Parents looking for eco-friendly, inexpensive kids' crafts can use the following children's books for ideas for cardboard crafts to make. These cardboard box crafts books describe a range of cardboard arts and crafts activities for kids that will meet the interests and abilities of any child.
Creative Crafts From Cardboard Boxes
Though out of print, Creative Crafts from Cardboard Boxes by Nikki Connor [Copper Beach Books, 1996] is well worth tracking down for kids ages 4 to 8 who are just beginning to experiment with creating their own cardboard toys.
The best aspects of this cardboard craft book are:
- The introductory page that introduces the tools and materials kids will need to complete each cardboard project and explains how the instructions for each project are organized. It also explains basic art concepts like mixing colors, how to read instructions for folding and cutting lines, and how to use scissors safely.
- The wordless numbered steps showing how to complete each craft. Even children that cannot read can use the pictures to build cardboard trains, ships, and masks.
- The simplicity of the cardboard crafts described. Even the more complicated crafts like the rainforest and the doll's house are broken down into easy-to-follow steps.
- The variety of cardboard toys included. From a train in which kids can ride to a small cardboard castle model, this book covers cardboard box crafts of many themes, levels of detail, and sizes.
Creative Crafts from Cardboard Boxes contains instructions for 11 different creative indoor activities for children. Once kids have mastered how to build each, they can use their imaginations to adapt these basic plans and start designing their own cardboard vehicles and cardboard playhouses.
Creating Clever Castles & Cars
Once children have mastered the cardboard box crafts in Creative Crafts from Cardboard Boxes, they will be ready to tackle the simple craft projects for kids in Creating Clever Castles & Cars from Boxes and Other Stuff by Mari Rutz Mitchell [Williamson Books, 2006]. Aimed at children ages 3 to 8, the pretend-play space projects described in this homemade craft book are constructed from cardboard and, sometimes, other recycled materials like glued-together plastic milk jugs, sturdy newspaper rolls, and even chicken wire and papier-mâché.
The best aspects of this book of arts and crafts activities for kids are:
- The introductory sections that cover different kinds of play, how each activity is designed, how to build each craft activity with kids, safety tips for construction, materials required, and household items to collect for building and decorating cardboard playhouses and other homemade play spaces.
- The projects are of different (and clearly labeled) levels of difficulty.
- The projects are neatly organized by kind (Houses & Living Spaces, Favorite Buildings, Animal Homes, Vehicles, Shops & Stands, Theaters) and cover a wide range of kinds of play structures.
- The suggestions for ways to play with each play space, other props to build, and books on related themes to read.
Creating Clever Castles & Cars contains instructions for 41 different pretend-play spaces (both buildings and vehicles). Once kids have learned how to glue plastic milk jugs together, cut and tape cardboard box flaps to make roofs, and build structures out of taped newspaper rolls, creative children can use these building units to construct imaginative play spaces of their own design.
The Cardboard Box Book
If Creating Clever Castles & Cars teaches children how to build large cardboard box crafts, The Cardboard Box Book: 25 Things to Do and Make with Empty Boxes by Danny, Jake, and Niall Walsh [Watson-Guptill Publications, 2006] will teach older kids (around ages 8 and up) how to build small cardboard models and pretend-play props.
The best aspects of this cardboard box craft book are:
- The cardboard crafts and games it describes can be used for both indoor activities and fun outside activities for children.
- It teaches kids craft skills like using templates and adding working electric lights to projects.
- The authors clearly label how much time each craft takes to make.
- The diversity of craft projects (from ring toss games, to prop weapons, to cardboard models and dioramas) make it certain that all kids will find at least some projects they want to try.
Cardboard Box Crafts – Creative Children's Indoor Activities
Not only will kids use fine-motor skills, imagination, and creativity in building the cardboard pretend play toys described in these three books, but once each cardboard craft project is finished, kids can spend hours of imaginative, open-ended play acting out scenarios with it. Better yet, kids can reduce household clutter by reusing cardboard moving boxes for crafts, and once each cardboard craft falls apart from use, children can just find another cardboard shipping box to make another one!
To gather ideas for cardboard box craft projects, the youngest children may enjoy cardboard box books for babies and toddlers, while older kids may get inspired after reading children's picture books about playing with cardboard boxes.
Renee Carver - Renée Carver has an Elementary Education degree and over ten years of experience writing and editing children's educational products.
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