by Marie Stine

Created on: March 21, 2010

If your daily subscription is leaving you wondering what to do with all those piles of newspapers, then it is time to think outside the box and find a creative use for them.  Most people know that newspapers will give your windows a streak free shine but newspapers can be used for much more than just cleaning the windows.

Newspapers are great for rainy day crafts when the kids are stuck indoors and bored with nothing to do. Impress the kids by making nifty pirate hats. Take a sheet of newspaper and fold it in half. 

With the folded edge at the top, place your finger in the center of the folded edge and turn down the right corner.  Bring down the corner until the top edge reaches your finger marking the center. 

Crease the edge of the paper. Repeat with the left corner. Your paper should now have a triangle on top with a few inches square on the bottom.  Flip the bottom edge up and crease the fold. 

Turn the hat over and repeat with the other side. Fold the edges over the corners and secure with a piece of tape. Have the kids decorate their pirate hats by coloring them.

Newspapers are also good for paper mache projects. Protect your workspace with newspapers and tear newspapers into one inch strips. To make a shallow bowl, use an aluminum pie pan for a form by flipping it over.

Squeeze some liquid white glue in a plastic cup and thin it down with some water. Dip the newspaper strips into the glue mixture and squeezing the excess off, begin layering the strips over the pie pan.

Continue until the pan is covered and then add several more layers. Let the paper mache dry completely which will take at least 24 hours. Once it is dry, it can be painted and decorated.  

Another use for newspapers is to use them as fire starter logs for the fireplace or camping trips. Take several days worth of newspapers and roll them up tightly. Cut off a long piece of string and wrap several times around the end tying the ends tightly.

Repeat with the other end. Soak the newspaper log in water and let it dry out. Once it has dried, it can be used in the fireplace or on camping trips. The newspaper log will burn for one to two hours depending on the thickness of it. 

Instead of just tossing the newspapers in the trash, recycle them into something useful and fun. Newspapers can do more than just line the bottom of the birdcage or give your windows a streak free shine.    

Learn more about this author, Marie Stine.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.