STEAM Mini Maker Kit & Station

Get making at home! Create your own Mini Maker Kit and Station that are portable and fun!

Be respectful! Always ask for permission before taking things for your projects!

Steps for putting it all together

  • Find a box to hold your maker supplies

  • Add small containers to hold stuff

  • Walk around your house looking for things that you could create with

  • You may need a few days to collect recyclables, as your family uses the contnets - be patient

  • See the list of suggested supplies you could use to create with below

  • Organize supplies in your box or neatly in another place

  • Always ask your family for permission to use and put in your Mini Maker Kit, every time, before you begin

  • Talk with your family about a place you can create and store your Mini Maker Kit and additional supplies (trash bags work well to hold larger supplies)

  • Think about and respectfully share your ideas with your family, before you start, about how you will be sure to clean up each day

  • Before making certain projects, research a little bit about it before you make and while you are making. You can use any resources you can find online to help you.

  • Talk to your family and friends about your ideas and if you get stuck. Anyone can help you.

  • Plan a way to take a picture or video of your project and how it worked out.

  • Share your pictures and/or video with your family, friends, teacher and class

  • Send your creative solution to the challenge as a picture or video file or send your video link to be uploaded through the Cre8 InnOv8 Elev8 Google Form. Click here.

One Way to Create a Mini Maker Kit and Portable Station

Find some recyclable boxes, plastic containers, and even cardboard tubes.

Draft a sketch with your plan to make it.

Cut and arrange the parts of your Mini Maker Kit. Put them in place to see if they fit the way you expect. Add a few supplies to see what works and what you might change.

Add some finishing touches with leftover wrapping paper or other decorative supplies.

Mini Maker Station Location

Choose a place in your home to make your projects

Try to find a spot that is not used all the time by your family

Ask your family if it's okay to create there

Plan to clean up everyday and store your project and supplies

Mini Maker Station Location Ideas:

Any table

Part of a kitchen counter

A desk

Floor space, out of the way

A bedroom, yours or tell your family about what you are doing if you share a bedroom

Any other room or space in your house where you can make and create

Respectfully asking to use supplies

  • Always ask your family for permission to use supplies and put them in your Mini Maker Kit, every time, before you begin

  • Talk with your family about a place you can create and store your Mini Maker Kit and additional supplies (trash bags work well to hold larger supplies)

  • Think about and respectfully share your ideas with your family, before you start and about how you will be sure to clean up each day

  • If you need supplies that are bought at the grocery store, ask your family if they can be put on the weekly list. Tell them exactly how much you think you need and tell about what they are needed for in the project.

  • If you need supplies from another type of store, first check for your own money and offer to help buy the suppplies, even if all you have are pennies. Tell them how much you think you need and what these special supplies are needed for you to complete your project.

Suggested supplies to create with

Maker Kit

Mini Maker Kit - Box to hold making supplies

Smaller boxes or recycled plastic organizers to hold your basic supplies

Another box or bag to hold larger supplies


Basic Arts & Crafts Supplies

  • Scissors

  • Ruler or any straight edge

What is a straight edge? A stiff piece of cardboard or plastic to draw straight lines for cutting and that can use non-

standard measurements to estimate where to cut project pieces.

  • Stapler

  • Pencils

  • Pens

  • Markers

  • Crayons


Building supplies

  • Cardboard - food boxes, tissue boxes, shipping boxes

  • Cardboard tubes

  • Cups, various sizes

  • Cereal box trays

  • Plastic milk containers

  • Wrapping paper

  • Colorful art paper or construction paper

  • Scrap paper, computer printing paper or backs of junk mail

  • Junk mail magazines or postcards

  • Any paper of different sizes

  • Tissue paper

  • Newspaper

  • Envelopes

  • Straws

  • Plastic water bottles

  • Plastic bottle, juice container caps

  • Paper or plastic cups

  • Paper plates

  • Stickers

  • Scrapbooking cut outs or other cut outs

  • Board game pieces - ask if it’s okay and be sure to return them to the game

  • Any cool or unusual things that you’d like to build with or polish and fancy up your creations (beads, buttons,

Always ask if it's okay to use these and get just the amount you need for one project

Adhesives (glues) and fasteners

Always ask your family for permission to use and put in your Mini Maker Kit, every time, before you begin.

  • Twist ties

  • Paper clips

  • String, twine, fishing line

  • Floral wire

  • Clear tape

  • Wide, thicker, clear tape (packing tape)

  • Masking tape, any colors

  • Duct tape

  • Colorful tape

  • Glue

Advanced supplies that could be added

Ask an adult to help you with these if younger than 14

  • Tools

  • Pliers

  • Screwdriver

  • Hammer & nails

  • Screws

  • Box cutter/utility knife

  • Xacto knife

  • Cardboard Cutter

  • Homemade cardboard connectors

See ideas for cardboard connectors this link: Connectors

  • Easy art designs with pens

Think Zentangle

1) start with a medium-sized square or rectangle, 2) with a felt tip pen or sharpie draw 6 free flowing lines inside your shape to make small, overlapping spaces, 3) these new spaces will be your mini canvases for individual patterns, 4) with the pen or sharpie, add in different patterns for each small space, 5) add shading with a pecil or dark black details with a marker

For ideas and how to start, see Zentangle Doodle For Beginners YouTube 3:18 About Zentangles, Zentangles for Kids -

Meditative Art for Kids and search for Zentangle patterns images online for more designs

  • Sharpies or other fine point permanent markers

  • Graph paper or "blueprint" paper

Special supplies to be on the lookout for

If these supplies do not belong to you, ask for permission!

  • Old flat magnets

  • Craft sticks

  • Pipe cleaners

  • Crepe paper streamers

  • Hot glue gun

  • Legos, any other building blocks

  • K’Nex

Make your own "ruler"

Make a non-standard ruler.

The width of wo fingers side by side is about 1 inch. The width of one pinky is about 1 centimeter. Use a piece of cardboard to measure and mark these units.

This will work as a straight edge for cutting precisely and as a measuring tool.

Make your own cutting mat with any thick cardboard square or rectangle and contact paper or adhesive foil!


Working wtih Cardboard Ideas, Tips and Tricks

Use these ideas to connect pieces in your projects!

Image Citation: Mrs. Kimby Lababit Cardboard Sculpture


How To Video with some attachments

Cardboard Construction YouTube 6:09


Refine your projects!

Be on the lookout for different kinds of cardboard.