Does your child dream about hiding away in their own play space? You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars for expensive tents, instead, try creating a kid-made cardboard playhouse. It’s actually very simple and inexpensive.
A Modern Play Structure
The other day, my son came home with a note from school challenging him to create a structure made with found materials. In the meantime, I’ve drooled over some pretty spectacular cardboard play things on Pinterest. (Check out my board here). So many beautiful homemade playhouses, dollhouses, and simple toys. I’ve fallen in love with the idea of exploring this medium. This school project was the perfect opportunity to connect with my son and explore building a kid-made cardboard playhouse.
The project began yesterday after school when I spied an amazing giant box sitting in my neighbor’s garbage. In true Marina style, I stopped the car, made sure no one was looking and threw it in my truck. Like a mad woman, I rushed home, found my utility knife and tore the box into some manageable pieces.
Before we started to build, we needed a plan. My son and I assembled the box into a few different variations until we both agreed that a skyscraper inspired house looked really cool.
Materials
- huge boxes
- duct tape (any color)
- vinyl stickers (optional)
- utility knife
Once we designed our structure, we started taping all the edges together and added details like the window, door, and vinyl stickers. We kept our design modern and simple. This structure definitely does not look perfect, but I’m okay with that because it’s kid-made!
If you feel unsure about creating your own playhouse, use it as an opportunity to play. Create a design, try it, and if it doesn’t work out, try another design. This approach will teach your child how to work as a team, communicate various ideas, and learn from possible failure.
So next time you see that huge box laying in your neighbors garbage, consider making your own kid-made cardboard playhouse!