Need a fun and easy craft for the kids that won’t cost an arm and a leg? If you are like me and save plastic lids then this is the perfect rainy day activity or afternoon craft.

Why this project is a hit

I mean, recycling! A lot of recycling centers will take containers but not their caps and lids. I usually save those so I can make more projects with them. You might remember my plastic lid ladybugs from years ago?

Craft supplies you will need

White craft glue (or school glue)
Plastic lid (cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc)
Liquid food coloring
Toothpick
Embroidery floss
Needle (Parents handle this if creating with young kids)
Pony beads
3 (4-hole) buttons

Helpful Project Information:

Age Level: 4 and up
Mess Factor: Medium (glue)
Level of Difficulty: Medium (threading)
Time to Complete: 20 minutes
Cost Estimate: Less than $1.00

How to Make a Colorful Glue Suncatcher

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this project. Please scroll down to simply print out the instructions!

Place lid upside down on the table and fill it with glue. Add three drops of food coloring in three different places in the glue.

Use a toothpick to swirl the food coloring around in the glue.

This photo is an example of when is a good time to stop. The color will spread a lot more than this as it sits and if you swirl it too much you’ll end up with just a brown design instead of a colorful one.

The photo below is what my design looked like after an hour of sitting. See how the colors have begun to spread?

Now here’s the hard part. Put the lid somewhere it will remain undisturbed for 5-6 days. You can check it after 4 days by reaching into the lid then carefully pulling back the dried glue. Peel slowly and if you see wet glue, return it to its original position and let it dry longer. Once the design is completely dry, peel it out of the lid.
Parents: Thread the needle and poke it through the bottom of the sun catcher.

Pull the thread through, take off the needle and line up the two ends of the thread.

Repeat two more times for a total of three hanging strings about 8 or 9 inches long.

Now have your little ones thread some pony beads onto each set of strings; I used eight beads on each one.

Thread the two strings through a 4-hole button, running the thread up through two holes and back down through the other two holes.

Turn the button over and tie a knot in the string three times. Trim off the excess string.

Thread a needle with one strand of embroidery floss. Poke the needle through the top of the sun catcher, tie that in a knot for the hanger. Thread several pony beads onto the hanger. I used seven.

Loop the string back through the final bead.

Pull that string tight. Now all you have to do is hang it up and marvel at its beauty!

Expert Tips & FAQs

While this project doesn’t take long to make, it has a long dry time, about 5-6 days. While it is just regular white craft glue, a thick layer like this takes time to dry.

The outer layer will dry first, locking in the wet glue underneath, not allowing as much air to touch it. Hence the drying must rely on evaporation, and without a lot of room for the moisture to escape, it slows the dry time considerably.

I suggest turning this into two separate craft projects. The first one is making the sun catcher, and the second one a week later to embellish it.

This is great as a group project too. I hope you and the kids have fun!

More Recycled Crafts for Kids

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Check our more fun suncatcher ideas like our adorable watermelon suncatcher, a candy corn suncatcher, or our easter egg suncatcher!

plastic lid suncatcher hanging in window

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5 from 9 votes