Make a Recycled Picnic Basket

Embrace a green lifestyle and enjoy the outdoors with a homemade, recycled picnic basket. Warm weather and a handcrafted snack-holder provide the perfect excuse to throw a picnic party. Your child can find all or most of the materials around the house, and then let his creativity loose! And even better: he'll boost his ability to follow directions and fine motor skills with this fun activity.

What You Need:

• Shoebox
• Fabric scraps or paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• 2 brass brackets
• Picnic food and blanket (optional)

What You Do:

1. Have your child tear, cut, or rip the fabric into long strips.
2. This step may be best for an adult: cut multiple vertical slits around the box, several inches apart.
3. Next, ask him to weave the fabric strips through the slits to create a patchy pattern on the basket. Have him glue the ends of the strips securely onto the shoebox.
4. Now, help him create a handle for the basket out of the box's lid. He can achieve this by cutting a long, thick strip from the lid, curving it slightly, and securing it to the sides of the basket with the brass brackets.
5. Invite him to wrap the handle of the basket with fabric. He can get creative with this step, using one patterned fabric, or multiple alternating colors.
6. Finally, he can pack up his homemade picnic basket and invite some friends on an outing!