Junk to Jungle Creators

What this lesson teaches

This activity teaches children about shapes and structures while encouraging creativity and environmental awareness by repurposing waste materials.

What you need

The learning connection

By creating sculptures from recycled materials, children engage in embodied cognition, physically manipulating objects to understand spatial relationships. This tactile experience reinforces learning through creativity, making concepts like balance and design intuitive.

Try it with your learner

1. Gather 5 different recycled materials like bottles, cardboard, and newspaper. 2. Choose an animal you want to create, like a lion or elephant. 3. Use scissors to cut and shape the materials into the form of your animal. 4. Secure parts together with glue or tape to hold the sculpture steady. 5. Decorate your sculpture with colors or additional materials for details. 6. Name your animal and share one fun fact about it with your family!