Recycled trash crafts for kids using the Barney Bag

Hello my friends of the Omschool! Remember Barney the bouncy purple dinosaur? Can you believe that show first aired 38 years ago? There was a lot of criticism for Barney and the PBS iteration of Barney & Friends. But children adored Barney and his buddies. Including my kids who were kind of forced to because PBS was all I'd let them watch. There was on part of the show I loved. I still use it in the Omschool today, for preschool learning centers and book based lesson plans. 

And that is the Barney Bag. You can use this concept to make cool collage art and recycled trash crafts for kids. This a perfect Earth Month lesson plans for Earth Day April 22, or any time in April. Here's a Q-and-A to get started. 

What is a Barney Bag? Barney had a rainbow-colored satchel about the size of a small suitcase that contained all kinds of "gizmos and gadgets, odds and ends; even some old strings"--aka lots of cast-off stuff that he used to make recycled trash crafts for kids. It's perfect for collage preschool learning centers. There was a special song that accompanied it. You can listen to The Barney Bag song and learn it here at YouTube. 

When do you use the Barney Bag? You can schedule regular weekly time to make recycled trash crafts. Or weave the Barney Bag into collage art learning centers. But it works best to haul out Barney Bag spontaneously. I used it as a special treat that for rainy days or when the kids were feeling bored or glum. Spending time creating collage art from recycled trash is a great way to beat the blues. I would just start quietly singing the song to my children and they would eagerly rush to get our version of the Barney Bag from the closet, singing along. Suddenly they weren't grouchy anymore. Making spontaneous trash crafts for kids was a real sanity-saver when everyone came down with chicken pox at once. And it was great for homebound snow days too. If you homeschool, you can throw a surprise craft-fest to break up the monotony of schoolwork or if the children are well-behaved. 

How do you make a Barney Bag? I kept a large recycled trash shopping bag in the kitchen near the recycle bin. You can make your Barney Bag as plain or elaborate as you like. Then place in it, along with the usual recycled items (cardboard, glass jars, paper, plastic and metal),  toss in 

• unique packages
• fabric scraps
• odd-shaped containers
• bits of yarn, string, thread and fiber
• foil and wrapping paper scraps
• fabrics scraps
• used ribbon and bows,
• decorative trim
• mismatched buttons
• gumball machine toys
• assorted game pieces
• old magazines
• stickers
• envelopes with stamps
• playing cards
• metal washers and springs
• jewelry pieces
• keys
• small broken utensils,
• plastic mesh from produce bags
• egg cartons
• packing peanuts
• coins
• perfume or cosmetics containers
• plastic gems
• feathers
• dried beans
• pasta
• and just about any discarded item imaginable. 

Just put it all in the Barney Bag and let children enjoy rummaging through to discover treasures. They will love finding new and creative ways to repurpose in their recycled trash craft projects.  

How do children use the Barney Bag? First, assemble a tray of:

• glue sticks (or plastic lids with glue and Q-tips)
• scissors (plain and decorative edged)
• glitter
• crayons or markers
• paints
• shaped paper punches and stamps. 

Spread an old tablecloth or shower curtain on the floor to protect against spills. Make paint coveralls from dad's old T-shirts. Or used recycled plastic grocery bags. Cut the bottom out, slip over the child's head use grocery bag  handles over shoulders as straps. Cover the table with newspaper. 

Announce Barney Bag time by singing Barney's little ditty. Encourage them to come up with a themes or give them one. I like to tie in craft projects to books we've just read. Recycled trash crafts with literature connections make perfect book report alternatives too. Happy Earth Day!