Recycled Plastic Beads Necklace

Brett’s homework this week is to make something from recycled items. I recently came across this tutorial on how to make Recycled Plastic Beads Necklace from plastic bottles so Brett’s project was a perfect excuse to give it a try. It’s a great activity for Earth Day as well.

It’s super easy and the beads look so neat! We just made them into a necklace because I wasn’t sure what else to do with them but I think gluing them down on something to make a collage would be interesting too. Brett and a friend spent nearly 1 1/2 hrs. on this project mostly coloring but they loved it!

Recycled Plastic Beads Necklace

Needed:

• Plastic water or soda bottles
• sharp scissors
• heat gun
• Sharpie markers
• pliers
• stretchy necklace thread

Directions:

1. Cut water or soda bottles into strips, about 1″ wide.
2. Children can color plastic with permanent Sharpie markers. Remember to protect your surface.
3. Adult: wrap plastic bottle strip around a pliers and hold it tight.
4. Heat with a heat gun until melted.
5. Set down on a tray to allow it to cool. It takes just seconds.
6. Thread onto string to make a necklace or glue to a piece of cardboard to make a creative art display.