• There are many different vehicles that require tires, including cars, trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, and motorcycles. These tires eventually lose their tread or crack, at which point they are unsafe. Old scrap tires can be recycled in many different ways, which is much better for the environment than just throwing the tires in landfills.
  
  

Exercise

• If you are into physical fitness, rubber tires can be turned into part of a fitness obstacle course. Place a set of tires on the ground and run through them, or set the tires up so you can jump over them, crawl through them, or climb on them. This is a good option if you have a lot of tires and a lot of space.
  
  

Sandboxes

• Even if tires are cracked and worn, they can still be used as borders to keep sand and dirt from spilling over into other areas. A tire laid on the ground and filled with a few bags of sand becomes an instant small sandbox. This is a good alternative to other sandboxes because there are no sharp edges, screws, or other parts that can come apart or hurt the child playing in the "box."
  
  

Flower Boxes

• One variation of the child's tire sandbox is to create tire flower boxes. Instead of sand, the tire is filled with any dirt that is suitable for small plants. Loosen the ground underneath the tire area so that the roots can continue to extend down into the regular ground if needed. Unlike other types of beds made with stone or wood, these simple beds don't require any assembly, can be moved easily between growing seasons, and aren't outrageously heavy. They look terrific as garden accents around larger garden structures, such as a small garden tractor or wheelbarrows.
  
  

Swings

• Tire swings can be made from scrap tires as long as the tires are not severely cracked. All that is necessary is to tie a large, heavy duty rope through the tire, The other end of the rope is tied around a large diameter tree branch capable of supporting a person's weight. These swings don't have any sharp or small parts that can injure a child, but the rubber can leave marks on skin or clothing. If you make a swing with your scrap tire, just make sure small children don't use it alone, as they still can fall or get tangled just as they can with other swings.