Modeling with Salt Dough & Cardboard: Explaining Models through Play

During the Easter holidays, I had the opportunity to lead a creative workshop on (computer) modeling in cooperation with INSPIRATA e.V. – a hands-on STEM museum in Leipzig that promotes science and math education for children and young people.

Modeling is a new topic within INSPIRATA’s program, and this workshop was a first playful attempt to introduce the idea that models are simplified versions of reality – and that they can help us better understand how the world works.

The children, most of them aged between 4 and 6, began by sharing what they like to play with in their free time: things like Lego, toy cars, and arts and crafts. From there, we talked about how building things often means creating smaller, simpler versions of something real – like a model house or a toy car – and how something doesn't have to be perfect to be useful.

We also looked at different pictures of foxes and hares – from cartoon illustrations to realistic photos – and discussed how they all show the same animals, just in different ways. This helped the kids understand that models can look very different, depending on what they’re meant to show or explain.

We then moved on to the main part of the workshop. Using materials like salt dough and cardboard, the children were asked to build a small world with everything that reminds them of “Easter.” Each child created their own little model: some made full landscapes with lakes, trees, and turtles, while others focused on a single thing – like a carrot that also happened to be a hare.

Afterwards, we placed all the models together and talked about what we had made. The goal wasn’t for anything to be “right” or “wrong,” but to show how different ideas and perspectives shape how we build and imagine the world.

To finish, I showed the children a simple computer model about hares and grass (adapted from the "wolf-sheep" model in NetLogo). We talked about what might happen if there are too many hares and not enough grass – and how a computer model can help us figure out how many hares can live in a field without running out of food.

Reflections on the Workshop

Overall, the workshop was a lot of fun – the kids clearly enjoyed the crafting and storytelling. Since the group was very young, I think the connection to computer models was a bit too abstract, and that part could be better adapted for a younger audience.

However, I do believe the core message came through: that toys, Lego, and crafts can represent simplified versions of reality.

We’re now planning to restructure the workshop and offer it to older children, who can also start experimenting with the computer model and explore the dynamics it represents more actively.