To make a trash creature, you will need:
Trash! Bottle caps, candy wrappers, plastic containers, foil, breadclips, whatever you can gather!
Glue, a glue gun, or tape
String or yarn
Markers (permanent markers or paint pens if you’re drawing on plastic)
(Optional) Googly eyes or eye stickers
This project was created by Luke Histand, a high school student whose Trash Creatures project was a finalist in our OK Challenge.
Luke wanted to create a project that would benefit our health while also helping Planet Earth by keeping trash out of the landfill.
Here’s what Luke had to say about the project:
“Creating this activity has given me a new perspective on random trash I find around my house. Instead of getting annoyed by it, I see it as potential. I also now have my own mini army of trash creatures!”
Want to come up with your own project idea? Our OK Challenge project instructions will walk you through all the steps, from coming up with an idea to sharing it with us. And, if you send it to us by April 28, you could win one of fifteen $25 gift certificates for art supplies!
Ready to make your own trash creature? The first step is to look around your home or school for any useful garbage, like:
Bottlecaps
Candy wrappers
Plastic bottles, jugs, and other containers
Plastic lids
Empty and cleaned cans
Corks
Breadclips
A broken ping-pong ball!
If you’re picking up trash from a public place like a park, beach, or sidewalk, we strongly suggest wearing gloves. Also, be sure to never pick up a needle, anything that looks soft or liquidy, or trash you don’t recognize.
Next, organize your trash to see if the items you’ve collected spark any ideas.
Could that bottlecap be a hat? An eye? A shoe?
Could that candy wrapper be hair? A funny purse?
Take your time trying different possibilities — that’s part of the fun!
To help you get inspired, here are some creations from other trash artists.
When you’re ready, use your glue or tape to put all the pieces together.
If you want, you can add other details, like drawing a face, or adding googly eyes.
You can also choose to hang your finished creation with string or yarn.
Here are some more ideas from Luke:
“Once you’ve finished creating your trash creature you can put it in your room, on a windowsill, anywhere it will give you a good laugh! And BOOM, you’ve just saved some litter from entering the environment while giving your brain a relaxing activity!”
If you liked this project, give FLY A PEACEFUL UFO a try. In that project you get to create your own flying object with a message for Planet Earth.
Want to share your trash creature in our gallery? Just take a photo and click the button below!
