Building Up: Cardboard Tube Crafts

Ages/Grades

 Preschool

 Kindergarten

 

Learning Domains

Mathematics and Social Studies Knowledge & Skills

 

Materials:

• • Dreaming Up Book
• • Collection of paper tubes (from wrapping paper, paper towels, etc) and cardboard (from cartons, food boxes, etc)
• • Adhesives (Tape, glue, Velcro)

Ready, Set, Create!

After reading the book Dreaming Up, revisit the spread showing the Paper Tube School. Share with your students the fascinating information about the school described in the endpapers at the back of the book.

Build a structure using recycled paper tubes and cardboard as the primary building materials.

 

Talk to the class about what type of structure could be built with these materials. Once you come to a consensus, start planning.

• • Organize the materials that were collected
• • Sort the tubes by size
• • Flatten and cut cardboard pieces (with adult’s help) to manageable sizes
• • Make a list of what you need to complete your project
• • Plan to take pictures of the whole process starting with a picture of the raw materials (A great sequencing activity for later!)
• • Need more ideas? View more uses for cardboard on Pinterest

 

Vocabulary Boosters

Introduce these words and phrases early in the process and continue to use them during the building activity.

• • Structure
• • Columns
• • Pillars
• • Entrance
• • Strong foundation