• A milk jug is a potential craft project.Container of milk. Plastic milk bottle image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
  
  Most households with kids tend to go through plenty of milk and end up with lots of empty milk jugs for recycling. For a fun and useful way to recycle milk jugs, use them for craft projects with the kids. There are many applications for empty milk jugs, just be sure to wash them with soap and water before you start the project.
  
  

Bird Feeder

• Empty plastic milk jugs are ideal for homemade bird feeders. Older children can do this alone, but younger kids need some supervision. Use a marker to draw windows on one or more sides of the milk jug, starting at least 2 or 3 inches above the base. The windows should be about 3 to 4 inches square, but the dimensions are not too important. Cut out the windows with scissors or a craft knife--an adult should do this for younger children. Pour bird seed into the bottom of the jug and hang it from a tree branch with thin wire or string. You could decorate the bird feeder with paint, or make some holes to add dowels as perches. This project teaches kids about recycling and will attract wild birds to your back yard or garden.
  
  

Catch Game

• To make this fun game, save two large milk jugs,complete with caps. Remove the labels and wash away any sticky reside. Cut off the bottom of each jug at a slight angle to make a scoop-like shape. Kids can decorate the scoops with permanent markers or paint. With a small ball and a decorated jug-scoop, a game of catch becomes much more fun.
  
  

Desk Caddy

• To make a handy desk caddy, you'll need to cut the bottoms off some empty milk jugs to use as cups. You can use as many or few milk-jug bottoms as you like. Make them the same or different heights, depending on the look you want. Arrange the cups in a row, or in a square/rectangle if you prefer. Glue the bases onto a piece of heavy cardboard. Trim the board around the edges of the cups. Kids can decorate the caddy by painting it or, for a more finished look, cover the inside and outside surfaces with papier mache. When the caddy is dry, the surfaces will be smooth and easy to paint.
  
  

Bowling Pins

• Tall, thin milk jugs make excellent homemade bowling pins. When empty, they're light enough for even little children to knock over with a ball. Fill the bases with sand to make the game more challenging for bigger kids. Paint the jugs to make them more colorful. Just squeeze a tablespoon or so of acrylic paint into the milk jug and put the cap back on. Shake the jug vigorously to spread the paint throughout the insides. If the paint isn't spreading easily, add a few drops of water and try again. Remove the lid when you are done so the paint can dry. For a different look, use a smaller amount of paint and stop when the sides are only partially coated. Wait for the paint to dry, and repeat with a different color.