It's one of those rainy, dull days and the kids are listlessly not playing with their billions of toys. They want new toys. Something different, something new. I sense a perfect opportunity to combine being creative, recycling and getting new toys. Let's make our new toys!
Inspired by our large collection of cardboard boxes post Christmas, we decided to have a cardboard doing-box session. Galen wanted to make a space ship that actually went to the moon, Dante wanted to make a rocket, an aeroplane and a car all out of the same cardboard box. We settled on a castle.
How to Make a Cardboard Box Castle
One suitable sized box. I sellotaped the flappy bits together to make it taller and cut out the turrets, windows and door. The kids weren't too interested in helping with the actual structural process so I made toilet roll people for them to decorate.
Back to my castle and I stuck on some brown paper (the stuff that comes in the box with amazon deliveries), using a combination of glue and sellotape. Then I decorated it a bit. Quite easy really. Although I have to confess that I forgot that the door should be a draw bridge so had to a bit of surgery there.
Toilet Roll People
Dante made a princess and a knight and Galen made a king, queen and knight. Then he wanted to make some thrones for them. I cut out an old bottle and wrapped in gold wrapping paper that we had. Dante was slightly confused and highly amused by these 'toilets'.
Once they got into it they entertained themselves making bits and pieces. Galen, now 5, doesn't need so much help. He made a flag pole and a rather wobbly chair for his knight. Dante followed suit and started to make his own things. "What are you making sweetheart?" I asked as he started to colour a large piece of brown paper blue. "A rock pool." Oh, er OK, that rock pool that they always have near castles? (We'd been to the beach a few days ago.) Well, I guess that will keep you busy for a while. (Or not, he decided that colouring the knight's sword was more fun.)
So now we have our very own (much cheaper than Imaginext) castle, complete with it's own family. Although sadly it's not baby proof and had to have major repairs and then be kept out of reach of little fingers!
But a great way for children to develop their imaginations. We learnt that we could work by ourselves or together. We also developed a few problem-solving skills when we had to think about the things like why the chair didn't stand up. Not to mention fine motor skills. Now, where did I leave those plans for our rocket?
What about you? Have your kids made any super cardboard inventions recently?
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