DIY Water Bottle Firefly

More than half of what is tossed in the trash could be reduced, reused or recycled. One common item that people toss away is plastic bottles. While these items are very recyclable, we have a fun idea on how to reuse them. With summer right around the corner the kids can get antsy on rainy days. Why not bring summer inside to keep them occupied for the day? Below we have a step-by-step tutorial on creating your very own firefly night light with you child. This is a cheap indoor activity that gives them that taste of summer they need.

Items You Will Need

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  • One plastic water bottle or pop bottle cleaned out with the label removed
  • Four 12-inch pipe cleaners (can be a variety of colors, but we recommend black, green and gold)
  • One glow stick (you can also use an index card painted with glow-in-the-dark paint)
  • Either two googly eyes or small beads
  • Two pieces of construction paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Black paint
  • Tape

Before you build your firefly nightlight, make sure all labels removed from the bottle and the bottle is dry and empty.

  1. Remove the lid from your bottle, paint it black and set it aside to dry for later use.
  2. Next, take three of your 12-inch pipe cleaners and twist each one about 2 inches apart from each other around the bottle tightly.2
  3. Once this is done, you may bend the ends of the pipe cleaners to create legs or a base for your firefly.
  4. Using one piece of your construction paper, cut out a rectangle to wrap around the bottle that is slightly smaller than the container so the legs / base of your pipe cleaners are still showing.3
  5. Once you have the correct size of construction paper, glue the paper to the pipe cleaners and the bottle leaving room for the legs / base of your pipe cleaner to show.
  6. Using your other piece of construction paper, fold it in half, and cut out a design for your wings.4
  7. Once you have your wings cut out, you and your child can decorate them with crayons, colored pencils or markers to add a personal touch. Once wings are decorated, glue the folded part of the wings to the bottle opposite of the legs / base.
  8. Next, you’ll take your dry bottle cap and put it back on the bottle. Once it is on the bottle you can glue two googly eyes or small beads to the top of the cap to create eyes for your firefly.5
  9. Taking your last 12-inch pipe, wrap it around the neck of the bottle and twist it tight to create antennas for your firefly. You may curl the ends of the pipe cleaner to give it a more creative affect.
  10. Lastly, take the lid back off the bottle, and break your glow stick in half so it is now working. Taking the tape, you will tape the glow stick to the top of the bottle between the neck of the bottle and the body of the bottle. Once this is done, you can put the lid back on and enjoy your firefly!

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