Cardboard is a Beautiful Thing

The beautiful thing about cardboard is that it stores flat. It is also readily available, inexpensive, and versatile. Get to know the various sources for cardboard in the community, drag some home, and let the children do the rest. Parents can be part of the fun by helping to cut out windows and doors. Tape is useful when building and is safe for use by almost all ages. Spread a drop cloth if the children want to decorate their creations. 

Small boxes can be sealed to become building blocks while medium size boxes can be joined in modular fashion. Large storage and shipping boxes can become complete dwellings. Such boxes might turn into barns, castles, forts, or stores. Cardboard tubes are useful and vary in size having been once used for paper towel, gift wrap, thick carpet, or fabric. Children might use these as chimneys, logs, ramps, bridges, telescopes, tripods, tent poles, and so on.  

Cardboard buildings can be turned inside out to create a new space on the other side. After the materials have been reused, the well loved cardboard can be taken to the recycle centre.