This cardboard house takes maybe two minutes to make, but it can inspire hours of pretend play.
We play with cardboard a lot in our house, and this simple cardboard house is something we make nearly every time we finish a box of cereal! It’s quick, easy, and fun for the kids – turn the box wrong side out, cut out a door and a couple of windows, and they’re good to go! Sometimes the houses get decorated, and sometimes (like this time) the kids keep the plain cardboard façade.
I love that something as simple as a cereal box makes for hours of imaginative play – and that this is a toy that I simply recycle after a few days of fun!
Here’s a slightly different cardboard play house, made from a regular shipping box. I like that the open roof on this version makes it into a more traditional doll house. And I love these cardboard cut-out facades from Inspiration Laboratories.
What is your favorite thing to make out of cardboard?
MaryAnne lives in Silicon Valley with her Stanford professor husband Mike and their four children. She writes about parenting through education, creativity, and play. Mama Smiles - Joyful Parenting is a space to share crafts, hands on learning activities, and family outings that enrich lives and bring families together.
Mud Hut Mama says
I love it! We will do this with our next cereal box! We make a lot of baby beds with cardboard boxes and if they are large enough we make boats and use wooden spoons as oars.
maryanne says
I love the boat idea!
Ticia says
I am horrible at crafting with cardboard, so sadly we don’t do a lot of crafts with it. I have bad wrists, so cutting is sometimes painful for me.
maryanne says
Have you ever tried cutting cardboard with an X-Acto knife? That little tool has transformed my cardboard crafting. :)
Heather@Creative Family Moments says
We made a highstanding dog bowl holder from a cardboard box and countless number of ‘forts’ with duct tape and any cardboard they could find!
maryanne says
You can build just about anything out of cardboard, with a little creativity!
Malia {Playdough to Plato} says
This is a PERFECT follow-up to the book “Not a Box”. My 2.5 year old will love using it with his little people and animals. Thank you for sharing!
maryanne says
This would be PERFECT for “Not a Box” – great idea!
Elisa | blissfulE says
I love how you come up with crafts that even I can do! :) Your kids must look forward to finishing each box of cereal. :)
My kids flatten big cardboard boxes into “boats” and go “floating” around our wood floor “water.” Not very crafty, but definitely fun!
maryanne says
Maybe not crafty, but very creative!
Trisha @ Inspiration Laboratories says
I think that is the perfect use for cardboard. Lovely imaginations!
My son loves taking empty boxes and turning them into tunnels for his cars.
maryanne says
Another excellent use for cardboard! We have a large cardboard box my kids have been doing all sorts of imaginative things with this week!
Natalie says
Love it – we really need to craft more with our cardboard leftovers. You are such an imaginative Mom, no wonder you have a super creative kids!
maryanne says
Thank you, Natalie!
Jen says
Such a great idea for a new toy before recycling. We’ve made mailboxes, robot heads, and various other things with cardboard. So fun!
andie jaye says
such bliss to be found in the simple things…
maryanne says
Exactly!
Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum says
I love this – I’ve pinned it to my basic play board. It’s so simple and yet beautiful.
maryanne says
Thank you, Cerys!
beverly says
really cute idea. Im not sure what happend but some how I do not get you on my feed anymore. will put the link back in and see if it works.
maryanne says
I’ve had that happen with blogs before. Please let me know if you don’t start getting my feed again, though, and I’ll look into it.
crystal@growingajeweledrose says
I love it! You could make a whole village :)
maryanne says
Yep! We’ve done that before – will have to get pictures next time :)
Valerie @ Inner Child Fun says
Yay!! Cardboard has such a special place in my heart. :-) My girls have plans to make a cardboard house for our cats this week! Can’t wait!!
maryanne says
That should be fun to design and build with them!
sherri says
Simple is the best!
I love their house…I am sure they spent hours of imagination play, as they turned their house into a dream…in their heads! :)
Ouida says
One of our teacher’s at my preschool I work at make a robot out of boxes.
maryanne says
I bet the kids loved that!
The Monko says
I’m definitely going to do this with Goblin. This would really appeal to his new found imaginary play.
Baby Baskets says
We run a business and therefore get lots of cardboard boxes. Our boys favourite play time is to make the box into a car. We use strips of cardboard to make circles for the wheels and steering wheel and cut out right angles to make opening doors. Then we decorate if we can be bothered. Great fun!
Allison says
Ooh we love playing with boxes! My husband gives me a hard time for all the boxes we save. ;) Such a well written post about open ended and imaginative play! Isn’t it amazing how the simplest things can spark hours of play?
isabel@windofimagination:com says
I always try to use any cardboard for the same purpose, or making puppet theaters. They have so much fun playing with this than the other toys.
maryanne says
Exactly! Cardboard boxes are truly magical :)
Mark says
A great way for kids to enjoy their imagination. It’s simple yet I’m sure they would love playing with their new house toy.
http://marketbold.com/KeywordMapPro/ says
Your daughter is so cute. Thanks for sharing how to build a simple cardboard house too. I will teach this to my kid as well.