We carried out a creative and educational activity with our kindergarten students, where they designed and produced their own toys using recycled materials they brought from home. Throughout this process, our students not only enhanced their creativity but also gained awareness of sustainability.

Using boxes as the basic structure of their toys, our students repurposed plastic bottles to create cars and robots, and used bottle caps as wheels and buttons. They added arms to dolls and antennas to robots with pipe cleaners. They enriched their designs aesthetically with pom-poms and colorful EVA foam. Additionally, they used strings as handles for bags and as straps for toy phones and tablets, adding functionality to their creations.

After completing their toys, each student presented their design to their classmates, explaining how they combined the materials. This process not only increased our students’ awareness of recycling, but also provided them with the opportunity to use English in a natural and meaningful context—thus supporting their language development as well.