Creative learning activity
Packaging and Product Design
Put a snack in a paper bag and decorate the bag with a drawing of what's inside!
Materials and setup
- paper
- cardboard
- markers
- items you've made (cookies, playdough figurines, crafts)
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Put a snack in a paper bag and decorate the bag with a drawing of what's inside!
Steps
- Pick a snack you love (crackers, fruit, cookies).
- Put the snack in a paper bag.
- Draw a picture of the snack on the outside of the bag.
- Show your packaged snack to a grown-up before you eat it!
Learning objectives
- Connect a drawing to a real object
- Understand that packaging tells you what's inside
- Practice fine motor drawing
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Design a label for a snack: a drawing of the snack, a name, and a smiley face for 'yum factor.'
Steps
- Pick a snack and put it in a small bag or container.
- On a piece of paper, design a label: draw the snack, write a fun name for it ('Super Crunchy Crackers'), and add a smiley face.
- Tape the label onto the bag or container.
- Show your packaged snack to a family member. Does the label make them want to eat it?
Learning objectives
- Combine a drawing, a name, and a symbol into a simple label
- Use creative naming for a familiar object
- Connect packaging to how a customer feels
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Design real packaging for something you've made. Include a product name, drawing, ingredients, price, and your company name. Test 2 versions on a family member.
Steps
- Pick a snack or craft you made (cookies, painted rocks, friendship bracelets).
- Design 2 different packaging versions on paper or cardboard. Each should include: a product name, a drawing or design, an ingredients or materials list, a price, and your made-up 'company' name.
- Wrap or attach each design to your product so they look like real packages on a shelf.
- Show both versions to a family member side by side and ask which they prefer and why.
- Note what they liked and what you'd change next time.
Learning objectives
- Design packaging that includes the elements real products use
- Compare two design versions and gather user preference
- Connect creative work to real-world product presentation
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Design 3 strong packaging concepts for a product you made. Test them with family and iterate, the way young product designers work.
Steps
- Pick a product you made: cookies, playdough figurines, crafted items, painted rocks, anything physical.
- Design 3 different packaging concepts. Each must include: product name, short description, ingredients or materials list, price, and your brand. Vary the look — different colors, layouts, vibes (playful vs. premium vs. minimal).
- Build each concept out of paper, cardboard, markers, or whatever you have so they look like real shelf packages.
- Run a test: show all 3 to family members (blind test if possible — don't tell them which is your favorite). Ask which they'd buy and why.
- Tally the feedback. Which concept won? Were you surprised?
- Iterate once: take the winning concept and improve it based on what testers said.
- Reflect: packaging changes what people notice first about a product. What did your testing teach you?
Learning objectives
- Produce multiple strong packaging concepts for a real product
- Run a comparison test to gather real user preference data
- Iterate on a design based on real feedback
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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