Welcome to Day 4 of our Children’s Creative Summer Challenge!
Today’s activity is all about turning trash into treasure — or more specifically, transforming old food cans into adorable garden minibeasts!
We’ve suggested making ladybirds, bees, caterpillars… but the sky’s the limit! What creepy crawlies can you create? Maybe a rainbow snail, a glittery butterfly, or even a made-up minibeast from your imagination!
This fun and colourful craft is a great way to encourage creativity, promote recycling, and get kids thinking about how we can reuse everyday items. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to get outdoors and decorate the garden with your brilliant bug creations.
Let’s get buzzing!
Why We Love Junk Modelling
At The Creation Station, we’re big fans of junk modelling — and here’s why! Using everyday items like old cans, boxes, and scraps sparks creativity in a way that’s both fun and eco-friendly. It shows children that they don’t need fancy materials to make something amazing. Instead, they can turn “junk” into treasures, giving new life to things that might otherwise be thrown away.
Junk modelling is also brilliant for developing problem-solving skills. Kids learn to think creatively about how to use shapes, textures, and colours to build their own unique creations — whether that’s a minibeast for the garden, a robot, or a magical castle.
Plus, crafting with recycled materials helps children understand the importance of caring for our planet. It’s a wonderful way to encourage resourcefulness, imagination, and respect for the environment — all while having a blast!
So, when you pick up that empty can today, remember: you’re not just crafting, you’re creating magic from what others might see as rubbish.
What You’ll Need:
- Clean food cans (make sure there are no sharp edges)
- Paints in your chosen colours (acrylics are best, but you can mix ready-mix paint with a little PVA glue to help it stick)
- Googly eyes or buttons
- Glue (PVA or a strong craft glue)
- Pipe cleaners or thick wire
- String (optional – great for hanging your creatures in trees or fences)
How to Make Your Minibeast:
Prep Your Can:
Rinse out your empty food cans and check carefully for any sharp edges. If the edges are sharp, ask an adult to help tape over them or file them smooth.Paint Your Base Colour:
Choose a bright colour for the base of your minibeast. You could go red for a ladybird, yellow for a bee, or green for a beetle! Paint the entire outside of the can and leave it to dry.Add the Details:
Once dry, add stripes, spots, wings or patterns using different colours. Acrylic paint works brilliantly, but if you’re using kids’ paint, just add a little PVA glue to help it stick to the metal.Attach the Eyes:
Stick on googly eyes, buttons, or even draw some fun cartoon eyes with paint or a permanent marker.Create the Legs and Antennae:
Use pipe cleaners or wire to form legs or curly antennae. You can glue these to the sides, or ask a grown-up to help poke small holes to thread them through.Add a Hanging String (Optional):
Want your minibeast to dangle from a tree or hang on the fence? Use string or garden twine to make a loop and glue or tie it to your can.
And there you have it — your very own recycled can minibeast to add a splash of colour and creativity to your garden!
Why This Craft Is Brilliant:
Not only does this activity spark your child’s imagination and give them a sense of pride in creating something unique, but it also encourages important conversations about waste, recycling, and protecting our environment. Plus, manipulating paintbrushes, glue, and pipe cleaners is fantastic for developing fine motor skills.
Share to Win!
Don’t forget – if you take part in today’s challenge, we’d love to see what you make! Post a photo of your make in the comments of our Day 4 social post on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and you’ll be entered into our £100 craft hamper giveaway.
Let’s Get Creative!
The Children’s Creative Summer Challenge is all about screen-free fun, no-pressure creativity, and giving kids exciting opportunities to explore their imagination
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