Arts and crafts are a fun family and classroom activity, perfect for getting ready for the holidays, but they are also a great way to teach about the importance of recycling. For example, you can make unique decorative boxes out of this Altoid Tin Craft!

Materials

• empty clean Altoids mint tins (of course, other brands will do)
• acrylic paint

• paintbrushes, sponge brushes
• decorative options (ribbon, buttons, craft foam, pom-poms, photos, magazine cut-outs, glitter, glue, feathers, etc.)

Instructions

1. Paint the tins using acrylic paint. If you are making several tins, you may want to use spray paint to save time (adults only).

2. After the paint is dry, it's time add your special flare with all of your decorative items. You can use a glue gun (adults only), but glue dots, craft glue, or even sticky-backed craft foam will do.

3. Fill your new tins with barrettes, paper clips, earrings, postage stamps, lost buttons, or you can make a mini-sewing kit for traveling.

Tips

• This craft will most likely need adult supervision. However, if you do the painting first, the kids can finish the rest.
• Try this as an Earth Day activity. What a creative way to teach the concept of "reduce, reuse, recycle!"
• You can also make your tin into a small First-Aid kit for the car! Use sticky-backed red craft foam to make the cross. Fill the tin with small tweezers, ibuprofen, and bandages.