Build a Cereal Box Eco Town: A Sustainable Craft for Kids

Why Eco Crafts Are Essential for Today’s Kids

Today’s kids need more than just screen time breaks—they need opportunities to build, explore, and think green. Parents and educators often ask:

That’s where this DIY eco craft for kids comes in. By using something as simple as cereal boxes, your child will build an entire eco town—while learning about recycling, green design, and creative problem-solving.

This is more than just a craft—it’s a hands-on, imaginative urban planning experience.

What Is an Eco Town? (And Why It Matters to Kids)

An eco town is a thoughtfully designed community that focuses on sustainability. It includes renewable energy, public transport, parks, compost stations, and more.

In this project, kids will ask:

• Where should the bike paths go?
• How can we power our buildings with solar energy?
• Can we include a community garden?

Through simple materials and big ideas, this STEM activity for kids introduces concepts of green infrastructure and eco-conscious living in a playful way.

How to Make a Cereal Box City – Step-by-Step

Best For Ages: 6–10
Time Required: 60–90 minutes
Mess Level: Low
Adult Support: Helpful for cutting shapes and layout

Materials for Your DIY Eco Town

• Cereal boxes and other cardboard scraps
• Glue, scissors, tape
• Markers, paint, crayons
• Paper windows, signs, recycled decorations
• Printable templates from kids-activities.net (see below)

Step 1: Cut and Prepare Cardboard

Flatten and trim cereal boxes into building shapes—use rectangles for homes, squares for schools, triangles for roofs. Don’t throw away the leftover bits—they can be used for trees or signs.

Optional Base: Use a larger piece of cardboard as your “eco town map.” Divide it into zones: homes, green areas, power, transport, etc.

Step 2: Plan Your Eco Zones

Create your sustainable layout using labels and markers:

• Green Zones: trees, parks, and gardens
• Energy Zones: solar panels, windmills
• Community Spaces: schools, shops, libraries
• Transport: bike lanes, train stations, walking paths

Use the printable map worksheet (in the download) to plan before you build!

Step 3: Decorate and Assemble

Let kids unleash their design skills! Encourage:

• Drawing windows and bricks
• Adding rooftop gardens
• Using cut-out signs like “Solar Hub” or “Eco Café”
• Making 3D shapes using folded paper

Encourage naming the town and adding a welcome sign!

Step 4: Add Roads, People, and Vehicles

Use string for footpaths, paper for roads, and bottle caps for cars. Create people using drawings, LEGO mini-figures, or folded paper cutouts.

Talk about how people in the town move around: Do they walk? Take a bike? Catch an electric train?

Step 5: Explain Your Eco Choices

Once finished, ask your child to “tour” you around the town. Let them explain:

• Where recycling happens
• Why they included a bike path
• What makes their city environmentally friendly

This turns a simple DIY into a mini public speaking exercise!

Why This DIY Craft Activity Works

This cereal box city craft teaches kids to:

• Reuse materials creatively
• Think critically about design and layout
• Express ideas confidently
• Boost fine motor and artistic skills
• Understand basic sustainability concepts

It’s also a great project for homeschooling, school STEM units, or family weekend fun.

Fast Version: One Eco Block

Short on time? Try this:

Build a single city block with:

• A green rooftop
• A solar-powered school
• A recycling station

Kids can still explore key ideas in just 30 minutes!

Cereal Box Eco Town Kit

Included in the printable PDF:

• Town Planning Template
• Recyclable Signage Cut-Outs
• Colouring Sheet: Renewable Energy Icons
• Certificate: Junior Eco Town Designer

[Download the PDF]

Real Parent Reviews

“My daughter spent the whole weekend building a town with bike lanes and parks—she even made a compost centre!”
— Lisa G., Perth

“This activity kept our kids off screens and thinking about real world issues like clean energy and community planning.”
— Rakesh D., Auckland

You Might Also Like

• Nature Scavenger Hunt for Coastal Walks
• Build a Marble Maze from Cardboard
• STEM Projects Using Recycled Materials

Final Thought: Little Builders, Big Ideas

Who says a cereal box is just for breakfast? With scissors, imagination, and a little guidance, it becomes part of something bigger—a city built by a child who cares about the future.

Let’s give kids the tools to create, not just consume.
Let’s help them build not only cities—but values.