This recycled robot was originally made as a fun junk-model craft using everyday materials. In addition, I am using the same Robot but introducing a different activity.
Recycled Robot Feelings Activity for Kids.
Because children naturally enjoy robots and hands-on play, this recycled robot feelings activity builds on a familiar craft and turns it into an emotional learning experience.
By adding changeable faces and parts, children can explore different feelings through cutting, sticking, and simple discussion, making the activity suitable for a range of ages and abilities.
If you would like to jump in and check the Recycled Robot for Kids activity, and have a go at crafting it. Here is the link.
BUILD A RECYCLE ROBOT USING JUNK MATERIALS!
You may ask, why is the robot made out of rubbish, our everyday throw-outs, instead of being made of metal or the typical, familiar robotic metal?
My reason is simple, as I like to use any recycling and up-cycle it into a fun kids project, I wanted to demonstrate that you can make good use of your junk and, in-hand, make something interesting out of it.
KEPT THE ROBOT BASIC!
Because of this, I felt it was appropriate to show what I used in its raw state, ie, the rectangular cereal box for its body, a small easter egg box to form the mouth bit and neck and other square, round, plastic containers that resembled robotic parts.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU USE FOR A RECYCLE ROBOT?
Furthermore, I included plastic bottle tops for eyes that resemble nuts and bolts. Fizzy drink cans and rice pots for its legs and feet, and cardboard tubes designed to form the springy arms, and so on.
KEEPING IT REAL!
Simply, displaying how and what I used to create our robot friend, keeping it easy and using everyday items, seemed to work, and it looked great, too!
BE SENSIBLE ABOUT RUBBISH!
Those viewing this robot, I am hoping they would think, ‘How interesting, by up-cycling all these familiar packages, you could create a super fun robot with your kids, and at the same time see what you have used.
GREAT FOR OUR PLANET!
On top of that, less packaging to throw out, in hand, less rubbish that’s filling up our landfills!
WHAT’S RECYCLED ROBOT ACTIVITY?
The Recycled Robot Feelings Activity for Kids began as a hands-on craft project using recycled materials to design and build a robot model.
However, to deepen the learning experience, I introduced accompanying worksheets that encourage children to think more carefully about how their robot is constructed and how it might “feel.”
This approach transforms a simple recycled craft into a richer cross-curricular learning experience
FOUR RECOGNISABLE EMOTIONS!
Adding a feelings element brings a social-emotional dimension to the task, encouraging empathy, imagination and storytelling alongside engineering thinking.
DECOMPOSED ROBOT
The worksheet extends the activity into structured STEM exploration. By breaking the robot into individual components, children analyse parts, design and function.
RECYCLE ROBOT WORKSHEETS AND STEM LEARNING
While building supports creativity and problem-solving, the worksheets extend the activity into structured STEM exploration.
By breaking the robot into individual components, children analyse parts, design and function.
ROBOT FEELINGS AND EMPATHY!
Adding a feelings element brings a social-emotional dimension to the task, encouraging empathy, imagination and storytelling alongside engineering thinking.
This approach transforms a simple recycled craft into a richer cross-curricular learning experience.
MAKING THIS ACTIVITY FUN!
Not only that, it will be a fun way to incorporate these expressions, and then kids can say….
‘Now the Robot is very Sad’, the adult can ask… ‘What can we do to make the Robot Happy again?’
Another question could be in the line of… ‘Which face shows how the Robot feels?’
MY INTENTION!
Preview only. Full A4 printables available here
So, let’s elaborate that the recycled robot will have changeable facial features to explore feelings, and by changing its face shape and expression, it will show how the robot feels.
In this activity, children can choose a feature, place it on any shaped robot’s face and see how the expression changes.
This activity also promotes:-
- Movable parts -tactile learning
- Great for speech & language
- Great for non-verbal children.
WHERE TO FIND PRINTABLES
Here is the full set of Recycled Robot Feeling Activity for Kids, two worksheets, which you can find at my Etsy shop.
One worksheet, page 1 includes a decomposed robot, and an example robot to copy, and page 2 includes interchangeable parts and facial feelings to cut out and add to your chosen head.
LET ME RECOMMEND!
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Even though most of our activities encourage using recycled materials from around the house, we know that sometimes you just don’t have the right bits and pieces to hand.
If you’d prefer everything ready to go, Green Kid Crafts offers hands-on STEM robot kits packed with all the materials and step-by-step guidance!
👉 Explore their robot STEM box here →
It’s a great way to combine creative building with structured learning — and pairs perfectly with the Recycled Robot Feelings worksheets.
Hey there, when you click on links in this post, and you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission that l can use towards resources (other than throw-outs) for project making within my website😀
WHAT’S MORE – GET REGULAR BOXES!
For kids who love exploring STEM, Green Kid Crafts offers monthly DIY activity boxes full of recycled projects and creative challenges!
It’s a great way to combine creative building with structured learning – and pairs perfectly with the Recycled Robot Feelings worksheets!
ADAPT FOR DIFFERENT ABILITIES!
So how else can we adapt the robotic parts? Well, as an example, “If the robot were sad, which face would you choose?” They would have the option to choose from:-
- Clear emotional expressions
- Or the child points, circles, or selects.
This is perfect for:
- SEN
- Younger children
- Low-demand days.
Children with middle abilities.
- Same robot head,
- different eyes/mouths/eyebrows
- The child, the feeling.
Great for;
- Children who can analyse emotions
- Speech & language work
Express it creatively (open-ended)
- Blank robot face
- draw, colour, or design
Good for;
- Regulation
- Confidence
- Creativitiy
So, one concept, the Robot, the child chooses whichever way they can adapt it.
RECYCLED ROBOT EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITY
Adding changeable facial expressions to the recycled robot gives children a playful way to explore emotions and talk about how different faces can represent how we feel.
You can talk about:
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Recognising emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised, etc.)
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Talking about feelings in a safe, playful way
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Using the robot as a “third object” so that children find it easier to express emotions
CHILDREN CAN BE CREATIVE!
Children can use the robot’s changing expressions to invent stories, act out different scenarios, or talk about how the robot might be feeling in different situations.
Cutting out and placing the facial features also helps develop fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination.
- Cutting out faces
- Placing and repositioning them
- Matching expressions
HOW ABOUT ROLE-PLAY?
Imagination & storytelling
This keeps it creative and not too “school-like”:
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Children can invent stories
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The robot can “change mood”
-
Encourages role play
EXTENDING THE LEARNING
This activity builds on the original recycled robot craft, adding a social and emotional learning element alongside the earlier STEM and design focus.
MIA’S RECYCLED ROBOT!
Here is a lovely short cartoon, showing exactly what my post is all about, especially the ‘Recycled Robot for Kids’ activity.’
Just simple bits of junk with some imagination, Mia created a super fun Robot! This was appreciated by her peers and class teacher.
So well done, Mia, a great inspiration to everyone!
TO CONCLUDE
In this post, I expand on a previous post, where I use ordinary throw-outs, typical junk and upcycle them into a fun Robot!
I left it in its raw state, so you can see how and what I used to create it. In doing so, one can determine what item you can use to build different parts of the Robot.
EXPANDING THE ACTIVITY!
From that activity, I wanted to expand on the Robot idea, which kids love anyway, keeping them interested, and on how else it can be used to help children with their learning.
So do check out the worksheets, they are an added activity that kids would enjoy, especially cutting out parts and re-creating the Robot!
TRY THE FULL ACTIVITY!
Grab the printable Recycled Robot Feelings worksheets from my Etsy shop here.
Want to see how the original Recycled Robot was built?
Click the button below for the full craft tutorial:
Stem is a proven learning method, and I love the idea you provided here. Building robots and expanding kids’ imaginations through role-play can broaden their perspectives on everyday life and real-world experiences.
This is a great article, and a learning workbook is such a good idea for parents to keep their children engaged and busy.
Michael
Hey Michael, thanks for your take on this type of learning. I am pleased that you like the idea of using a Robot as an example. I have to think how to motivate a child and what would capture their attention and make it fun too, that’s why I created Robotic worksheets that address this. As for role play, I believe this is underestimated, it’s a great way for kids to gain their confidence, work on presentation and language as well as modelling how they feel.
Once again thanks for your super comment.
Julia.😊
This is such a fun and clever twist on a recycled craft! Kids will not only enjoy building their robot but also learning about feelings through play. A fantastic mix of creativity, learning and eco-friendly fun!
I am glad you liked this activity! Kids can get bored very easily these days, and need that little bit extra to keep them focused and motivated. So I have to think how I can challenge them a little bit more. Having done the recycled Robot project before, I thought to use it in another way, as it’s a great subject to model with, and expand on the idea implementing emotions like tags, and the Robot would be the main target.
Thanks for your input, and if you know of any kids that might like to try this activity please feel free to pass it on.
Happy crafting.
Julia.😊
Hey Julia,
I have a cousin who works with small children and I believe the recycled robots feeling activity might be great for her to take into her classroom.
I will share this with her and see what she thinks. If she has any questions then I will encourage her to get in touch with you, if that is OK?
Thank you for sharing and keep up the amazing work on your site.
All the best,
Tom
Hi Tom, that’s super cool, yes please, I am loving the reaction! This is exactly what I want to hear.I would definitely want to know how children will react to this project, it would be a beneficial feedback, then I would know what my focus would be for other such like projects! And yes she can get in-touch, maybe via you and you can PM me with her question.
Thanks for your super comment, it’s very encouraging!
Happy Crafting.
Julia.😀