Following on from my 20 Things To Do with Paper Plates post and 20 Things To Do With Lolly Sticks, here is my next list of things to do with paper cups.
1. Octopus. You can paint or wrap the cup in coloured paper. Draw two eyes and a mouth and cut 8 strips of paper for tentacles which you can glue to the rim of the cup. Older children could plait wool to make tentacles.
2. Skittles. Stack cups into a pyramid and roll a ball or rolled up socks/gloves at them.
3. Shaker. Decorate two cups how you wish and then fill with rice. Glue or tape the cups together and shake!
4. Advent Calendar. In a large rectangle of cardboard cut 24 holes the a couple millimetres less than the size of the rim. Push the cups into the holes, full with advent goodies and glue tissue paper over cups to seal. Write numbers 1-24 under the cups.
5. Decorate plain LED lights. Decorate the cups, cut a small ‘X’ shape in the base and push led light through the X cut, repeat for all lights.
6. Sheep. Paint the bottom of 4 wooden pegs black and peg on to the rim of the cup, equally spaced. Glue cotton wool balls to the cup, use a large cotton wool ball for a head, glue on googly eyes and black paper ears.
7. Windchime. Decorate cup and punch several holes around the rim and one tiny hole in the bare. Thread beads and small bells along string and tie to cup using the rim holes. Thread string through the base to hang.
8. Crown. Decorate the cup and then cut the top of a cup into a jagged crown shape. Thread hair elastic or a thin hair band through the base of the cup to attach to your head.
9. Frog eyes. Paint or use 2 green cups, cut 2 white arches out of paper and glue to the cups so the bottom of the arch is at the base. Draw on a black circle for the middle of the eye. Cut holes in the rim of the cups to thread onto a hairband.
10. Centipede. Decorate the cups and then thread together with string. Glue on two legs to each cup and help the caterpillar wriggle across the floor.
11. Rocket launcher. Draw a rocket decoration on a cup with the rim as the bottom. Cut 4 equally spaced slits into the rim and attach an elastic band (or two to make a taut cross). Place a second cup underneath, pull the elastic cup down over the top and let go, it will launch into the air!
12. Apple box. Visit this page for full instructions.
13. Pop-up puppet. Decorate the cup, make a slit in the base, push a lollipop stick through and glue a character onto the stick. Push the stick up to reveal the character.
14. Anemometer. Head over here for full instructions.
15. Pom-Pom Shooter. Cut the base of the cup off. Cut off the end of the balloon and stretch the balloon over the rim of the cup. Place a pom-pom inside and then pull back the balloon and shoot!
16. Daisies. Cut slits down the rim and bend backwards to make petals (round off the corners). Use a straw or lolly stick to push through the flower as a stem. Decorate as you wish.
17. African drum. Check out this blog for great instructions.
18. Fairy House. Cut a doorway into the cup and glue a paper bowl upside down on top of the cup. Decorate as you like.
19. Minimalist wreath. Thread approximately 30 white cups onto string and tie in a circle. Arrange the cups so equal amounts of the cups are showing and glue in place of they are sliding around. Use a ribbon to hang.
20. Weaving craft. Cut several slits all the way down to the base and weave thread or thin wool through the slits. Check out more details here.
Have you any other paper cup ideas?
J x
FarZain says
An amazing roundup of such simple activities. I loved the advent calendar, could use the idea for another project with my daughter 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
FarZain
@http://colorsofourrainbow.blogspot.ae/
Our Cherry Tree says
I love the fairy house! Thanks for sharing #ToddlerApprovedTuesday
The Reading Residence says
So many great ideas! I can see the pom pom shooter going down very well here!
Coombe Mill says
Well done on a lovely collection of ideas, I’m loving the windmill
Chloe says
I love, love, love your ideas Jenny. I really like the idea of making an advent calendar out of cups. That would be so much fun and also, who would have thought about using them as home decor and little lights!!! Absolute genius. It would look so pretty! x
Chloe says
p.s. forgot to say I’m popping in from #letkidsbekids
Let kids be kids says
Fab ideas. We have made a few of these, but I love the look of that fairy house, so cute!
Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids
Kiri says
I love the advent calendar idea! #toddlerapprovedtuesday
Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar says
So many cute ideas! #LetKidsBeKids
Joanna @mumbalance says
It’s great to see so many ideas on what to do with ‘rubbish’ 🙂
#letkidsbekids
Caroline (Becoming a SAHM) says
Wow that is a lot of ideas for paper cups and some are amazing! I particularly love the advent calender and rocket launcher!! Xx
Jenny Eaves says
We already have an advent calendar that I’ve sewn myself a few years ago, but if we hadn’t I would definitely make this! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
I know, it’s so cute, we’re definitely going to make it! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Ha ha, I know my two would love it too, but worried about something like a conker getting in there! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you, they are so many lovely ideas! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
The lights are so pretty aren’t they! I saw some LED lights very cheap in the Works the other day, I should have bought them then! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
I love it too, we shall definitely be making one! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
It’s so cute isn’t it and not too much work really. 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thanks, I can’t wait to start making some next week! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thanks, we love making things out of household objects. 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
The rocket launcher will hopefully be on our to-do list next week! 🙂 x
chantelle hazelden says
who knew a simple paper cup could do so much! #picknmix
Kirsty says
What a great idea. love the lights!! Who knew you could do so much with cups! #picknmix
Jenny Eaves says
It’s great how many ideas there are, I can’t wait to get started! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
The lights are really cool aren’t they, I love all the crafts! 🙂 x
Leandra says
Some great ideas!! Thanks for linking up with #toddlerapprovedtuesday xx
Mummyandmonkeys says
Ooh there are some great ideas here. I have loads of paper cups left over from Birthday parties and they tend to just get put to the back of the party/baking cupboard. Thanks for linking to #PickNMix
A Cornish Mum says
I LOVE the advent calendar what a brilliant idea, and all the others as well. Fun and cheap crafts are the best 🙂
Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix
Stevie x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! Got to love paper cups! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Me too, that’s why I had to write the post, so many leftover cups! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
They are so much fun, I love using up things we already have! 🙂 x