I am happy to have guest video content for this next post! My good friend and local artist, Wendy Sittner, originally created this tutorial video for the Urban Adventure Squad, a non-profit that provides outdoors-based hands-on learning programs for schoolchildren in the Washington, DC area, and I was lucky enough to get her permission to post it here as well.

This is a fun project for any age–making a treasure vessel, which can then be used to hold found objects. (“Treasure” gets any kid interested!) Wendy’s tutorial fits in perfectly with this site, as the idea was to use what you already have around the house–perfect to avoid going out during COVID-19, plus a bonus for the environment!

Supplies:

  • 1 small bottle/box/jar that has a wide opening (like a baby food jar, jelly jar, sour cream container, etc.), can leave labels on
  • junk paper (magazines, junk ,mail, security envelopes with patterns inside, etc.)
  • crayons or colored pencils (markers will bleed so aren’t advised)
  • paintbrush
  • cup of water for paintbrush
  • white glue and/or clear tape
  • container to pour glue into

We used large yogurt containers and old Audubon magazines. The kids spent nearly 3 hours combing the magazines for the right pictures, cutting, positioning, and gluing. This is a really flexible project–anything goes! And you can even come back later with ribbon, objects, crayons/paint, etc. to enhance further. The kids had fun and were thrilled with their containers.

 

About Wendy

Wendy is a social worker, artist, and activist residing in the Washington DC area. You can see more of her work on her website: wendysittner.com and on social media at facebook.com/WendySittnerArt and instagram.com/wendysittner. I especially recommend you check out the phenomenal environmental statement piece she constructed from over 4,000 straws pulled from DC’s Anacostia River entitled, “The Future of The Anacostia Envisioned,” which is on display at the DC Department of Energy and Environment.