Simple shoebox aquarium craft

Step 1: Create the DIY fish tank

Start by cutting a shoebox or cardboard box to the size you want to make for your DIY aquarium.

Then, cut pieces of coloured card or paper to fit within your box to create your aquarium background. We used blue for the ocean and yellow for the sandy ocean floor.

Apply Blu Glu stick to the back of the paper in even strokes and close to the edge of the card, before pressing firmly in place within the box. 

Step 3: Add sea creatures and features

For floating sea creatures

Next, it’s time to add your creatures! Draw your own fish or sea animals or cut images from old magazines or printed images. Attach ribbon to the back of each sea creature using PVA white Glu or Extra Strong Glu Dots. If using PVA glue, leave to dry before you attach your creatures to the aquarium. Then, stick your creatures in your DIY aquarium with Extra Strong Glu Dots, so that they hang from the top of the box.

For seafloor features

Decorate the bottom of the tank by creating paper or cardboard rocks, seaweed, shells and similar embellishments - or even real shells if you want to! Roll blobs of Blu Tack® into small balls to fit the size of your items. Attach to the bottom of each item and then, stick to the floor of the box and press firmly into place.