DIY A Cave And A Rock Arch For Plastic Animals

Left is a cave with a smooth rock floor made from small, polished stones and black grout.
Right is a natural bridge or a rock arch shaped from heavier rocks, an old wire hanger and
crushed paper; it also has pebble mosaic floor.

       These two papier-mâché forms are just a bit more difficult to craft than the paper waterfall craft I published in an earlier post.  The primary differences are: the mosaic covered ground surfaces and the added rock weights included in the wrapping process of the natural bridge. Both land formations make fun additions to either indoor or outdoor playscapes! 

Supply List:

• clean newspaper, paper trash bags, old wrapping paper etc...
• masking tape
• white school glue
• papier-mâché  pulp (optional)
• brown, black, green and yellow papers or fabric
• Mod Podge
• paint brush
• black paint
• and old wire hanger
• pebbles or gravel
• black grout 
• clear acrylic varnish (water proof)
• heavier rocks
• old cardboard 

Step-by-Step Instructions For The Cave:

1. Wad a large amount of newsprint into the shape of a large boulder. (see photo below) This will be the shape of the inside of your cave.
2. Now wrap a layer of newsprint around the paper boulder shape. Tape a circular piece of cardboard to the bottom half of the cave. 
3. Crush more newsprint around the cave walls and mask the entire outside surface of your cave without getting any of the tape on the boulder shaped form.
4. Remove the boulder shape and toss it into the recycling bin.
5. Now crush and mask any additional cave formations/ boulders to the cave that you think would look awesome!
6. Cover both the inside and outside of your cave with masking tape. 
7. Now cover the surfaces with white glue and shredded brown paper bag completely to strengthen the cave shape. 
8. Then cut paper and fabric to decoupage the surface of your cave using the Mod Podge. Let the surfaces dry over night.
9. At this point, you may wish to mix up a batch of papier-mâché and smear it onto the surface of your cave to add texture, strength and interest to it's surface. I choose not to use it for this particular project myself. Let that added paper pulp dry completely before continuing.
10. Mix up the black grout according to the directions provided on the can and push your pebbles or gravel into it. Let the mosaic floor dry.
11. After all of the surfaces of the cave have dried thoroughly, apply a clear, waterproof acrylic sealer. 

Step-by-Step Instructions For The Natural Bridge:

1. Cut a abstract shape for the floor underneath your arch from cardboard.
2. Wrap some heavy rocks with newsprint and masking tape and tape these firmly on top of the cardboard on either end in order to weigh down the papier-mâché arch.
3. Take a large wire hanger and bend this into an arch shape.
4. Wrap it completely with newsprint and masking tape.
5. Tape the arch to the wrapped rocks and cardboard platform. 
6. Crush more newsprint and shape this around the entire arch and covered rocks. Cover the entire form with masking tape. 
7. Now cover the surfaces with white glue and shredded brown paper bag completely to strengthen the arch shape.  
8. Then cut paper and fabric to decoupage the surface of your arch formation using the Mod Podge. Let the surfaces dry over night. 
9. Mix up the black grout according to the directions provided on the can and push your pebbles or gravel into it. Let the mosaic floor dry.
10. After all of the surfaces of the cave have dried thoroughly, apply a clear, waterproof acrylic sealer.  

Left, I measured the height of my rock arch by putting one of the larger dinosaurs under it.
Right, I began to shape a cave by crushing a large rock shape and shaping paper around it.

See More Papier-Mâché Caves for Toys:

• Paper Mache Dinosaur Cave
• Hibernation Craft - using tin foil