3D Invention Lab

SESSION 1 — BUILD THE IMPOSSIBLE!

Theme: “What If I Could Build It?”

This is the perfect opening session because children immediately discover that almost anything can become art.

Week 1 — Clay Creature Engineering
Build an imaginary creature in clay while learning how separate forms connect to make a strong sculpture.

Week 2 — Cardboard Construction Challenge
Cut, slot, bend, attach and engineer cardboard into an incredible standing structure.

Week 3 — The Invention That Doesn’t Exist Yet
Kids become inventors. Wheels, tubes, boxes, bottle caps, wire and recycled objects become a brand-new machine.

Week 4 — Found-Object Sculpture
A pile of “junk” becomes an animal, robot, person or completely abstract sculpture.

Week 5 — Build BIG!
Work larger using cardboard construction techniques and kid-safe tools.

Week 6 — Halloween Monster Mash Sculpture
Combine clay, cardboard, paper and found objects to create one wonderfully strange final creature.

SESSION 2 — TINY WORLDS & SECRET SPACES

Theme: “If You Could Shrink Yourself…”

Children design an entire miniature world.

Week 1: Clay character who will live in the world
Week 2: Cardboard architecture — tiny house, tower, shop, cave or hideout
Week 3: Miniature furniture and inventions
Week 4: Found-object landscaping — bridges, trees, ladders, roads and secret entrances
Week 5: Lights, color, signs and tiny details
Week 6: Finish the complete Tiny World

SESSION 3 — CREATURE LAB

Theme: “Build a Species Nobody Has Ever Seen.”

Instead of everyone copying the same project, each child becomes the designer.

Week 1: Clay heads — eyes, mouths, teeth, horns, ears and expression
Week 2: Invent the creature’s body
Week 3: Cardboard skeleton/armature engineering
Week 4: Add wings, legs, tails, armor or moving parts
Week 5: Found-object skin, scales, feathers and texture
Week 6: Finish it and create its scientific name + museum display

SESSION 4 — ART THAT MOVES!

Theme: “Can Your Art DO Something?”

Sculpture meets engineering.

Week 1: Clay sculpture with movable-looking parts
Week 2: Cardboard gears, wheels and spinning forms
Week 3: Build a creature with a moving mouth, wing or arm
Week 4: Paper engineering — pop, pull, fold and transform
Week 5: Recycled-material kinetic sculpture
Week 6: The Great Moving Art Machine

SESSION 5 — THE YOUNG ARTIST CHALLENGE

This final session gives returning students something more sophisticated while still being great for beginners.

Theme: “Here’s the Problem—YOU Solve It!”

Week 1: Build Something That Can Stand — cardboard engineering
Week 2: Build Something That Can Hold Something — clay vessel challenge
Week 3: Build Something That Can Fly…Maybe! — wings, balance and imagination
Week 4: Turn Trash Into Treasure — mystery recycled-material challenge
Week 5: Build Something Bigger Than Your Head
Week 6: The Mystery Box Challenge — each artist receives a collection of strange materials and must invent something from them.