Doing crafts with your child is great, but letting them have free-reign with a load of cardboard and PVA glue is the way to spark their amazing imaginations! Introducing junk modelling….! kids love it because they get to use lots and lots of glue, get messy and create things usually bigger than themselves. It’s brilliant, but the best bit is, no adults allowed.
So, Kidunk challenges you to do this activity at home without any parental interference, can you do it?
This is what you’ll need…
- Start collecting boxes, cartons and cardboard tubes of all shapes and sizes.
- Collect, bits of silver foil, lolly sticks, twigs, leaves, cotton wool, anything that you think will be suitable (have a forage on your next woodland walk)
- A large amount of PVA glue.
- Large glue spreader or paintbrush.
- Newspaper to cover the floor or an old decorating sheet.
- Protective clothes or a Kidunk suit for your child/children
Now that you’re ready, ask your little ones to help you place the sheet on the floor and put all your boxes, cartons, tubes etc in the centre. The PVA glue should be poured into a plastic container (such as an old ice cream tub) with spatulas close by. Now, back away and leave them to it!
You will be amazed at how their imagination flows, they may start off saying they are going to make a spaceship but end up with a house, why? because they problem solve and the junk available may not allow for a spaceship in the shape they want, they change their minds as they imagine other wonderful things.
They are learning to balance 3D objects while they wait for the glue to dry, they may ask their sibling or friend to help them which shows the understanding of cooperative play. They develop their hand and eye coordination and fine and gross motor skills when adding the smaller detail such as the foil or twigs, listen to the language they are using whether working alone or with a partner, you may be surprised at what you hear.
Once they are happy with what they have created, allow them to tell you all about what they’ve made, celebrate the wonderful creation by finding an area to display it for all to see, take photos, this gives the child a sense of achievement, increasing their self-confidence as they did it by themselves.
And well done to you too! Give yourself a massive pat on your back, you have created a happy day for your child and a memory to cherish.
If you accepted the Kidunk challenge, we would love to see your child’s creation, please send your pictures to contact@kidunk.com and we will add them to the Kidunk photo wall of fame!