Stacks of old newspapers, advertising inserts or used computer paper and wire-frame holiday decorations can be recycled to make paper sculptures. Remove the Christmas lights from the frame and cover the wire frame with paper mache. Plaster sheets of newspaper and other waste paper onto the frame in sheets using wheat paste. Kids can paint the paper mache sculptures after they are dry.
Use shoe boxes, coffee cans, plastic wrap and paper to create abstract tower sculptures. Select a large box to serve as the base for the sculpture. Place recycled items, such as cans, water bottles, milk containers and paper cereal boxes on the box to build an abstract sculpture. Items can be glued on the box and glued together using hot glue. Wrap the entire sculpture in plastic wrap or plastic grocery bags.
Bend old wire coat hangers to create a flat sculpture. Bend the wire hanger into the shape of a fish, a butterfly, a dog or any other animal. Cover the wire shape with plastic or paper grocery bags by wrapping them over the frame. Use tape to secure the bags to the frame. Glue colorful bottle caps, pieces of cardboard or pictures cut from old magazines on the paper or plastic bags. The sculpture can be hung on a wall or suspended from the ceiling using a string.
Collect three or four egg cartons for each child to make an egg carton flower sculpture. Cut the egg cups out using scissors. Make flower stems by cutting strips from the flat top of the egg carton. Cut a slit in the bottom of each egg cup and insert the stem into the flower. The flowers can then be painted using acrylic or tempera paint. Arrange the flowers in a painted coffee can to display the flower sculpture.