Castaway Kits – Active Learning Through “Trash”

This “toy” or, shall we say craft, line got our attention because we thought it was the perfect manifestation of the combined ideals of teaching creativity and environmental awareness. The Castaway Kits are the invention of the Trash for Teaching (T4T) group. They collect all sorts of manufacturing cast-off materials that were destined for the landfill. Things like cardboard cones and tubes and die-cut chips and fabric scraps… All with various colors, shapes and textures. What a great way to inspire imagination and to enforce spatial development while also teaching our kids that fun & play does not need to always come in a big glossy box from the big glossy store.

“Our primary mission is to encourage creative learning through our unconventional materials while diverting waste from the landfill. Trash for Teaching is dedicated to the environmental awareness in education thought creative reuse. We are building a bridge that connects the excessive waste in manufacturing and the lack of material in education.”

If you live in Los Angeles (where T4T participates in the arts education program in local school districts) you can actually visit the Warehouse to purchase “Trash” materials by the pound, or organize a local “Green” birthday party or other event. Lucky you. However, if you don’t live in L.A., you’ll be happy to know that you can order any of the pre-assembled Castaway Kits online here.

Everything is clean and safe and absolutely too much fun for children ages 4 and up. Perfect unusual gift idea for the unusual youngster too .