DIY a Cardboard Box into a Recycle Monster

Feed the monster to get your students excited about recycling.

Sponsored By PepsiCo Recycle Rally
DIY recycling station monster

Get your students excited about going green by creating a DIY recycling station monster! All it takes is a cardboard box to create this lovable creature. He’s the perfect size to hold a standard classroom recycling bin. With a “FEED ME” sign added, he really does make students look for more reasons to recycle in the classroom. You could use the monster to collect paper waste or plastic bottles, especially if you participate in PepsiCo’s Recycle Rally program. Here’s how we made him.

What You Need

  • Big cardboard box (18 x 18 x 28 works well)
  • Spray paint
  • Paper plate
  • 2 old CDs
  • 2 old buttons
  • Plastic cup

STEP 1

Dig out a BIG cardboard box from your recycling bin. The bigger the better because then you can have more creative freedom to get just the right monster shape. You’ll want to deconstruct the box and draw out your shape.

DIY recycling station step 1

STEP 2

Once you have your design, cut it out. This is where measuring twice and cutting once really comes in handy. Make sure you’re making the right cuts!

DIY recycling station step 2

STEP 3

Use your favorite color of spray paint to give your monster a color. You can use one color, multiple colors—whatever you want. This is a good opportunity to let your students help design and decorate the DIY recycling station monster.

DIY recycling station step 3

STEP 4

Take a paper plate and paint one side of it pink (spray paint or any other classroom paint is fine). Then turn it over and fold the plate into thirds. Cut teeth out of the top and bottom.

DIY recycling station step 4

STEP 5

Attach your monster mouth onto the body of the monster with glue. We used a hot glue gun for quick and easy drying (Remember that only the teacher should handle the hot glue gun).

DIY recycling station step 5

STEP 6

Take two old CDs and hot glue old buttons in the center of each. These are going to be the monster’s eyes!

DIY recycling station step 6

STEP 7

Attach the eyes to the body of the monster using glue. Then for the final touch, add a plastic cup to be the nose. You can use other objects to create a nose instead. Have fun with upcycling ideas. What’s in your classroom that you can use?

DIY recycling station step 7

STEP 8

Now you just need to add the recycling bin and a sign! FEED ME seems appropriate. Give your monster plenty of paper and other recyclables to keep him happy.

DIY recycling station step 8

Learn more about how your school can participate in Recycle Rally and earn big prizes just for recycling. Get involved NOW!

Check out how our monster came together on video!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZaCbjnqvcM[/embedyt]

DIY a Cardboard Box into a Recycle Monster