This project involves designing a package for a food product. The food product in question could be specified by the teacher, or the children could choose for themselves.
1) Look at packaging made by food companies. What are they made out of? Why was this material chosen? What information can be found on the packaging (weight, product description, ingredients, logo, picture, nutrition information…).
2) Disassemble the packaging. How was it made? If the packaging is a box, what is the net like? Are there any other nets which will make the same box?
3) Discuss what happens to the materials once they have been used. Can they be recycled? Can they be used again? Can the packaging be made from any other materials?
4) Ask the children to design their own packaging, using the information that they have learnt from the previous activities. They could even design a few different types of packaging and conduct some consumer research (asking other children) to find out the favourite.
5) While the children are designing their packaging, they should consider the following:
- Appearance – Is it attractive and eye-catching? Does it make the consumer want to pick it up and look at the contents?
- Function – Does it hold the contents safely and securely? Is it suitable for its intended job?
- Safety – Will the food be kept fresh? Will it be damaged?
- Reliability – Is the box strong enough for the purpose? Will it last for the intended storage life?
6) Once the product is designed, the children can make their packaging.
7) When the packaging has been made, they can evaluate their product, and they could conduct some more research to find out what others think.
8) The children could also create some advertising to promote their product. This could be in the form of a poster, a TV advert, or a radio advert.