Recycling Board Game Cut Outs As Stencils For Kids (Learn & Link)

My kids received quite a few board games for Christmas. When putting them together, pushing out the game pieces I realized that the outside of the cardboard punch outs that hold the pieces for the game can be re-used.  No need to toss them away! 

 game stencils  a

So many different games offer different size and shape pieces. Why throw the cardboard game piece cut outs away? Save them and use them as a stencils! 

  

Since most of these cardboard push out pieces have circles, squares or rectangles they are perfect for little ones to learn their shapes as they trace them.  My four year old son has been doing preschool workbooks in our homeschooling so he is getting practice doing circles with these circle stencils. Plus is adds to them like faces, etc.   

 

  stencils

 

While older kids can just use them to create their own masterpieces like my daughter made a snowman (Olaf) 

stencil collage a

  

I store these stencils in my craft cabinet with all our other craft items so my kids to use when they want to stencil. What a great way to recycle and re-use! 

 

What items do you re-use for your kids to create with?

learn and link new button

 


Mama to 5 Blessings is also linking this post at:  

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Comments

  1. This is seriously such a cool idea!! I’m always buying things to entertain the kids and never think of recycling items!! We just bought the kids 5 board games for Christmas…but threw all the extra pieces out ;-(

  2. Your so smart…I would never have thought of that!! We unfortunately we are in a throw away society!! Good Job!! I would love for you to stop by and share your stuff at my Link Party…it’s still open!! http://www.cookinandcraftin.com/my-2-favorite-things-on-thursday-link-party-4/

  3. Awe this is so cute and creative. My daughter loves crafting and I love recycling.

  4. Oh, now that’s a good idea! I’ve always just thrown those things out!

  5. Oh my goodness – I had never thought of this! It is a fun and creative idea – thank you for sharing 🙂

  6. What a great idea to reuse something that would go into the landfill. I love when people figure out great ways to recycle.

  7. Well this is a really great idea! Very creative and super easy to do and use! I love this. Really great!

  8. Angelic Sinova says:

    My sister and I used to do this as kids! My mom said never to waste any parts of our toys or games so we’re use the LIFE cutouts and draw things <3

  9. What a lovely idea. My kids love crafting and I love recycling items I have on hand. This is creative

  10. As a blogger at All the Frugal Ladies, let me commend you for coming up with a creative way to use pieces that would have otherwise been thrown away. Great idea! May feature in future posts. 😀

  11. michele d says:

    What a awesome idea! You don’t even know how many of those cutouts I threw away. I wish now that I didn’t. Great tip!

  12. PURE GENIUS! This is totally one of those things where I cannot believe I never thought to do lol! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

  13. This is pure genius! I would have never thought to do this. Super clever way of upcycling!

  14. This is so cool such a cool way to teach your kids and does not require to spend any more money.

  15. My husband gets onto me for keeping stuff like this. This is a genius.. genius idea! Great for shape learning.

  16. Now that’s a great idea. I would never have thought of this!

  17. This is such a great way to show kids how to recycle and reuse objects by making them useful in other ways. Very creative and simple to do, Love it!

  18. What a great idea! Love when you can recycle in fun, practical ways!

  19. Michelle Hwee says:

    This is a genius idea! I love the idea of re-using and all that. It looks like a great way to keep kids occupied and entertained. Thanks for sharing!

  20. This is a good idea. I like the Olaf. :)And as a complete aside I wanted to say wow to your little one’s hair!! Those are some gorgeous thick waves!

  21. Great idea I should of saved the ones I had,I will remember next time :).

  22. I saw this on twitter and loved it! My son would love this and I love that it was a freebie! Had to come over and say great job!

  23. That is such a great idea! I would have never thought of that on my own! Thank you!

  24. This is an awesome idea! I will have to try this with my son because he is working on his fine motor skills. This stencil idea would be fun and helpful for him.

  25. That’s a really cute and creative idea to recycle something you’d ordinarily throw away. We are long past the board game stage at my house but I wish I would have thought of this a long time ago.

  26. Now that’s a great idea! I love repurposing things you’d otherwise toss.

  27. Jenna Wood says:

    This is a great idea- I wish my mother had thought of this- I was always drawing as a child. I especially like that the squares doubled as a grid for games or learning/counting.

  28. oh wow, what a wonderful idea! Great way to recycle.

  29. I’ve never gotten them with board games but have seen them in other children’s games. This is a great idea, we always just threw them away.

  30. What a nice way to use these cardboards..

  31. What a neat idea!! I always feel so wasteful throwing out things like that.

  32. This is actually a really great idea, I would of never thought of doing something like this before. The next time we get a board game, def going to save the pieces.

  33. This is such a great idea to recycle stencils. It allows kids to be really creative and use their imagination.

  34. I will have to admit I had a why didn’t I think of that moment when I was reading this post. Really something so simple and useful and think of all the money I would have saved buying stencils,

  35. This is SUCH a great idea! I’m going to use this in my classroom, perfect for kids who need stencils!

  36. I think this is such a cool idea! When my kids get new games, there’s always so much “stuff” that ends up getting thrown out or not used. Well, not anymore thanks to your clever idea!

  37. It is always nice to make your own ones – cool idea and interactive too!

  38. What a super idea! I’ve always just pitched them in the trash right away in the past. 🙁

  39. Such a creative great idea & the one that kids would love for sure. I love the cute snowman that your daughter has made out of it & Kids would come out with many such creatives. Thanks for sharing.

  40. Great idea! The kids love things like this. What a great way to recycle what most people would just throw away.

  41. What a great idea. You know I always looked at those and wondered what sort of craft I could do with them because I hate to throw things away. I never thought about just using them as a stencil!

  42. Good for you! I love it when I find uses for things I would have otherwise thrown away (or recycled).

  43. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says:

    What a great idea. I have always just thrown them away, but then next time I get a new board game, I will save them.

  44. See as simple as this is I never thought about doing this……Great idea!

  45. Amy Desrosiers says:

    Great idea! I have often pondered doing this, but usually just toss them in the recycle bin.

  46. I never would have thought about saving those cut outs. But you are right they do make the perfect stencil!!

  47. This is such a great idea for making reusable games. You’ll get tons of fun from these stencils!

  48. What a great idea! Thanks for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty this week.
    ~Bonnie

  49. Well, what a creative idea! It’s great to know there is a way to use that stuff that might otherwise just be considered trash! Thanks for sharing!

  50. That’s a great idea! I love your creativity!

  51. What a great idea! I love visiting your blog you have such creative ideas that I would never have thought about! Thanks!

  52. This is such a cute idea and so creative and easy! I would have never thought to do this but now that I’ve seen it, I can’t wait to try it out!

  53. Cute ideas – I try to always find something to do with everything. Giving it a new life inspires me.

  54. what a creative idea to get kids doing art. I like being able to reuse items.

  55. Debbie Denny says:

    This is such a great idea. Fantastic way to recycle.

  56. That is such a great idea, I always try to think of different uses of things then end up throwing them away b/c my husband hates clutter.

  57. That is such a great idea! My kids love tracing things.

  58. Great Project! I would have never though of this.

  59. Wow you are amazing! I would have never thought of this!! I simply love your blog omg I can’t wait to have kids one day ♥

  60. Jess Weaver says:

    This is such fabulous way to reuse! I would have never thought about this. Great tip! Your daughters snow man is so cute!

  61. I love things that are recycled. This is a great way to reuse the card board.

  62. I never would think to make this from game board cut outs. What a cool tip! Thank you!

  63. Awwww, this is neat. It’s also a great way to give the kids something to do while you’re trying to cook or write a blog post. THey’re leanring and having fun.

  64. What a great way to recycle and help your child learn!

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