What to do with Cardboard Boxes: 60 FUN Box Activities and Crafts

August 1, 2022
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If you are looking for creative, fun ideas for what to do with a box –  you’ve come to the right place! Here are over 60 really fun box activities and easy cardboard crafts! From using a box to make a science experiment to silly monster boxes, a viking ship to a dollhouse – there are so many fun ways to recycle a box to have some fun with kids! Use these cardboard box crafts and box activity ideas with your toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and school age kids in first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too!

If you are looking for creative, fun ideas for what to do with a box -  you've come to the right place! Here are over 60 really fun box activities and easy cardboard crafts! From using a box to make a science experiment to silly monster boxes, a viking ship to a dollhouse - there are so many fun ways to recycle a box to have some fun with kids! Use these cardboard box crafts and box activity ideas with your toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and school age kids in first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too!

What to do with a box

If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time you know I like the convenience of ordering from Amazon. As long as the pricing is the same and shipping is free, I might as well save myself time driving around to several stores!! So we end up with LOTS of boxes of various shapes and sizes. Being the thrifty creative Mom that I am, we do lots of playful, fun, and even educational things with them! These ideas for what to do with a box are perfect for upcycling boxes and cardboard you have around your house: cardboard boxes, tp rolls, kleenex boxes, cereal boxes, and more! Try these box activities for preschoolers, kindergartners, toddlers, and elementary age students in grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6. Whether you are a parent, teacher, homeschooler, or daycare provide – you will love these inexpensive and clever box craft ideas

Box activities for preschoolers

Box activities for preschoolers

Here are some of our favorites ways to use a box. There are lots of ideas for fun and creative things to make from boxes with your kids.

  • Mickey Mouse Bean Bag Game from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    This fun bean bag game is perfect for a Micky Mouse themed birthday party, or just for fun.
  • Cardboard Ramp from Hands On As We Grow.
    Explore movement and trial and error with the fun ball rolling box ramp.
  • DIY Car Wash from Messy Motherhood.
    The kids will loving sending their toy cards through this carwash.
  • DIY Block City from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Turn a pizza box into a road for toy cars.
  • Elephant from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Try this fun E is for elephant cardboard box craft.
  • Create a Burning Building from Boy Mama Teacher Mama.
    Learn all about being a fire fighter with this fun box craft for imaginative play.
  • Dog House from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Make a dog house box fort with these simple instructions.
  • What’s in the Box Game from Learn with Play at Home.
    Use a cardboard box for this simple baby play activity.
  • Maze Potato Plant Experiment from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Use a box to do this very cool plant science experiment.
  • Post Box from Domestic Goddessque.
    Make this DIY post box to practice name recognition and to send each other letters.

Box craft ideas

  • Cardboard Box Race Track from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.
    Convert a cardboard box into cool race lanes for toys cars!
  • Tissue Box Letter Eater from Pink Stripy Socks.
    Make learning letters fun with this cool monster tissue box activity.
  • Cardboard Race Way from The Imagination Tree.
    Save your cardboard to make these fun roads.
  • Fiber Optic Sensory Cave from The Imagination Tree.
    Turn a simple cardboard box into an amazing glowing sensory experience.
  • Colonial America Stocks by 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Learn all about colonial punishment with these cardboard box stocks.
  • Castle from The Imagination Tree.
    If your kids love knights in shining amour and all things medieval they will love this castle activity.
  • DIY Solar Oven from The Craft Train.
    Make a solar oven from a pizza box and make some recycled crayons.
  • DIY Cardboard Airport from Non-Toy Gifts.
    You’ll be ready for take off with this fun airport made from a box.
  • Cardboard Sensory Play Tunnel from The Imagination Tree.
    Babies and toddlers will love this sensory play tunnel.
  • Cardboard Box Sensory Bin from Happy Hooligans.
    Turn a cardboard box into small world construction site for hours of fun and imaginative play.
  • X-Ray Dramatic Play for Preschoolers from How Wee Learn.
    This cardboard box x-ray machine is perfect for hospital and doctor dramatic play.
  • DIY Marble Maze from Coffee Cups and Crayons.
    Turn the lid of a box into a cool marble maze.
  • Fine Motor Drop Box from Happy Hooligans.
    Turn a cardboard box into a fine motor drop box for toddlers and preschoolers.
  • Story Box from Mess for Less.
    Use the free printables to make this story box language activity for preschoolers.
  • Cereal Box Shadow Puppet Theatre from Red Ted Art.
    Everyone can join in and put on a puppet show with this shadow puppet theatre made from a cereal box.
  • DIY Ocean Drum Craft from Natural Beach Living.
    Create the sounds of the ocean with this simple instrument made from a box.
  • Cardboard Cranes from Taming the Goblin.
    This is a great STEM project for the kids to build and play with.
  • DIY Box Bulldozer from Laly Mom.
    Kids will love scooping up all kinds of things in this simple box bulldozer.
  • DIY Tugging Box from Laughing Kids Learn.
    Work on fine motor skills with this simple homemade box toy.

Easy Cardboard Crafts

Box Activities

You can turn a simple cardboard box into so many things! The kids will love making all these fun things with cardboard boxes.

  • Viking Ship from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Learn all about history as you turn a box into a viking ship.
  • DIY Kid’s Car from Childhood 101.
    Turn a couple of cardboard boxes into this cool car!
  • Medieval Castle for kids from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    You’ll need to collect lots of boxes to make this HUGE castle!
  • Ice Cream Truck from Taming the Goblin.
    This is a fun summer project to build with the kids.
  • DIY Ice Cream Shop from Childhood 101.
    The kids will love playing ice cream shop with this cool box craft.
  • DIY Kids Kitchen from Childhood 101.
    Who knew you could make such a cool play kitchen from cardboard boxes!?!
  • Cardboard Pirate Ship from Party Delights.
    Make this cool pirate ship for a party photo booth or just for fun.
  • Police Car from Here Come the Girls.
    The kids will love zooming around the house in the cardboard police car.
  • Cardboard Box Tunnel from Picklebums.
    The kids will have great fun crawling through and playing with this simple box tunnel.
  • Cardboard Box Boat from Nurture Store.
    Turn a cardboard box into a sailing boat!
  • Cardboard Box Dinosaur from Adventures in a Box,
    Kids will love making and riding their very own box dinosaur!
  • Tabletop Puppet Theatre from Childhood 101.
    Grab some puppets and put on a show in this cardboard box puppet theater.
  • DIY Cardboard Plane from Hello Wonderful.
    Fly away in this super cool cardboard plane!
  • Apollo 11 Space Ship from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
    Make this super coll Apollo 11 Space ship!
  • Pirate Ship for Figures from Red Ted Art.
    Grab some pirate figurines and make this fun cardboard pirate ship.
  • Shoe Box Mansion from Artbar.
    Don’t settle for a regular doll’s house, make this ultra cool shoe box mansion!
  • Winter Cardboard Castle from Hello Wonderful.
    I’m sure Elsa or the Snow Queen would love living in this icy castle.
  • Cardboard Box Monster Costume from The Craft Train.
    This is the perfect costume to make for Halloween!

Easy Cardboard Crafts

Save your cardboard boxes and try one of these fun box crafts for kids.

  • Make a Cardboard Town from Hands On As We Grow.
    This is a great crafty activity for a group of kids to work on together.
  • Cardboard Cake from Mama Papa Bubba.
    Let the kids go wild decorating this fun box cake.
  • Make a Robot Helmet from Learn with Play at Home.
    All the kids will love dressing up as robots with this cool helmet.
  • DIY Treasure Chest from The Imagination Tree.
    What treasures will you keep in your cardboard treasure chest?
  • Tissue Box Monsters from The Best Ideas For Kids.
    These cute monsters are a great way to recycle an old tissue box!
  • Make am Underwater Diorama from Learn with Play at Home.
    Make this cool under the sea diorama.
  • Little Red Riding Hood Story Box from The Imagination Tree.
    Retell the story of Little Red Riding-hood with puppets and props and this fun story box.
  • Cereal Box Aquarium from The Best Ideas for Kids
    This cereal box aquarium is fun to make and such a fun craft to keep on your shelf too!
  • Treasure Box with Secret Compartment from Kids’ Craft Room.
    Kids of all ages will love making themselves a treasure box and hiding goodies in the secret compartment!
  • Cardboard Play Snow Plough from Barely and Birch.
    This amazing box snow plough even has moving parts!
  • Dinosaur Helmet from Learn with Play at Home.
    Turn a box into a dinosaur hat!

Box craft ideas

Cardboard box crafts

  • Shoe Box Castle from Artbar.
    Whether you are making a kings castle, or a fairy’s castle, this shoe box castle is perfect for everyone.
  • Cardboard Box London Bus from Here Come the Girls.
    Make this cute double decker bus from a cardboard box.
  • Golf Ball Painting from Happy Hooligans.
    Grab a box and try this super fun ball painting.
  • Cardboard Doll House from Red Ted Art.
    Design and make a super cool doll’s house from cardboard boxes.
  • Disney Perry the Platypus Costume by Kids Creative Chaos.
    This would make a great costume for Halloween!
  • Thankful Turkey Box from I heart Crafty Things.
    Make this turkey box for the whole family to express their gratitude for Thanksgiving.
  • Fox Box Craft from Pink Stripy Socks.
    Turn a cardboard box into this adorable fox!

Looking for clever, fun, & unique ideas for what to do with boxes? You've got to see these box activities and easy cardboard crafts!

The kids will love all these super fun things to do with boxes! Which awesome box craft, or box activity will choose?

Nothing says summer like a big juicy watermelon! We whipped up a bath of this gorgeous watermelon playdough for our upcoming watermelon theme! This homemade playdoh recipe is super easy-to-make, soft, and such a fun watermelon activity! Use this summer activities for preschoolers, toddlers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 students. Are your kids as crazy about slime as mine are? My kids love playing with slime and trying different types of slime. In our experimenting, we came up with this cool baking soda slime. This slime uses baking soda as the activator for a wonderful sheen and flow without being sticky at all! And with the first day fo sCome see how to make slime with baking soda and get playing with your preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders. Ready? Set. GO! This really fun car activity for kids is sure to be a hit. Whether you race your cars outside as a summer activity or indoors as a rainy day activity for kids - this is EPIC! This pool noodle activity is fun for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd graders, and up. Just grab a pool noodle, duct tape, and our free printable to create a cool hot wheels race tarck in just 5 minutes! You are going to love this simple-to-make and creative art project for kids. You can create abstract art or art projects based on famous artists. We opted to make a starry night for kids tin foil project. I love the dimmension this technique gave to our van gogh art project. This aluminum foil art makes a great summer activity for kids of all ages from preschool, pre-k, kinderagrten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th graders, and up!

Kids Activities

Looking for more fun kids activities and other ideas to keep kids engaged, learning, and having fun? Check out these:

You will love this outrageously fun painting with cars activity where kids will make a cheery rainbow painting using hotwheel vehicles. This rainbow painting for kids is a silly rainbow painting ideas that your kids will LOVE! Use this for a rainbow theme, car theme, spring theme, or just a fun play ativity with kids. Try this car activities for kids with toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students.  Fun summer activity for bucket list Making a DIY foosball table is a really fun STEM project for kids of all ages to make together and loads of fun to play with too! The diy games for kids is the project for a rainy day or as a summer bucket list idea.  Try this homemade games for kids with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too. This EPIC kids activity is sure to be a hit with your kids. Looking for a fun summer activity for kids? You are going to love blowing colorful snake bubble. This sock bubbles activity is super simple and such an easy summer activity idea for toddlder, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. It takes blowing bakcyard bubles to a new level making long, colorful snakes with a simple technique using a sock and a plastic bottle. You've got to try this bubble snake experiment.

Things to Do with Kids

This vinegar and baking soda rocket is an out-of-this-world fun AND educational summer activity for kids! Preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students will enjoy making the baking soda rocket. This how to make a bottle rocket project is one of those really cool science projects your kids will remember forever! Have you ever heard of a lemon volcano? Kids are going to love this fun, creative,volcano experiment that screams summer! This simple lemon volcano experiment is perfect for curious kids from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. All you need are a few simple materials to make some amazing erupting lemon volcanos! The goal of an amazing science experiment for kids is to grab kids attention and make them wonder why did that happen, how could that work, and I want to try that! This leak proof bag is such a simple science experiment for kids that explores polymers. What's best is this amazing science experiment with everyday materials! Try this water experiment with kids of all ages from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too. Kids are going to love this really fun Frozen Rainbow Eruptions science activity where kids will make beautiful rainbows as they create a chemical reaction! This baking soda and vinegar experiment! This rainbow activities for preschoolers usese a couple simple materials for a mesmerizing, colorful preschool summer activity! Use this rainbow science with toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders.

Summer Science

There are so many fun ways to play and teach kids about chemical reactions using a baking soda and vinegar reaction. Here are some of our favorite baking soda and vinegar activities.

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! With over 20 years educating children, she has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids alphabet, math, science, English grammar, history, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables - www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!

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