10 Uses for Your Old Plastic Plates
Have you made the switch to silicone? Are you ready to toss your plastic plates? BPA, BPS and other chemicals may leach from your plastic plates into your kids' food, but you should also replace plastic dinnerware when it becomes cloudy or scratched. Before you throw them into your recycling bin, check out these 10 fun ways to reuse your plastic plates!
1. Sandbox/Beach Toys
Plastic plates and bowls are perfect for using in the sand box or at the beach. Your kids can serve up some sand "cake" or simply use the plates and bowls to explore their beach environment. Kids can easily grasp the plates and use them to dig or transfer sand.
2. Frisbees
An obvious but fun way to repurpose your plastic plates. Head outside for a fun game of frisbee with the family. If you have multiple plates, incorporate them in a multi-frisbee game. Crazy!!
3. Paint Palette
Use your old plastic plates as a paint palette. They are the perfect size for mixing paints and also rinse easily.
4. Play Kitchen Dinnerware
Put your old plastic plates in your kids' play kitchen. Your children will love having plates to serve play food to their friends. Plus, you won't have to worry about leaching chemicals into their plastic bananas.
5. Musical Instruments
Aunt Barb may have bought your kids a music set with literally all the bells and whistles. But if you are looking for a quieter one-man-band, plastic plates make great drums and cymbals.
6. Paddle/Raquet
Did your kids loose their ping pong paddle or badminton raquet? A plastic plate makes the perfect substitute. You can also use them to throw bean bags back and forth, or for a fun relay race.
7. Drip Tray
A more practical use, plastic plates are perfect to set under your indoor plants. They will catch excess water so your tabletops won't get damaged.
8. Dress-up
Add your plastic plates to your children's dress-up bin. They will make perfect shields, hats, shoes, and more!
9. Bubble Tray
For summer fun, and less mess, use your plastic plates as a bubble tray. Simply pour your bubble solution on to the plastic plate and let your kids dip in their wands. You will have less spills than letting your child hold the bubble bottle, and you won't have to worry about your wand being long enough to reach the solution.
10. Bath Time fun
Your plastic plates will float in the water and your kids will find many fun uses for them in the tub. Squirt a little shampoo or body wash on a plate, and let your kid have fun slowly adding water and mixing to watch bubbles appear.
When you are done reusing your plastic plates, don't forget to recycle them!