Construct something with junk

You will need:

• Old boxes, bottle tops, bits of wood, bark, sticks, pinecones, leaves, material, cardboard, egg cartons, yoghurt containers, toilet or paper towel rolls

• Some paste or glue, tape (sellotape/masking tape), or string

• Large pieces of paper or cardboard

You can:

• Join junk together to construct something – eg: truck, aeroplane, house, animal, robot, mobile, windchime etc

• Let your child’s imagination lead the way

• Display the construction in pride of place or give it away as a gift.

You can also:

• Use wood and nails if available and with supervision

• Add paint and pens

• Continue the project over more than one day so you can add to it

• Collect more materials to add to the construction over time

Did you know:

• Timber yards sometimes give away off cuts of wood

• Some industries have waste bins where you can get useful junk

What your child is learning:

• That playing with ideas and materials can be a fun way to learn

• How to be resourceful and creative

• How to work with different tools

• About size, shape, form and balance

• To problem solve

• To persevere

• That you don’t always get it right the first