Creative Arts

4 – 6 years

Materials

• Cereal Box
• Colored cardstock or construction paper
• Shells
• Kinetic Sand
• Green Pipe Cleaners
• Googly Eyes
• Paints
• Stones
• String
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Sharpie Marker
• Box cutter (for adult use only)

Prepare the Aquarium

This requires an adult due to the use of a box cutter.

1. Using a Sharpie, draw a rectangle on one side of the cereal box, leaving approx one-inch frame around the edge.
2. Using a box cutter, cut along the line of the rectangle. The opening is the front of your aquarium.
3. Lay out the decorating materials for your child.

Child Participation in the Activity

Paint the aquarium

1. Have your child paint the outside of the box to resemble the look of an aquarium. Feel free to use any other colours to spark imagination and creativity.

Design the backdrop

1. Using blue cardstock, cut or tape together a rectangle equal to the size of the back of your box. This will be the backdrop to your aquarium.
2. Glue kinetic sand or cheerios along the bottom of the cardstock to represent the bottom of the sea.
3. Bend green pipe cleaners and glue to the bottom of the aquarium to resemble seaweed and other vegetation.
4. Have fun selecting sea shells to glue anywhere inside the aquarium.
5. Apply stones to the bottom of the aquarium. The stones will add weight for the aquarium to stand up on its own.

Design your fish

1. Cut simple fish shapes using cardstock or construction paper.
2. Add eyes to your fish by gluing googly eyes or drawing directly on the paper. Feel free to paint scales or add texture to your fish.
3. Take a small piece of string and tape it to the back of the fish.
4. Attach the strings inside the top of the box, allowing the fish to hang loosely in the aquarium.

The aquarium is a great opportunity to develop stories with your child and use for imaginative play.