Playing with cardboard boxes: why it’s good for children
A big empty box is a great starting point for creative and imaginative play. Children can decide how to change the box into something they can use for pretend play, like a castle, shop, cave and so on. Then they can use their imagination and problem-solving skills to turn ideas into reality.
Cardboard boxes can also encourage physical play. Often the first thing children want to do with a cardboard box is to climb into it – and perhaps jump out to surprise you!
What you need for playing with cardboard boxes
Boxes of any size are fun to play with and will get your child’s imagination working. If you can find a really big cardboard box, your child can fit inside it and create something amazing. You might be able to get cardboard boxes from local supermarkets and other shops.
If you want your child to be able to change or decorate the box, some of these might be useful:
- scissors or a craft knife (adult use only)
- tape and glue
- paints, marker pens or thick crayons.
Depending on how your child wants to use the box, your child could also use things like:
- colourful paper, foil, cellophane or fabric to decorate the box
- paper plates to use as the wheels of a car, bus, truck or train
- puppets and a bit of fabric for a curtain to make a puppet theatre.
How to play with cardboard boxes
There are many ways to play with cardboard boxes, so let your child decide what they want to do and follow their lead. You could start by just talking about the box together. For example, ask, ‘How big is it? Can you fit inside?’ or ‘What does it remind you of? A house? A car?’
If your child needs suggestions to get started, you could try these ideas:
- Make a house. Cut open a window and a door and let your child add cushions and other ‘furniture’. Your child could bring in some toys for a tea party.
- Make a plane or a car. Use paper plates for wheels and steering wheels. Cut off the box flaps and stick them back on as the wings and tail of a plane. Let your child draw or paste markings and racing stripes.
- Make a robot costume. Cut out a head hole and armholes and let your child decorate the box with foil or shiny paper.
- Make a puppet theatre. Cut a doorway and a window on opposite sides of the box. Hang a curtain over the window and let your child put on a show for the family from inside the box.
- Decorate the box. Cut holes for your child to stick colourful cellophane over. Let your child draw or paint on it, and stick paper or scraps of fabric of different textures inside and outside for a sensory experience.
- Use the box to encourage active play. For example, turn it sideways to make a tunnel. Or your child could be a jack-in-the-box – crouching low inside the box and then jumping up like they’re on a spring.
Adapting cardboard box play for children of different ages or children with diverse abilities
Let your younger child take the lead with cardboard boxes. Your child can climb in and out, or make scribbles on the box with markers.
Encourage your older child to get involved in construction. But help your child to solve problems rather than giving them all the solutions. For example, let your child work out whether glue or sticky tape works best, or which way up the box should be for a puppet show.
All children learn and develop through play. Our articles on play and autistic children and play and children with disability are great starting points for adapting this activity guide for children with diverse abilities. You might also like to explore our activity guides for children with diverse abilities.