31 Plastic Bottle Crafts for Kids - With No Cutting!

Collage of plastic bottle crafts for kids.

Looking for a rainy-day afternoon activity to keep your littlest children busy? Sure, there are loads of craft activities out there, but you don't really want them running around with scissors. You don't have to worry with this list of 31 crafts.

We've compiled a whole month's worth of DIY plastic bottle crafts for kids that don't involve scissors, or a whole trunk full of materials. You can have fun making your very own jet pack or a whole shoal of tropical fish!

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Glitter water bottle

3 pictures of a plastic water bottle filled with pink glittery water. In the bottom image a child is smiling at the bottle — Source: Playtivities

Does your toddler have trouble settling down? Then this cheap trick could help them focus. You can find the instructions to make your very own glitter toy here. Shake it up and give it to your cherub to hold and, as the glitter settles, they'll magically calm down.

Spin and Skip

A girl in a striped top and pink leggings is standing in a yard in front of a brick wall. She has a string tied around her waist with a plastic bottle on the end of it — Source: Playtivities

It's time to head back to your roots with this retro yard toy. Follow our instructions to make your very own DIY Spin and skip toy with just a few simple materials. Your kids can be enjoying the same simple fun as you did when you were younger!

Laundry detergent car

on a wall is a laundry detergent bottle with pink bottle cap wheels attached, making it look like car — source: Styles At Life

For this cute little toy car, all you need is a detergent container, bottle caps, and some glue. Find the how-to guide at Styles At Life.

Water bottle spacecraft

a hand holds a space rocket bottle against a starry black background — source: Mas & Pas

If you have your own budding Buzz Aldrin sitting at home then this plastic bottle craft is right up your street. Mas & Pas' spacecraft is made out of a water bottle, paint, and some silver card. You can put it together in no time at all, with no scissors necessary.

Astronaut space pack

A child facing away from the camera and wearing a space pack made of 2 litre water bottles and a hose — Source: Buxsen

The instructions might be in German, but the images for this astronaut backpack are pretty easy to copy. With a couple of 2-liter water bottles, some silver paper, and a dryer hose, you can make your own life-saving pack for your next spacewalk!

Jet pack

If a spacewalk isn't your thing, but your little one has stars in their eyes, then perhaps this jet pack from Doodlecraft would be a better fit. Upcycle your soda bottles to make your kids fly!

Plastic bottle shaker

2 white and one red painted bottles with spots and stars on them against a lack bacnground — Source: Things to Make and Do

Even your tiny tots can have their very own cool crafts with this How-To from Things to Make and Do. You'll need a plastic bottle with a screw top, stickers, and some dry beans or lentils.

Tissue paper fish

a plastic water bottle wrapped in blue and yello tissue paper, googly eyes are stuck on the front and fins and a tail are stuck on in green card — Source: There's Just One Mommy

For the start of your very own aquarium, these fish from There's Just One Mommy are a simple way to make some fishy decor. You can customize it using your kids' favorite colors and with a whole bunch of these, you could make great party decorations!

Scrunched fish

against a blue background are 3 crushed water bottles made up like fish with paint and googly eyes — Source: Meaningful Mama

I'm betting that you've got enough empty water bottles laying around to tick of nearly all of these DIY projects. Meaningful Mama's instructions include making a cut to the bottom of the bottle to help flatten the fish's fin. But if you're steering clear of the scissors then it's not necessary. Grab some paint and make your own tropical fish!

DIY Airplane

an aerial view ofa water bottle covered in blue and yellow card to look like an airoplane — Source: Press Buzzer

Paper airplanes are so last year, now you can make a much more impressive DIY toy for your kids. You'll need a plastic water bottle, some craft paper, and some glue. You can follow these instructions, or you can come up with your own aeronautical design.

DIY Lava lamp

The text reads "Do it Yourself LAVA Lamps" the image is of a water bottle filled with clear and blue liquid — Source: No Guilt Mom

Do you have 5 minutes? Do you have a water bottle? Then you can do this fun science experiment with your kids. Making your own lava lamp only requires that empty water bottle again, vegetable oil, water, food coloring, and Alka-seltzer tablets.

Jellyfish in a bottle

You can see the hands of 2 children holding blue bottles filled with liquid and what looks like a jellyfish — Source: Bhoomplay

This clever plastic bottle craft is a really fun thing to do with your kids that will enchant all ages. You can find out the ins and outs here. You'll need a small plastic bag, a bottle, and some food coloring to create your very own jellyfish!

Macaroni penguin

You might need scissors to cut out some paper here, or you can use ready-made shapes. Find the printables and the instructions for this cute macaroni penguin via Parenting Chaos. If you've got the whole afternoon then you can make a whole flock of the waddling birds.

Water bottle bowling

on a table are 3 watr bottles painted as a snowman, elf and father chirstmas — Source: Play Ideas

Making your own bowling pins out of upcycled water bottles is an easy kid's craft that you can spend hours playing with afterward. Using paints and marker pens you can theme your very own bowling pins, even making them fit different holiday parties!

Glow in the dark bowling

10 water bottles glowing in the dark arranged in a bowling triangle — Source: Fun Family Crafts

To add even more excitement to your family bowling game, why not wait until after dark and use your DIY glow-in-the-dark pins. Find the guide at Fun Family Crafts and get ready to work for that strike!

Plastic bottle sprinkler

On the grass is a water bottle attached to a hose with holes in it meaning water is gushing out — Source: The Handy Mano

This simple craft can make playing in the backyard even more fun for your little ones. If you've got a hose then you can DIY your own sprinkler for super-hot days via The Handy Mano.

Easy bottle art

on a table is a paper plate full of pink paint, a white piece of paper with a black branch painted on it, and paint petals. A 2 litre water bottle sits on the paper with paint on the bottom — Source: The Handy Mano

For a simple art project you could whip out the paintbrushes and finger paints, or you could grab an empty 2-liter soda bottle and a plate of paint. Have your kids make their very next masterpiece.

Minon bottles

Two water bottles decorated to look like minons — Source: Design & Decor

If you have a minion fan at home then you can make your own little yellow and blue men with some paint and a sponge. This video from Design & Decor takes you through the whole thing.

Pop bottle firefly

3 bottles are filled with purple, green and yello glowsticks are decorated to look like fireflies — Source: One Little Project

These cute little fireflies can be great camping nightlights if your kids are a little freaked out by the dark. You can also pop on in their room at home. Find out how to make them with your plastic water bottle here.

Creamer bottle snowman

in front of a window are two creamer bottles decorated in material to look like snowmen — Source: Crafty Staci

Sure, it's a little early to be gearing up for Christmas, but the early bird catches the worm so you might want to keep this craft in your back pocket. Crafty Staci has the lowdown on making your own creamer bottle snowman.

Coffeemate Santa

on a piece of newspaper is a creamer bottle painted to look like santa — Source: The Wild Folk Co.

Your little model snowman can have company if you've got enough time and enough creamer bottles! These coffee-mate bottles are just the right shape to make a little Father Christmas for your table. Find out how here.

Reindeer water

a water bottle with googly eyes and a red pom pom nose. Brown pipe cleaners are twisted to look like antlers — Source: Selections by Sisters

The last in our Holiday-themed DIY crafts are these cute little decorated water bottles. You can get them ready for your Holiday party and delight your kids and their friends with their very own Rudolph!

Bottle piggy bank

a water bottle decorated with card and stickers to look like a pig. Money is inside the bottle and scattered in front of it — Source: Martha Stewart

Ok, so this one technically does use scissors, but only for one slot in the top of the water bottle. It's this that turns it into a piggy bank, so you can do it once all the other craft is completed. Follow these instructions and your kids can have a cut little piggy to look after their pocket money.

Rocket ship

If you're avoiding the scissors, then you can cut out all the necessary shapes from cardboard in advance before you get started with your craft activity. The prep will be worth it, I promise because this rocket ship is super-cute! Find out how to make it here.

Bottle top animals

square pieces of colored card can be seen. On each one is a bottle top made to look like a different animal — Source: Love and Lollipops

These next few craft ideas use the bits of the bottles you might have been discarding, so it's worth hanging onto them, especially the colorful ones. With just a few bits of cardboard or some foam and googly eyes, you can make these cute animal cards. Find out more from Love & Lollipops.

Bottle top murals

in front of a concrete wall is a flower made of wood and painted red and green. It is decorated with colored bottle tops — Source: Flickriver

For an outside DIY craft project to use up all the bottle tops you've been saving, why not use these murals for inspiration? You'll find bugs, flowers, butterflies, and all sorts of things to get your creative juices flowing here.

Bottle top snake

3 photos of a snake made of colored bottle tops strung together with a ping pong ball in the front — Source: Pinterest

If you've got a reptile fan in the house then this cool craft will make them very happy. Make your own wriggly snake with some string, colored bottle tops, and a ping pong ball. Give him a cute name and you have a new friend!

Sand art bottles

a partial shot of glass bottles filled with layers of colored sand — Source: Shutterstock

Usually, people make sand art in glass bottles, vials, or pots. But you can make pretty scenes in your leftover plastic bottles too. You'll need colored sand and a fair amount of patience, so this isn't one for your younger children!

DIY baby toy

a child's hand holds colored bottle tops strung onto yellow twine — Sosurce: Playtivities

People spend an absolute fortune on baby toys, and while having some wooden building blocks is lovely, if you're short on cash or stuck for ideas then you can make this simple baby fiddle toy from our instructions here.

Bumblebee buddy

a water bottle is decorated with black and yellow tissue paper to look like a bumble bee. — Source: Parents.com

We're all trying to look after the planet and reduce our waste these days. But what to do with all of this leftover trash? Well, for our final plastic bottle craft you can put some of it to good use. Grab some bubble wrap, black and yellow masking tape, an old cereal box, a paper clip, and tiny yellow pom-poms. With all that and these instructions, you can have your very own bumble bee to hang from a lampshade.