with in a few decades. Sound good? Good.
Which craft is your favorite? Do you think you would ever use #7?
- Image via Surf and Sunshine*
Graduation Caps
All you need to make Becky from PracTip's K-Cup graduation caps is some paint, paper, thread, pushpins, and scrapbooking brads. These little hats are so versatile, too — try using them as placeholders, party favors, cake toppers, or as gifts for grad by having guests write messages on them.
Card Holder
Little fingers are famously bad at holding on to a hand of cards, so over the years moms have come up with a million ways to keep the cards in the hands and off the floor. Though we're long-time supporters of the upside-down board game box method, Jackie from Happy Hooligan's K-Cup card holder might just trump it. It's smaller and kids will love that their cards can look like a fan like Mom's and Dad's.
More from The Stir: 14 Best Cardboard Box Crafts to Make With Kids (PHOTOS)
Miniature Planters
We can't get enough of these K-Cup planters from Jeana at Surf and Sunshine. K-Cups are the perfect size for starting seeds or planting baby plants, and they're even better for teaching kids about growing their own flowers. You can plant them from seeds or have kids dig up some wild flowers in the backyard. Jeana even has a tutorial for hanging them from windows.
Sound Memory Game
Jillian from Entirely Smitten came up with this genius sound and memory game for preschoolers as an alternative to your basic image-matching game that kids love to play. For this version, Jillian filled recycled K-Cups with buttons, pennies, toothpicks — you name it. She had her kids try and match the sounds by rattling the cups around. So fun!
Marquee Lights
You can more or less bring the Vegas lights into your own home with Kim from The Kim Six Fix's glamorous K-Cup marquee lights. We love how original this craft is. Mom will need to handle the power tools, but the rest is fun for kids to help with, too … and it makes for a fun alternative to their night light.
Try different shapes to fit the theme of your child's room — maybe a dinosaur or a football?
More from The Stir: 15 Cool Kid Crafts to Use Up Those Extra Toilet Paper Rolls in Your House
Mini Pot of Gold
This mini pot o' gold by Crystal from Make It Easy Crafts is perfect for St. Patty's day scavenger hunts with the kids … especially for the little ones who need more proof that leprechauns do exist! Gold and green glitter give this craft just the right amount of magic.
Frankenstein Treat Holder
Ok so yeah, Halloween is a couple months away, but these K-Cup Frankenstein snack holders are perfect for a "scary" movie night with the kids or a monster-themed party. Robyn from CelebBabyLaundry came up with the idea, and it's a great activity for kids … once you handle the spray paint, they can decorate the rest all by themselves!
Multiplication Practice
Some kids aren't that interested in math … unless it's a game. Becky from PracTips used recycled K-Cups as a tactile multiplication practice for her kids to make practicing math stackable, knock-down-able, and generally more fun.
More from The Stir: 10 Fun Imagination Games for Toddlers — No Toys Required!
