Kids. With them comes junk. Junk that you wonder ‘How in the world did we end up with that’  or ‘Why in the world am I keeping this’. Right?

Books that the kids use for more than reading.

Birthday gift bags you won’t ever use again.

Parenting Magazines.

Kid Magazines.

Outdated Calendars.

And other odds and ends you just might end up recycling or throwing away.

Well, while we here at The Greer Five are not the most eco-friendliest family, we do seem to save things and find uses for them later. And with all the above mentioned things, I have found some really fun uses for them before trashing them.

Let the kids flip through them. Chose pictures from each they like. Let them cut out even if you wish! (of course you may want to help or trim them up)

• Use these pictures to put into small frames for their walls (cheap decoration).
• Glue them onto construction paper or printing paper. Get an inexpensive binder and have a whole punch (or sleeves for binder) – Their own little scrapbook.
• Glue them onto cardboard from boxes (make different sizes for more fun) – Can be used for a game the kids want to make up, flash cards or whatever their imagination thinks of!
• See a bar code? Cut it out. What about food from the magazines too? Glue it onto cardboard -  let the kids use it to make a grocery store!
• Find and cut out words – glue or tape to blank sheet of paper. Make up a fun story or book with the kids. (ad lib style!)
• Or just find pictures to glue to the kids’ school binders and folders. They will have the most unique school stuff!

While you may not use every inch of these left over things lying around, these are just a few fun kid crafts.