Junk Modelling

Idea

Challenge participants to create epic models out of junk! This is surprisingly fun and can be made to take half an hour to half a day. You simply collect lots of scrap materials, e.g. milk cartons, cardboard boxes, drink bottles, tubes, wool, fabric, wheels, newspaper, etc. Going to the Scrapstore is a simple and in-expensive way to gather materials, or ask your volunteers to give you all their recycling for a couple of weeks. Then select a theme and give participants a time limit. You may also wish to divide up the junk so each team has the same basic materials, with extra items on request or at completion of a fun challenge (challenges are a great way to keep all members of larger teams engaged: have a list ready e.g. 10 press ups for a metre of cellotape, sing a song backwards). 

Good themes: create the best bridge that will transport supplied toy car, create a working vehicle, create a junk universe (!), create a model village.

Award points for creativity, good use of junk, silliness, moving parts, structure, etc. 

Models could be displayed in a community venue. 

Key requirements

Large supplies of scrap materials, e.g. milk cartons, cardboard boxes, drink bottles, tubes, wool, fabric, wheels, newspaper, etc.

Scissors, cellotape, string

Small prize for winning team (optional)