Once the children are satisfied that our sculpture is complete, we move it outside and begin to decorate it. I provide the children with different colors of acrylic paint and glue, so they can create the layered effect they want for the sculpture.
“ You brought us big cups for this board!” Rowan says, lifting one in each hand.
“ I want to use the red paint first!” Noah calls.
“ This one is too solid,” Miles says, swirling the cup in his hand.
“ Too solid?” I ask.
Miles looks into his cup.“ It’ s just colors. I need more glue.”
“ I can add some,” Rowan offers.“ I’ ll help you pour,” Miles says.
As children worked together to finish their trash art, the same energy that filled our classroom the day I delivered that first bag of trash echoed across the play yard. After the sculpture was decorated to the children’ s satisfaction, I delivered it to the Merrill Community Sharing Garden, where it’ s still on display.
Observing and Documenting Children’ s Creative Expression and Learning
My goal throughout this project was for the children to create and collaborate— with one another, with people beyond our classroom, and with materials that invited curiosity and joy. I wanted the children to see that trash was not the end of a story but the beginning of a new one: The objects we collected became part of an art installation that connected our class with the Merrill Community Sharing Garden and the high schoolers who helped gather our raw material.
This project also supported children’ s learning. Besides offering opportunities for creative expression, our trash art construction and painting sessions extended into other learning areas and domains. For example,
› Children practiced oral language skills as they engaged in meaningful conversations, described and explained their ideas, and listened to peers during collaborative decision making.
› Children engaged in mathematical thinking as they manipulated and arranged materials. Sculpting required them to investigate spatial relationships, balance, and measurement.
› Through hands-on experimentation, children engaged in science as they tested hypotheses, observed outcomes, and adjusted their approaches when specific materials did not behave as expected.
Summer 2026 Educating Young Children 25