Cardboard, a great toy

On Friday I visited some friends, and the girls were given a cardboard box to play with. The girls were pretending to be a Jack in the Box. This game got a bit tricky as they then had to dodge the big giant hand, which was my friend Fred trying to tickle or scare the girls; this led to screeches of laughter.

It was this moment that I thought how simple it is, just give a child a cardboard box and they are happy for hours. All the different things that a cardboard box can become, a jack in the box, a house, a shop, a table, a bed for the dog/baby/mummy or whoever they are pretending to be at the time.

We received a gift card from my mother, for James and my birthday next month, and this was for a new microwave. I know not the most exciting present, but as money is tight and our old one ended up on fire a new one was in order. The gift card got to me by Friday so Saturday we all went to the shops to purchase the new microwave, and as you guessed it. It comes with a big box.

The girls now have this big box in the living room and have been happy pretending it is all sorts of things. James wanted to throw it out, however I saved it as I think the girls would be crushed if it disappeared. They have been giggling away, jumping in and out of it and also organising cushions and blankets for the inside. Boxes definitely help to build imaginary worlds that your child/children can be engrossed in for hours on end.

Relaxing in the box

Very happy in our house

Nice to watch some tv

Do your children like to play with boxes? What is the most creative thing that you have turned your box or boxes into? If you have the time, patience and energy, you can create some wonderful things out of cardboard.

Here are some great links that will give you some inspiration:

• Martha Stewart and Cheryl Robinson create a cardboard oven
• Parents.com has 12 pages of cardboard box craft
• Tip Junkie’s 32 things to make using a cardboard box
• Artists helping children.org have a list of box crafts

Send in your comments and maybe some of your works of art.