Plastic cups are a sensory play essential in my house! As often as I can, I like to encourage sustainable play with recycled crafts and DIY sensory activities. 

Not only is it often a more cost-effective way for kids to have fun, but I think it makes them aware of their impact on the environment! It’s never too young to teach the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle especially when it comes to crafting! 

Crafts are a must have for any sensory play routine, because studies show arts and crafts have a big impact on a child’s development! But, there’s no need to spend a lot on new art supplies that’ll mostly just end up in a trash can or down the drain, anyway. 

One of the best craft tools you probably have on hand? Plastic cups! They provide the perfect opportunity for your kids to recycle and make something fun. There are a lot of things you can do with a plastic cup, so I’m using my post today to give you new sensory crafts to try using plastic cups! 

The activities below are all from my blog or the Mothercould In Your Pocket resource. This resource offers a HUGE range of activities, tips, tricks, and hacks for DIY sensory play that encourage your child’s growth! If you want full-access to all I have to offer, go grab lifetime access to the Mothercould in Your Pocket resource! 

So, got cups? Here are a few fun crafts you can do with leftover plastic cups: 

9 Plastic Cup Craft Ideas for Kids

Recycled Winding Bucket Well DIY

Ahh! Now this is one of my absolute favorites! I am always so excited to share this activity because it is all about recycled items, developmental education, pretend play, and fun.

Kids of all ages will enjoy building a working well, where they can lower a bucket down to scoop up their favorite sensory bin filler (colored rice, beans, sand, etc.) and wind it back up! Whether your child is fascinated by how stuff works or just loves to play pretend, this one will be a hit!

And, you don’t need much, just paper towel rolls, plastic cups, yarn, hot glue, and a little cardboard. You probably have most of this in your house, so it’s totally free and provides hours of engaging and beneficial playtime! 

Pom-Pom Sorting

After Nicky’s 2nd birthday party, I was left with a cone stand and I was SO determined to give it a purpose. Inspired by this new item and my love for reusing things, I came up with a pom-pom sorting activity! 

The holes meant for cones were the perfect size for poms-poms of all sizes, so I placed a plastic cup under each hole and had my little ones practice pushing pom-poms through the opening into the cones!

I’m a big fan of this activity because it improves fine motor skills, encourages hand-eye coordination, and teaches kids to sort by size/color. All you need to do is grab your cone stand, some small plastic cups, and pom poms! If you don’t have small plastic cups, you can cut the top off regular plastic cups and just use the bottom portion to catch the pom poms.

Both you and your toddlers will love this beneficial and engaging activity! 

Color Ice Mixing

Ice play is a really ‘cool’ way to explore the senses and encourage learning through play. This activity is easy and uses materials that you can easily find sitting around the house.

In this activity, kids will use dyed ice cubes to learn about color theory in an approachable and engaging way! Then by using the cups of colored water for painting, you can actually double-recycle this activity. How cool? 

You’ll need water, food coloring, an ice cube tray, and some plastic cups. For the full instructions, download the Mothercould In Your Pocket resource. Trust me, your little ones will love this activity just as much as mine did!

Plastic Cup Ornaments

Now, this is the perfect activity for after a party! Just wash out the solo cups/party cups, preheat the oven, and watch your kids get creative. Your children will draw all over the plastic cup and then watch it melt in the oven into a flat, colorful disk you can string into an ornament! 

All you need are some plastic cups, tin foil, permanent markers, a hole punch, and then ribbon, cord, or pipe cleaners. Permanent marker is probably going to end up where it shouldn’t. So, here’s how you can remove permanent marker from various surfaces!

Sticker Twist Match Cups

Tired of having stickers stuck everywhere they shouldn't be? I, for one, know I am SICK of removing stickers from furniture, clothes, and blankets. Anyone agree? Despite our mutual dislike of stickers, our kids still get them all the time from various places!

Well, this is why I created this little game. Two cups with the same stickers placed on each one in the same position make for a beneficial matching activity! Kids twist the cups, to match up the stickers, which refines their fine motor skills and cognitive development.

The kids have fun, the stickers are put to good use, and I’m no longer on the floor everyday scratching stickers off my favorite lounge chairs. This matching activity is simple, fun, and reusable! 

Nail Polish Cup Decorating

Now, I can’t take full credit for this activity, but it has definitely become a favorite in my household. While this project usually calls for plastic wine cups, plastic party cups are fine if you don’t have wine cups.

You only need THREE things for this activity: cold water, a plastic cup, and nail polish. Then you roll the cup over the polish, coating the cup in beautiful colors! Let it dry and then watch your little ones marvel in awe of their creations!

DIY Spill Proof Paint Cups

Painting is such a great activity for children, but so often parents avoid it because it can get so messy. Trust me, I was one of those parents until I discovered this hack!

These DIY paint cups use plastic cups and balloons to prevent spills and take off excess paint from the brushes to avoid splatter. They work SO well and have really made me enjoy painting with the kids again because I’m not left with a huge mess!

Monster Shoes DIY

This activity is always SO fun! It helps both kids and parents enjoy a good belly laugh, drain some energy, and be unapologetically silly. All fundamentals of childhood.

Kids wear DIY “monster shoes” with plastic cups at the toes. Then, they transfer items like balls or pom-poms from their shoes, across a play area, to a designated container. It becomes a silly relay race everyone will love! 

You can do this activity both indoors and outdoors. It is perfect for helping your little ones with their movement coordination, motor skills, and exercise needs. If you feel inspired, make some for the whole family and enjoy a race!

Color Changing Trees

I love this activity and used it for my children a lot when teaching them about the seasons. It’s a really simple yet engaging way to walk little ones through the seasons and teach them why the leaves change colors. You can make the leaves go from green to orange, showing how leaves change until they eventually fall off and regrow the following cycle.

Usually I would use cardboard cups, but plastic cups are fine. I just recommend using Sharpies to make sure you can see the colors if using plastic cups. How fun does this sound? 

Turn trash into treasure with these plastic cup craft ideas!

Teaching my kids to respect the environment by reducing, resuing, and recycling while having fun and growing their minds is always such a win in my eyes. Plus, all these activities can be made with things you likely already have lying around at home! Sensory play activities like these are fundamental to fostering a healthy learning environment!

If you’re in the same boat, make sure you check out more engaging activities on the Mothercould blog or sign up for the Mothercould In Your Pocket resource. I even have a section in my resource full of activities you can make with other recyclable items!