Mountains for a child's school project can be made using different methods and a variety of materials depending on the child's age and the assignment requirements. Mountains can be made from dirt, construction paper, papier mache or clay. The constructed mountains may be decorated by gluing objects and materials or using fabric or paints.
Any project involving mountains requires a sturdy base to build on so the mountain stays stable. Depending on the weight of the materials used in the project, find a thick piece of cardboard or use an appropriately sized piece of plywood.
The most basic forms of mountains can be constructed with paper. For two-dimensional ranges, a child can simply draw a mountain range for use as a scenic background. For three-dimensional mountains, take a large piece of paper. Make a cone shape and secure with tape or glue.
To shape your mountains out of clay, add realistic touches with stones and rocks. Press larger rocks into the base of the clay mountains, and use smaller rocks and pebbles higher up the mountain. Do not put rocks on the mountain peak. When the clay hardens, either paint the top white to represent snow caps or apply a thin layer of glue and then sprinkle with silver glitter.
Assembled kits are available for purchase that contain all the materials and instructions needed to construct a mountain or hillside diorama.