Recycling Projects: Box Cities

Box Cities

In this project, with some unwanted boxes, old newspapers, items from the junk drawer, and a little creativity, your child can construct entire cities and stay occupied for hours, maybe even days!

    What I like about this project is that it gives the kids (and young-spirited adults) a lot of room for creativity. No one’s box buildings and cities will turn out exactly the same!

Picture courtesy of: http://spoonful.com/crafts/box-buildings

Supplies needed:

-Small cardboard boxes (cereal, oatmeal, pasta, granola bar, ice cream carton, etc.)

-Newspaper

-Masking tape

-Decoupage (You can make your own by mixing equal parts of white glue and water)

-Tempera or acrylic paints

-Markers

-Toothpicks, popsicle sticks, cotton balls, dowels, film canisters, bottle caps, drawer knobs, buttons, scrap fabric, small stones, old game pieces, and other miscellaneous “junk” items. (Look around your house and yard for items that would add an interesting touch to your buildings).


Steps:

1. Stuff your boxes with newspaper until they’re sturdy.

2. Arrange them into desired shapes, and then tape them together.

3. Cut newspaper into 1x6 inch strips

4. Dip newspaper strips into decoupage mix and use them to cover the boxes. Be sure to alternate the direction of the strips as you go.

5. Allow your boxes to dry before continuing (this may be anywhere from a few hours to overnight).

6. Paint your buildings and then glue on decorative pieces (toothpick window frames, dowel chimneys with cotton ball smoke, toilet paper tube columns, etc.) Also, use markers to draw on finer details.

7. Arrange your buildings into a city! (You can keep them separate so that you can rearrange them later, or glue them into a larger box to create a diorama.)

 Picture courtesy of: http://www.mommy-labs.com/creative-kids/art_craft_projects_kids/upcycle-cardboard-boxes-into-city-skyline-vista/

There are so many endless possibilities with this project! Who knows, maybe after your child creates a cardboard city, he or she will be inspired to become an architect someday. If you want your creative constructions to be featured on Viridorari, email your pictures to viridorari@yahoo.com.

Picture courtesy of: https://elgg.leeds.ac.uk/burton/weblog/18264.html

Sources: http://spoonful.com/crafts/box-buildings

Last week’s Recycling Project was recycling old t-shirts and bangles into new and stylish bracelets. I went through my clothing and found a few shirts and pajama pants that I don’t wear anymore and I crafted some bracelets! 

 

Animal of the Month Update

Picture courtesy of: http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/priority_species/lesser_known_species/ganges_shark/

The Ganges shark is one of six species of river shark found in the entire world. While some river shark species are also known to inhabit saltwater, the Ganges shark has only been found in rivers and estuaries. It is amongst the twenty most threatened shark species and is listed as a Critically Endangered.

    Adult Ganges sharks grow to about 178 cm in length. They have stocky, grayish-brown bodies, with broadly rounded snouts.

Source: http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/priority_species/lesser_known_species/ganges_shark/