Found Object Sculpture

About 60 minutes, outside, for ages 8 to 10.

Where it works

Works in any outdoor space

Who it's for

ages 8 to 10

Try Building:

  • rock stack
  • leaf arrangement
  • a tower taller than your hand
  • a bridge between two stones
  • a spiral on the ground
  • something balanced on one point

Today's Challenge

  1. 1.How did you balance the stones?
  2. 2.What shape is your sculpture?
  3. 3.Which natural item is the anchor?

Quick Start: What you need

  • 1sticks
  • 2stones
  • 3twine

The Goal

Engineer a temporary art installation by balancing gathered rocks, sticks, and leaves.

How to start

  1. 1

    Gather what you need: sticks, stones and twine. Nothing else required.

  2. 2

    Head outside and build: rock stack, leaf arrangement, a tower taller than your hand, a bridge between two stones.

  3. 3

    Talk about what you made. Start with "How did you balance the stones?"

  4. 4

    Print the worksheet to plan it out and keep what you make.

Sketch Your Sculpture

Once your sculpture is balanced, draw what it looks like below before it falls or gets rebuilt.

A wide, low base is what keeps a stacked sculpture from tipping over.

If you want to push it further

  • Build it once, knock it down, then build it better
  • Use only what you can reach without moving your feet

Print it and go

The worksheet has the checklist, the prompts, and a space to draw in. One page, ready for a bag or a glovebox.

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