Before that cereal box goes out with the recycling, give it a second life. To a child, an empty box is a robot body, a rocket, a puppet theatre or a car just waiting to happen. Junk modelling is one of the most open-ended activities there is, and the only rule is that there's no wrong answer.
This guide shows you how to set up a junk box, how to make models that actually stay together, how to keep the mess under control, and eight crafts to get started. Most need little more than tape, glue and scissors.
Box clever: setting up a junk box
Keep a large box or bag somewhere handy and drop clean, dry recycling into it through the week. Rinse pots and bottles and let them dry fully before they go in. A mix of shapes and sizes gives children the most to work with.
- Cereal boxes, tissue boxes and other thin card packaging
- Toilet-roll and kitchen-roll tubes
- Egg boxes, yoghurt pots and clean plastic bottles
- Bottle tops, jar lids and corks
- Paper plates, old wrapping paper, magazines and tissue paper
- Your toolkit: PVA glue, glue stick, masking tape, sellotape, child-safe scissors, split pins, pens and paint
Leave out glass, tins with sharp edges, anything that held medicines or cleaning products, and packaging from foods your family is allergic to.
Stick with it: making models that hold together
The biggest frustration in junk modelling is a model that falls apart before the glue dries. Masking tape is the secret weapon: it grips cardboard well, is easy for small hands to tear, and you can paint over it. Use PVA glue for flat things like paper and tissue, and give it time to dry.
For moving parts, split pins make brilliant wheels and joints. A grown-up can poke the holes with a sharpened pencil pushed through into a lump of modelling clay. Cutting slots so one piece slides into another is another strong, glue-free joint.
Build the main shape with tape first and save the decorating for the end.
Low mess, no stress
Not every day is a paint day, and that's fine. For a tidy session, stick to tape, glue sticks, pens and paper scraps. Cover the table with newspaper or an old sheet, pop an old shirt on back to front as an apron, and keep a damp cloth nearby.
When you do want paint, put a small amount in an egg box or on a paper plate rather than handing over the whole pot, and if the weather is kind, take painting outside.
The art of letting go: finished masterpieces
Children are often proud of their creations, so make a fuss of them. Set up a gallery on a shelf or windowsill, or ask your child to give a little tour of what they've made and how it works. After a week or so, agree which one model to keep and recycle the rest, ready to start again.
Ideas to try
Toilet-Roll Animals
Turn cardboard tubes into owls, cats, penguins and pigs.
You'll need: toilet-roll tubes, paint or pens, paper scraps, glue stick
- Choose an animal for each tube.
- Paint or colour the tube and let it dry.
- Fold the top edges inwards to make ears.
- Cut out paper eyes, beaks or wings and glue them on.
- Line your animals up for a zoo parade.
Cardboard Box Rocket
Blast off in a rocket made from a big box and a few tubes.
You'll need: a large cardboard box, masking tape, paper plate, kitchen-roll tubes, pens or paint
- A grown-up cuts off the box flaps and a door.
- Tape a cone of card on top for the nose.
- Tape tubes to the back as boosters.
- Stick on a paper plate control panel and draw buttons.
- Decorate, climb in and count down from ten.
🧑 Grown-up help needed
Paper Plate Masks
Make a lion, fox or superhero mask from a single paper plate.
You'll need: paper plates, pens or crayons, paper scraps, glue stick, string or a lolly stick
- Hold the plate to your face and have a grown-up mark the eyes.
- A grown-up cuts out the eye holes.
- Colour and decorate your character.
- Glue on paper ears, whiskers or a mane.
- Tape a lolly stick to the side as a handle.
🧑 Grown-up help needed
Bottle-Top Mosaic
Arrange colourful bottle tops into a picture or pattern.
You'll need: clean bottle tops, a piece of stiff card, PVA glue, a pencil
- Sort the bottle tops into colours.
- Draw a simple picture on the card, such as a fish or flower.
- Arrange the tops on the picture before gluing.
- Glue them down one by one with a blob of PVA.
- Leave flat overnight to dry.
Egg Box Creepy-Crawlies
Snip egg box cups into caterpillars, ladybirds and spiders.
You'll need: clean card egg boxes, scissors, paint, pipe cleaners or paper strips
- Cut a strip of cups for a caterpillar, or single cups for ladybirds.
- Paint them and leave to dry.
- Add dots, stripes and faces with pens.
- Poke in pipe cleaners or glue paper strips for legs and feelers.
Kitchen-Roll Ball Run
Tape tubes to a wall or door to send a ball zigzagging down.
You'll need: kitchen-roll and toilet-roll tubes, masking tape, scissors, a ping pong ball or scrunched foil
- Cut some tubes in half lengthways to make open chutes.
- Tape the first chute high on a door or cupboard at a slope.
- Add more chutes below, each catching the ball from the one above.
- Test with the ball and adjust the angles.
- Put a box at the bottom to catch it.
Yoghurt Pot Telephone
Talk to each other across the room with two pots and some string.
You'll need: 2 clean yoghurt pots, a long piece of string, a sharpened pencil, modelling clay
- A grown-up pokes a small hole in the base of each pot.
- Thread the string through and tie a big knot inside.
- Walk apart until the string is tight.
- One person talks into a pot while the other listens.
- Try it round a corner and see if it still works.
🧑 Grown-up help needed
Junk Robot
Build a robot friend from boxes, tubes and lids.
You'll need: a selection of boxes, tubes, bottle tops, masking tape, split pins, pens
- Pick a big box for the body and a smaller one for the head.
- Tape the head on firmly.
- Attach tube arms with split pins so they move.
- Glue on bottle-top buttons and eyes.
- Give your robot a name and a special power.
🧑 The grown-up bit
Only grown-ups should use craft knives or make holes in pots and card, and child-safe scissors are best for little hands. Bottle tops, corks and other small bits are choking hazards, so keep them away from under-3s and supervise younger children. Wash and dry all containers first, and skip packaging from foods anyone in the house is allergic to. Remind children that glue, paint and craft bits are not for eating, and wash hands afterwards.
Questions parents ask
What's the best glue for junk modelling?
Masking tape is the most reliable for joining boxes and tubes. PVA glue works well for paper, tissue and bottle tops, but it needs time to dry, so leave models flat overnight.
How do I stop my house filling up with cardboard models?
Display new creations for a week, then agree with your child which one to keep. Recycling the rest frees up space and materials for the next build.
Is junk modelling suitable for a 4-year-old?
Yes. Give them bigger pieces, masking tape and a glue stick, and do any cutting of thick card yourself. Keep small parts like bottle tops away from any younger siblings.