
Plastic straws are often discarded immediately after use, which is really bad for the environment. Therefore, instead of throwing them away, parents can make toys from straws for their children or use them to make decorations around the house. Below, the Early Childhood Education section (0-6 years old) of AVAKids has compiled 10 ways to recycle plastic straws that parents can refer to!
Benefits of Making Straw Toys for Children
Plastic straws are a very familiar item in everyday life, commonly used for drinking water and milk. However, because of this, plastic waste in general, and plastic straws in particular, are increasingly and dramatically increasing uncontrollably because straws can only be used once and cannot be reused.
Therefore, to contribute to environmental protection, handmade and recycling ideas are increasingly being embraced, including making toys from straws for young children. This action not only helps our Earth become “greener”, but also helps parents save money.
In addition, making these toys also helps teach children to protect the environment, stimulates the development of children’s EQ, thinking, creativity, and imagination. Parents, please refer to the instructions for making toys from straws to spend more time with your beloved children!
Instructions for Making Super Simple Straw Toys for Children
How to Make a Straw Swing
Do you have a lot of extra straws at home but don’t know what to use them for? Try making toys from straws for your little ones! The method is extremely simple:
Prepare
- Long straws: 7 pieces
- Short straws: 6 pieces
- Cupcake liners: 2 pieces
- Hot glue gun
How to Make
- Create the swing’s support frame by assembling 2 long straws and 2 short straws into a rectangular shape.
- Secure 4 long straws to the support frame with hot glue to create the swing’s upright frame. In this step, fold the straws in half to create a triangular upright frame.
- Use another straw to attach the two ends to the two sides of the swing’s upright frame to create a horizontal bar.
- Glue the 2 cupcake liners to the ends of 2 long straws and then attach them to the horizontal bar. You’re done!

Making a straw swing for kids
How to Make a Straw Lantern
Make toys from straws to give to your child for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Don’t miss out on the following lantern-making method:
Prepare
- Plastic straws
- Plastic bottle (2-3 liter cooking oil bottle)
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape
- String
How to Make
- Cut off the top and bottom of the plastic bottle to create the lantern body. Make sure to cut the bottle so that it is 4-5 cm shorter than the length of the straws.
- Use double-sided tape to attach straws to cover the bottle body, then use scissors to trim the straws so they are the same length.
- Create horizontal bars at the bottom to place a candle and attach the handle string for the lantern.
- Finally, use the remaining straws to fold into hearts, flowers, etc. to decorate the lantern. You’re done!

Steps to make a lantern from straws
You can refer to another way to make a lantern from straws in the following video:
How to Make a Straw Helicopter
Besides swings and lanterns, parents can also make a helicopter toy from straws for their children. The materials for this toy are very easy to find, and the method is extremely simple. Parents, please spend time playing with your children!
Prepare
- Straws
- Plastic bottle (small yogurt drink bottle)
- Ping pong ball
- Push pin
- Stapler
- Scissors
How to Make
- Make a small hole in the center of the bottle cap and insert a straw through it to make the tail of the helicopter.
- Cut off the bottom of the plastic bottle to create the helicopter body and then cut another small piece of plastic to make the landing gear.
- Cross 2 straws and secure them with a push pin to make the helicopter’s rotor blades.
- Staple the 2 ends of the plastic strip above to the 2 straws and then staple them to the bottle body to make the helicopter’s legs.
- Attach the ping pong ball to the bottom of the plastic bottle to make the helicopter’s head, then attach the rotor blades to the body. You now have a very funny helicopter for your child.

Making a straw helicopter for kids
How to Make a Cute Caterpillar from Straws
Making caterpillars from bottle caps is too familiar? So, let’s try making toys from plastic straws into a cute caterpillar!
Prepare
- Straws
- Scissors
- Markers
How to Make
- Use scissors to cut off the end of the straw, taking only the flexible part.
- Next, cut parallel lines in the flexible part of the straw to make the caterpillar’s body.
- Continue to cut the parallel lines in half to create legs for the caterpillar.
- Use the remaining straw piece to thread inside to make the caterpillar’s head.
- Decorate the caterpillar’s eyes and nose with markers. You’re done!

A cute caterpillar from plastic straws
How to Make a Spiral Mobile
To make a fun spiral mobile from straws, parents need to prepare the following materials:
Prepare
- Straws
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
- Toothpicks
- Thin string
How to Make
- Align the straws evenly, then use scissors to cut off the bent ends of the straws.
- Fold the straw in half and use a toothpick to pierce a hole in the middle to thread the string through the straw.
- Thread the string through the prepared straws, creating a spiral shape, and secure with hot glue. You’re done!

To make a spiral mobile, you need to prepare the above materials
How to Make a Christmas Tree from Straws
Christmas is approaching, and the Christmas tree is an indispensable decoration in every family. If parents haven’t had time to prepare a Christmas tree, and there are many extra straws at home, making toys from straws with your children is a great idea.
Prepare
- Straws
- Hot glue gun
How to Make
- Secure 2 straws vertically with hot glue to create the tree trunk.
- Cut the remaining straws into pieces of different lengths.
- Attach the straws to the trunk to create the tree’s canopy, from short straws to long straws. You’re done!
- You can decorate the straw Christmas tree with various accessories and stickers to make it more sparkly.

Making a Christmas tree from straws is very simple for kids
How to Recycle Straws into Picture Frames
When it comes to recycling, most parents only think about making toys from plastic bottles but don’t know that toys made from straws are also very cute. Here, AVAKids introduces you to how to make a picture frame from straws:
Prepare
- Straws
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
How to Make
- Cut the cardboard into the shape your child likes.
- Choose straws of different colors and use a hot glue gun to attach them to the cardboard.
- Cut off the excess straw and decorate the picture frame. You’re done!

Materials for making a picture frame from straws for kids
How to Make a Bracelet for Girls from Straws
Making toys from straws combined with simple, easy-to-find materials, you can instantly create a unique and stylish bracelet for your child.
Prepare
- Straws
- String
- Scissors
- Colorful tape
How to Make
- Cut the tape into various lengths and wrap it around the straws.
- Cut the tape-wrapped straws into small pieces and string them onto the string until it fits your child’s wrist, then tie the two ends of the string together. You’re done!

Steps to make a bracelet for girls from straws
How to Make a Toy Refrigerator from Plastic Straws
A refrigerator is an indispensable item in every family and very familiar to young children. Parents can refer to tips on making a toy refrigerator from straws to create their own little kitchen for their children. Let’s explore how to make it with the following steps:
Prepare
- Straws
- Hot glue
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
How to Make
- Arrange 10 straws evenly. Use hot glue to attach 2 other straws to the two ends to create the refrigerator body so that the refrigerator is 15cm long, then cut off the excess straw.
- Do the same to assemble 2 more rectangular straw panels.
- Assemble the 3 rectangular straw panels together to complete the refrigerator body.
- Cut straw pieces with a length equal to the width of the refrigerator body.
- Secure one of the cut straw pieces at the ⅓ position of the refrigerator body to divide it into a freezer compartment.
- Assemble 9 straw pieces into a rectangular shape to create a support for the freezer compartment, then use hot glue to attach it to the refrigerator body.
- Continue to do the same to make the top and bottom of the refrigerator.
- To make the refrigerator doors, assemble straw pieces with a length equal to the freezer and refrigerator compartments, then attach them to the refrigerator body.
- Use straws of different colors to decorate the refrigerator. You’re done!

Materials for making a refrigerator from straws for kids
How to Make a Cute Puppet
Young children are often very active and talkative. Therefore, while working, instead of letting children play alone or use smart electronic devices too much, parents should make toys from straws into a puppet to keep their children company!
Prepare
- Straws
- Utility knife
- Paper cup
- Tape
- Crayons
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Colored construction paper
How to Make
- Use a pencil to make 2 symmetrical holes on the body of the paper cup and 1 hole at the bottom of the cup.
- Secure 3 straws with tape.
- Insert the straws into the 3 holes (Note: Put 2 straws on the sides of the cup to make the puppet’s arms).
- Draw and cut out the puppet’s body parts (face, 2 legs) from construction paper and decorate with crayons.
- Use tape to attach the cut paper pieces to the ends of the straws. You’re done!

A cute puppet from straws and a paper cup
Some Notes When Making Straw Toys for Children
Making straw toys at home with your children is a very fun activity, but parents need to keep in mind the following notes:
- Clean the straws thoroughly before making toys for children using lemon, saline solution, etc.
- Wash and dry your hands before and after making toys using hand sanitizer, disinfectant, tissues, wet wipes, etc. to ensure hygiene for your child.
- Always supervise your child during the toy-making process, avoiding letting them perform dangerous actions when using scissors/knives.

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