How can I reuse or recycle a damaged children’s car seat?

car seatWe’ve had an email from Sam, saying:

I have a child’s car seat that has been involved in a minor accident, so can no longer be used as a car seat. I don’t want to put it in landfill. Any suggestions?

If car seats had been around when I was a kid and we’d been in this situation, I’m sure the seat would have been commandeered for bottom-of-the-garden dens - a comfortable seat ripe for imaginative on-a-rocket-into-space games or whatever. We were lucky we had loads of space for that sort of thing and also sorts of junk ended its life down there.

But what if that’s not an option because of space or the child’s too young etc? Any more practical or creative suggestions for the seat as a whole or its foamy/plastic parts?


5 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle a damaged children’s car seat?”


  1. Anonymous says:

    turn it into a stroller or bike buddy.

  2. Kath Hazel says:

    A child’s swing :)

    Take out the foam inner and replace with a big soft cushion (you could make this from fabric scraps) and suspend it on strong rope from a tree branch, large hooks in a garage or attached to a doorframe. (Hooks or long bolts).

    If you have access to any old climbing equipment you could reuse carabenas (?sp) etc.

  3. cliff says:

    Rip out the plastic seating pads, turn on it’s side, fill with dirt and use as an outside garden planter.

  4. Graham says:

    Likewise I thought of a hanging basket.

  5. If your child has outgrown the child seat who will use the swing?

    I think these make a great basket for a cat or a small dog like a chihuahua.



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