Why do it?

Whakatipu booklet Te Māhuri 1, ‘Construction carpentry’, pp. 14–15.

Why do it? — He aha e mahi ai?

By constructing sculptures from boxes, tamariki can:

  • be creative and resourceful using everyday household items
  • have an opportunity to solve problems.

 

How to do it

How to do it — Te tikanga mō tēnei mahi

  • Choose a suitable space where it’s okay to make a bit of a mess.
  • Collect some empty containers, boxes and cardboard tubes of different shapes and sizes.
  • Get tape and glue for sticking the boxes and containers together, and scissors for cutting things to shape.
  • Coloured paper or card, pipe cleaners and string can also be useful.
  • Ask your tamaiti open-ended questions such as ‘What do you want to make?’ and, ‘How could you make a ...?’
  • Offer support with suggestions like, ‘What would happen if you...?’ or ‘How can you decorate your ...?’
  • Remember, the process of ‘doing’ is what matters most, not the finished product.
  • Ideas for things to create could be: houses, wharenui, waka, ships, rockets, robots, spaceships, garages, animals or people.

 

Using more te reo Māori

Container

Paepae

Box

Pouaka

Bigger

Nui rawa

Smaller

Iti rawa

Longer

Roa rawa

Shorter

Poto rawa

Lid

Taupoki

Tube

Ngongo

Ship

Kaipuke

Garage

Karāti

Rocket

Waka rere aiao

Spaceship

Waka noho aiao

Animal

Kararehe

Robot

Keretao