44 Ways to Upcycle Your Kids' Castoffs

Parents often have to do more with less and kids tend to burn through items quickly, so we've rounded up budget-friendly ways to cleverly put kids' old stuff to new uses.

By: H. Camille Smith and Briana Mowrey

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Sand Buckets = Snack Servers

Need unbreakable serveware for your next soirée? Raid your kiddo's summer toy stash, run the sand buckets and shovels through the dishwasher to sanitize them, then use the colorful containers to serve up a variety of snacks. Bonus: The sand shovels actually make handy scoops to prevent guests from helping themselves with their hands. Get more clever party pointers, below.

See More Photos: 11 Party Hacks Every Parent Should Know

Or, Party Hats = Treat Cones

Put that collection of leftover party hats to good use on family movie night by filling them with popcorn, pretzels, crackers or any other dry snack. The cone's narrow end makes it easy for even the littlest hands to hold.

See More Photos: 11 Party Hacks Every Parent Should Know

Twin Sheet = Pup Tent

Surprise: Just like you, your furkid's skin can burn in the sun — and they're much more likely to overheat on a warm, sunny day. Help them keep their cool and prevent a painful sunburn by turning an extra twin flat sheet into this totally portable pup-sized bit of shade. Learn everything you need to craft it yourself, below.

Get the How-To: Perfectly Portable Pup Tent for Easy Summer Shade

Sandbox = Raised Garden

Quite possibly the easiest raised garden, ever — just drill drainage holes in the base of your kiddo's old sandbox, then plant it with herbs, flowers or other low-growing edibles. Then, green up their thumbs by enlisting your little one's help in tending to the tasty harvest. Get all our tips for growing a kid-friendly garden, below.

See More Photos: Upcycle a Sandbox Into a Kid-Friendly Garden

Toddler Pool = Party Cooler

For warm-weather picnics and cookouts, beat the heat by filling an inflatable baby pool with ice and your guests' favorite beverages. The petite pool's short size makes it perfect for filling with non-alchoholic drinks so kids can easily grab and go, while the boozy beverages can be stashed up higher or behind a bar. Get more party tips for parents, below.

See More Photos: 11 Party Hacks Every Parent Should Know

Bathroom Stepstool = More Room for Plants

Has your child outgrown their two-step bathroom stool? Good! Repurpose it as a tiered plant stand and fill up one corner of a sunny bathroom with a variety of plants that'll thrive in the higher humidity while clearing the air of odors and common indoor pollutants like benzene and formaldehyde.

See More Photos: 20 Best Plants for Cleaning Indoor Air

From: H. Camille Smith

Or Stepstool = Kitty Playground

Keep your feline friends busy for hours by building the ultimate sensory playground. Use a stepstool as the base, then attach interactive features for them swat at using brushes, twine and old T-shirts. Craft your own with our tips, below.

Get the How-To: Turn a Step Stool Into a Sensory Playground for Cats

Toy Box = Dog Feeding Station

With all the focus on the kids, it can be easy to forget your furkids (aka, your first-born child!). This elevated feeding station is one way to show your furry friend they're still #1. Get all our tips, below.

Doodles = Artsy Gallery Wall

After all, your kids are your favorite artists, right? Create a gallery wall by hanging their best works as a grouping. Shop your local craft or big-box store to purchase basic frames with white mats so the cost stays low — and their handiwork remains the star.

Learn More: House Tour: Fun and Fearless Decorating

From: HGTV Magazine

Wagon = Mobile Garden

If their little red wagon is just taking up space in the garage, put it to use as a mobile container garden. Just line the bottom with heavy-duty plastic to protect the metal, then fill with a variety of blooms, greenery or edibles suited to the wagon's desired location — sun or shade. Get more tips for creative container gardens that upcycle items you already have on hand, below.

See More Photos: Stunning Low-Budget Container Gardens

Yardstick = Back-to-School Gift

Get an assist from your kiddo to turn a yardstick into this cute planter that'll let their favorite teacher know they rule. Filled with succulents and a personalized pencil, this mini planter is easy to craft and a sweet gift they'll proudly display on their desk. Make your own with our instructions, below.

Get the How-To: Teachers Rule: Make This DIY Planter for the First Day

Pencils = Pinwheels

With just a little help from an adult, kids can craft these colorful paper pinwheels to dress up their desk with a pencil that'll make homework a bit more fun.

Get the How-To: Kids' Craft: Easy Pencil Pinwheel

Construction Paper = Your Favorite View

Mountains ho! Turn inexpensive sheets of colorful paper and chalk pastels into an artistic take on your favorite outdoor scene. Raid your kiddo's craft stash and make your own with our tutorial, below.

Get the How-To: DIY Art: Create a Torn Paper Landscape

From: H. Camille Smith

Toy Dinos = Colorful Garland

With a little spray paint, twine and eyelets, you can transform their old toys into something much more festive. This cool neon garland is perfect for a party, but could be equally at home in a home office, kids' room or even a dorm or first apartment. Get more ideas for harnessing the power of neon paint, below.

Or, Toy Dinos = Mini Planters

Help kids green up their thumbs with a mini potted plant they're responsible for watering. A hole saw (or a craft knife and a bit of elbow grease) is the trick to creating a hole in the back of their old, hollow prehistoric pals to turn them into a playful planter. Get all our tips, below.

Get the How-To: How to Make a Metallic Dinosaur Planter

From: Dan Faires

First Fork = Handy Magnet

Toddler-sized forks, especially beautiful, hand-me-down silverplate versions, make handy display items for your fridge or office file cabinet with just the addition of a small self-adhesive magnet. A sweet memento of their first steps to independence, the tines can hold business cards, invites, shopping lists or photos. Get more tips for repurposing old kitchen gear, below.

See More Photos: 20 Easy Upcycles for Old Kitchen Gear

From: Heather Baird

Easter Basket = Antique Lookalike

Our antiquing tips, below, will help you roll back the clock on your kid's abandoned Easter basket, taking a new basket from blah to beautiful. Proudly display your new/old basket in the kitchen corraling cookbooks and other kitchen essentials or in the living room to stash toys, games or cozy throws.

Get the How-To: Make a New Basket Look Old for Vintage-Style Storage

From: H. Camille Smith

Golf Club = Drapery Rod

If your windows are standard width, a wooden golf club is just the right length to sub as a drapery rod when hung from orphaned curtain rod brackets. Tie their favorite felt pennants onto the club to create a fuss-free window treatment. Get more tips for decorating a kids' room with vintage flair, below.

See More Photos: Tips for Decorating a Shared Kids’ Room With Vintage Flair

From: Marian Parsons

Or, Baseballs = Drapery Finials

Hit a design home run by upcycling your little slugger's old baseballs into drapery finials. They're a playful accent for a sports-themed bedroom or even a basement game room. Get more ideas for upping your window treatment game, below.

See More Photos: 10 Creative Ways to Use Household Items As Curtain Hardware

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Water Balloons = Candy-Free Piñata

This twist on the classic candy-filled piñata is the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. Just fill at least a dozen balloons with water, bundle them together with a net and hang from a tree. Let the kids take their best swings with a stick or baseball bat and prepare to get soaked.

Toy Animals = Bookends

These beastly bookends are such a smart way to take once-loved toys and use them to keep your home neat and stylish. Painted in a kicky color, they're sure to get a smile out of anyone who spies them on a bookshelf. Learn how to craft them, below.

Get the How-To: DIY Painted Animal Bookends

Or, Toy Animals = Drawer Pulls

Make a plain dresser more playful by swapping out basic hardware for these toy animal drawer pulls. (Who knows, it may even inspire your kids to dress themselves in the morning!)

Get the How-To: How to Make Rubber Toy Drawer Pulls

Cupcake Wrappers = Kiddo Snack Cups

Got a bunch of cupcake wrappers or sturdy baking cups left from your last school bake-off or birthday party? Lucky you! The colorful containers are perfectly sized to hold just a few bites of your child's favorite snack. Place them in a muffin tin to create a deconstructed char-cute-erie board for your little foodie.

Or, Candy Tubes = Tiny Terrariums

Treat your favorite naturalist to a tiny woodland garden they can hold in the palm of their hand. Clear candy or gum tubes are the perfect containers.

See More Photos: Make a Tiny Woodland Garden

Old Tees = Pillows

So, they've outgrown their favorite tee? No worries! Our how-to, below, shows how to turn that once-treasured tee into a comfy pillow.

Or, Old Tees = Headboard

Kids often have a hard time parting with their favorite T-shirts even after they've outgrown them. Our tutorial, below, shows you how to turn old T-shirts, sport jerseys or even childhood blankies into a collage of color over your child's bed.

Get the How-To: How to Make a Headboard Out of Old T-Shirts

Baby Food Jars = Hanging Vases

Painted baby food jars make a brilliant window display for blooms, so even if your little one is not a fan of strained peas, at least you can turn the jars into something a little more appealing.

Get the How-To: Upcycle Baby Food Jars Into Hanging Ombre Vases

From: Michelle Edgemont

Or, Baby Food Jars = Craft Storage

Perfectly sized for stashing small craft supplies, upcycle clean baby food jars into space-saving storage that still looks stylish by hot-glueing a small wood knob onto the lid, then giving the lid a coat of gold spray-paint. Get more tips for upcycling items you'd normally trash, below.

See More Photos: 30 Things You Shouldn't Throw Away + What to Do With Them

Baby Food Jars = Spice Storage

Spices + empty baby food jars + magnets = fridge magic! Get cooking with this clever idea that ensures dried spices are clearly labeled and always within easy reach. Feeling spicy? Check out even more spice storage ideas, below.

Learn More: 5 Smart Spice Storage Tips

Jelly Jars = Citronella Candles

If your little foodie is a PB+J connoisseur, you likely go through a steady stream of jelly jars. Don't recycle them; instead upcycle them into luminaries to keep mosquitoes from crashing your party. Place a few slices of lemons and limes along with sprigs of rosemary into a jar of water, then add several drops of essential oil. We recommend citronella, lemon or lavender. Top with a floating candle and enjoy a bug-free fête.

See More Photos: Party Like a Pro: Our 60 Fave Entertaining Ideas

Crib Rail = Bike Rack

Don't toss your kiddo's old crib. Use the rails to create a DIY bike rack with bonus storage for helmets, bike locks and other gear. Our tutorial, below, shares all the steps.

Get the How-To: DIY Bike Stand: Upcycle a Crib Rail Into a Bike Stand

Or, Crib Rails = Headboard

Wondering what to do with your child's crib when they graduate to a "big kid" bed? This headboard idea from HGTV Magazine is so chic, no one would ever know it's straight from a nursery. Get more of our mag's best ideas for turning your trash into treasure, below.

From: HGTV Magazine

Or, Crib Rail = Magazine Rack

If a repurposed crib headboard isn't your cup of tea, consider using pieces of the crib as a vertical magazine rack instead. Nikki McBride used her child's crib railing to set up a veritable newsstand, as seen here.

Pool Noodles = Bowling Alley

If your water baby has outgrown the need for a pool noodle, you're in luck: the lightweight foam tubes are a perfect material for kids' crafts — like this easy upcycle that uses a yoga mat, pool noodles and chip cans to create a fun and colorful backyard bowling alley. A few simple materials and you’ve got a fun activity the kids can do on the patio, deck or yard. It’s also perfect for rainy days indoors.

Get the How-To: Turn Pool Noodles Into a Backyard Bowling Alley for Kids

Or, Pool Noodles = Kiddie Car Wash

Our quick video and step-by-step instructions, below, will show you how to turn PVC pipe, a water hose and pool noodles into a summer-heat-beating outdoor water park for your kiddos.

Get the How-To: Crank Up the Fun With a DIY Kiddie Car Wash

Or, Pool Noodles = Trendy Tufted Headboard

Pool noodles in the bedroom? Yes, it sounds sketchy but trust us — if you can handle a staple gun, you can make this dreamy DIY headboard that replicates the look of trendy (and costly) channel tufting. Watch the quick video and get all our tips, below.

Get the How-To: How to Make a DIY Tufted Headboard From Pool Noodles

Yardstick = Kids' Display Space

Put your little one's homework and artistic accomplishments on display with a yardstick and a few large clothespins. Our tutorial, below, shows you how easy it is to craft these clip-art rails.

Get the How-To: Easy Clip-Art Rails

Wooden Blocks = Drapery Finials

Wooden blocks are a classic kids' toy, so why not keep them in use after your little ones have outgrown them? Repurposed as finials, the geometric shape and punchy colors are unexpectedly cool.

See More Photos: 10 Creative Ways to Use Household Items As Curtain Hardware

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Hula Hoops = Trendy Chandelier

Designer Emily Henderson creates a trendy chandelier on the cheap by repurposing four hula hoops into an eye-catching fixture. Get her step-by-step instructions, below.

See More Photos: How to Make a Hula-Hoop Chandelier

From: Emily Henderson

Baby Shoes = Art

All you need to make these baby shoe mementos are a few inexpensive craft supplies, and then they're suitable for storing and displaying. Our how-to, below, breaks down all the steps.

Get the How-To: Make a Shadowbox Baby Shoe Display

Lunchbox = Multipurpose Organizer

An empty metal lunchbox can store just about any odds and ends you can imagine in the home, but this use as a guest bathroom toiletry tote is especially clever. Get more tips for making your guest bath especially welcome, below.

See More Photos: Preparing Your Guest Bathroom for Weekend Visitors

Building Blocks = Magnets

Fridge magnets made with plastic blocks are a fun way to add color to the kitchen or home office. Your kids will be excited to hang up report cards and artwork with these playful accents — and — bonus, they couldn't be easier to make. Get our tips, below.

Building Blocks = Drawer Pulls

Get a few of those ubiquitous building blocks up off the floor (save your feet!) and put them to work as playful drawer pulls for your child's dresser, media center or game cabinet. Our tips, below, will show you how.

Get the How-To: Dress Up a Dresser With Building-Block Drawer Pulls

Building Blocks = Art

This plastic block panda may be a bit advanced, but if you've got a budding artist and extra blocks, making a masterpiece could be the perfect way to use them up. Need a way to store all those blocks when you aren't creating art? Check out the clever upcycle, below.

Get the How-To: Turn a Galvanized Tub Into Playful Mobile Toy Storage

44 Ways to Upcycle Your Kids' Castoffs

Related To:

Shop This Look

Sand Buckets = Snack Servers

Or, Party Hats = Treat Cones

Twin Sheet = Pup Tent

Sandbox = Raised Garden

Toddler Pool = Party Cooler

Bathroom Stepstool = More Room for Plants

Or Stepstool = Kitty Playground

Toy Box = Dog Feeding Station

Doodles = Artsy Gallery Wall

Wagon = Mobile Garden

Yardstick = Back-to-School Gift

Pencils = Pinwheels

Construction Paper = Your Favorite View

Toy Dinos = Colorful Garland

Or, Toy Dinos = Mini Planters

First Fork = Handy Magnet

Easter Basket = Antique Lookalike

Golf Club = Drapery Rod

Or, Baseballs = Drapery Finials

Water Balloons = Candy-Free Piñata

Toy Animals = Bookends

Or, Toy Animals = Drawer Pulls

Cupcake Wrappers = Kiddo Snack Cups

Or, Candy Tubes = Tiny Terrariums

Old Tees = Pillows

Or, Old Tees = Headboard

Baby Food Jars = Hanging Vases

Or, Baby Food Jars = Craft Storage

Baby Food Jars = Spice Storage

Jelly Jars = Citronella Candles

Crib Rail = Bike Rack

Or, Crib Rails = Headboard

Or, Crib Rail = Magazine Rack

Pool Noodles = Bowling Alley

Or, Pool Noodles = Kiddie Car Wash

Or, Pool Noodles = Trendy Tufted Headboard

Yardstick = Kids' Display Space

Wooden Blocks = Drapery Finials

Hula Hoops = Trendy Chandelier

Baby Shoes = Art

Lunchbox = Multipurpose Organizer

Building Blocks = Magnets

Building Blocks = Drawer Pulls

Building Blocks = Art

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