Shoebox dioramas are a part of every school year and in almost every grade they serve as a wonderful learning tool. They are used to learn the art and crafts of making things and also to learn about subjects. This article shows you some creative ideas on both the arts and crafts side and the learning side.

The arts and crafts of shoebox dioramas

 

There are many common ways to make a shoebox diorama and they include tape, glue, construction paper, and all the usual variety of crafts, but there are a few things you can do to make a diorama that little bit special. Here is a list of ideas:

• If you are doing an underwater scene, you can cover the front of the box with Saran Wrap or thin plastic. This gives the diorama an underwater feel.
• Use a string to use the full three dimensions inside the box; suspend objects from strings or tie strings side to side and top to bottom and attach objects to the strings. This works well for flying objects like birds, pterodactyls, or even clouds and stars.
• Cut slots in the back and top of the box and use them to insert objects that you can move through the diorama. Make a bird, boat, kite, or some other kind of moving object and then attach a tab to the back. Insert this tab into the slot, then you can grab the tab from the back and slide the object through the diorama. This adds a nice little interactive element. This works well with all kinds of things, from a rising sun, a flying bird, an erupting volcano, or anything else that moves.
• Think outside the shoebox! There is no need to rush out and buy a new pair of shoes if you don’t have a shoe box. A more than adequate box can be made from pieces of cardboard or even some cereal boxes cut and taped together. And you don’t need to make a typical shoebox shape. Be creative in the way you do. Add a dimension of interest to the project. Semicircular amphitheater shapes are commonly used for dioramas and they look great.
• Achieve Depth: The most common feature of an average shoebox diorama is that it has a decorated bottom and objects placed on the bottom surface. You can add an attractive touch by decorating a strip of paper about two inches wide with a foliage pattern and then placing it on the inside bottom of the diorama about an inch from the back wall; it goes from the left side to the right side. This adds a lot of depth and makes it look a lot more interesting.
• Use of alternative materials: no need to use cardboard or boxes. For example, if you are making a polar bear or penguin diorama, you can use white packaging Styrofoam. If you are doing a desert scene, you can apply glue to the bottom of the diorama and sprinkle real sand over it.

Thematic ideas and learning tools

 

The most important point of a shoebox diorama is to show the natural habitat of something. In the process of drawing and cutting out the various objects, a child is learning about the habitat. This is great, but you can take it to new levels with a little thought and a little creativity.

• Freeze a Moment in Time – A diorama is a moment in time and you can focus on this. Some good examples are that you may have a meteor streaking across the sky from a dinosaur diorama; this explains a theory of extinction. Or it can show a large predatory fish about to eat a smaller fish, as it is eating something even smaller. This dramatic moment in time is a good sign of the food chain.
• Interactions in a habitat – The focus of a diorama is usually to correctly identify and position the correct objects for a natural habitat, but you can take this to a new level by focusing on interactions within the habitat. The upper layer of the canopy in a rainforest blocks sunlight from the lower layers and this is an important aspect of the rainforest. A coral reef provides shelter for many creatures in the sea and a diorama can show it.
• Add a Datasheet – This is a great tool to add to every diorama. You should make a data sheet that can be glued to card stock and placed near the diorama. The sheet explains the basic facts of what the diorama is about.

Diorama ideas

 

Here are some ideas that you can use as a theme for your diorama:

• The natural habitat of almost any creature such as fish, polar bears, black bears, penguins, wolves, humans, dinosaurs, camels, lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants, dolphins, and you get the idea!
• A desert theme complete with pyramids, mummies, and camels is fun
• A rainforest is a good diorama to teach about the diversity and interaction of species.
• An astronomy diorama complete with the sun, planets, comets and stars in the background.
• A medieval castle scene with catapult or dragon.
• Underwater scenes are always popular
• Arctic-themed dioramas are fun because of the creative options for snow and icebergs.

Whatever diorama you choose to make, you should take a little time to make it different and unique, and there are many creative ways to do it. Have fun with your project!