Plastic Milk Jug Idea I haven't done this but I've heard another teacher say they built an igloo with them when they did their artic unit!. Make space helmets or African masks out of them.The space helmets could be spray painted silver.Let the children decorate. Make space helmets or African masks out of them >> This reminded me that we have made African Masks out of milk jugs and they turned out wonderful! We cut the jug in half from top to bottom, turned upside down, cut eyes out and used the handle for the nose. We punched holes on the side and used yarn to tie on the mask. Being creative you could probably also cut the jug some other way. The children painted the jug in many colorful colors. (I added dish soap to the tempera so it would stick better) They added beads, feathers, rings, pieces of stick and so on. We did this during the time we were reading and talking about African Folk Tales. here is an idea we did with milk jugs in my elem phys. ed class......maybe this can work for you.... Jingle Jugs for Kicking use 1 gal or 1/2 gal plastic milk jugs insert bells into jug and seal decorate with markers put these outside with the kids and they have a ball kicking the jug and hearing the jingle of the bell. I would not recommend this activity for real young children CATCH BALL Items Required: Milk Jug Scissors Rubber bands Ping Pong ball 1. Cut the bottom four inches off the milk jug. 2. Punch a small hole at the cut edge opposite the handle. 3. Tie a handful of rubber bands together to create an elastic cord about two feet long, and tie a knot at one end. 4. Punch a small hole in the ping-pong ball and force the knot through it. 5. Tie other end of elastic to the hole in the container. Children try to catch the ball while only using one hand. FUNNELS You can make funnels with the top of a milk jug using the opening and the slanted top portion. Cut the jugs so that the handle portion is attached. Handles are fun for the children, I think. To them it looks more like a "real" tool. :-) After you cut the jug, only the "bowl" bottom portion is left. These would be good funnels for large items in sensory play like macaroni or pebbles because the whole is bigger than most purchased funnels and the material won't get clogged as easily. You could leave the caps attached and let them children fill the funnels then have them remove the caps and let the "spray" of material fall out...could be fun, in water play, too. SCOOPS I have cut plastic milk jugs to make scoop type "things" for a gross motor activity. I made yarn pompoms (the tighter and fuller you can make them the better) and the children toss them back and forth to a partner and catch them in the scoops. Cut away the bottom of the jug and also a curved piece up from the bottom (on the jug's handle side), leaving the handle to use it as the scoops handle. Be careful to cut smooth lines...jagged edges are sharp. A fun idea for milk containers is to make them into bowling pins...... Let the kids marker all over them and then set them up and use a soft ball and have a ball.... A fun idea for milk containers is to make them into bowling pins...... Let the kids marker all over them and then set them up and use a soft ball and have a ball Milk jugs>cut the bottom off and make it into a sand scooper (shovel) works well bird feeds water play hats mobiles>decorate the outside with marker,paint, junk etc. then hang it from the ceiling make up paint (powder paint mixed) * WHALE WATER SCOOP MATERIALS Clean plastic gallon milk jug Permanent marker Scissors Turn the gallon jug onto its side so that the handle is at the top. With the marker, draw a mouth shape on the base of the jug and extending partway up the sides, as shown. Cut along the lines with scissors, creating a widemouthed scoop (a parent's job). Using the marker, outline the edge of the mouth and add eyes and a blowhole. * Musical Bottles Take those empty plastic soda bottles.....add things like: unpopped popcorn dried up playdoh jingle bells pebbles marbles legos rice small amount of water beans cottonballs dirt paper superballs ...etc... Put the lids on tight....and you have musical instruments!!!!!! * I found some interesting projects using clear pop bottle bottoms & though I'd send them along. Be sure they are cut smoth with no rough edges. Margaret Terrariums Cut clear plastic bottle & use bottom sectuon. Put a layer of charcoal down then 4 parts potting soil mixed with 1 part sand. Plant seeds & sprinkle with water. Cover top with cardboard square. If steamy or moldy remove cover for awhile. Needs Very Little Water! Pretty Posies Cut bottom off a plastic soda bottle about 1 inch from the bottom. Paint thinned glue on the inside of the flower; then press tissue paper squares atop the glue. When glue is dry, mount a fake jewel in the center of the flower. Attach magnetic strip or paper leaf to pipecleaner stem. * craft-water bottle glitter globe Materials needed: water bottle - the type you buy at the store for personal drinking, like a sports bottle water hot glue gun sequins, glitter Place sequins, glitter (the large confetti type glitter which is precut into little shapes works well), and regular glitter into water bottle. Fill with water. Put hot glue around opening of bottle and replace cap. Hot glue over opening of cap if it is the pop of kind of top. These are really facinating for the children to watch - they can make the glitter swirl around over and over again. You can use holiday themes for these bottles too, just use the precut into shapes glitter that would correspond with that holiday. Ex-hearts for Valentine'' day, bunnies, ducks, eggs, baskets for Easter, etc. * re:craft-water bottle glitter globe Materials needed: water bottle - the type you buy at the store for personal drinking, like a sports bottle This also works well with plastic soda bottles. Make sure you hot glue the cap on. I have also filled the soda bottle with about two cups of Karo syrup, and then put in the sequins. The kids love watching it s-l-o-w-l-y creep down the side. Black sequins especially look good. * Here's a few different ways to use the plastic liter bottles.This is out of the book More Things to Do with Toddlers & Twos by Karen Miller>$12.95 The following three "cause & effect" toys are all made from plastic bottles.It would be fun to have a whole set of these. COLORED BUBBLES BOTTLE.Fill a plasitc pop bottle one third full with water.Add tempera paint & about 1/3 cup of liquid detergent.Let the children shake the bottle to make colored bubbles. I like to tape the cap on using masking tape. DANCING YARN BOTTLE.Put numerous pieces of yarn cut in short pieces (about 3 to 6 inches) into a plastic pop bottle.Fill the bottle with water.Let the children shake the bottle to make the yarn dance. SWIRLING OBJECTS BOTTLE.Fill a plastic pop bottle half full with water.Add some food coloring.Then add small,light plastic toys,plastic sequins,beads,items that float & some that do not.Let the children shake the bottle to make the objects swirl around.