Box Cars

We made cars from boxes big enough for the child to get in. After we made them, they "drove" them for the rest of the day!

Each car requires:

1 styrofoam meat tray(licence plate)
1 paper plate(steering wheel)
4 aluminum pie plates(wheels)
7 paper fasteners to attach the steering wheel and wheels and licence plate
felt markers to decorate steering wheel and licence plate
paint
string
yarn to make loop to "wear" the car

First pre-cut a circle large enough for the child to fit in on the bottom of the box. Cut off the flaps on all sides of the top. Have the children paint the box circle side up, adding headlights etc . When the paint is dry attach the licence plate to the front and have them use pens /markers to fill in the plate with their name . I attach the 4 wheels by puncturing the cardboard first then pushing the metal paper fastener through the pie plate and securing. The steering wheel is placed flat on the top of the front (hood) of the car. Then I punch a hole through the left and right (door) side near the top and loop enough wool through for the "car" to sit at elbow level. I hope you can visualize this. It was a lot of fun and took us almost a whole day!

Box Easel

Select a sturdy box,cut off the top flaps or remove the lid. Then cut the box in half diagonally set on the table like a tent. Tape paper to both sides of the easel.

Empty Food Box Blocks

Use empty food boxes,such as cookie cereal etc to make blocks. Tape the tops
closed and cover with bright paper.

Wall Phone

Cover a medium sized shoe box with paper. Draw a rotary dial in the appropriate place. Attach a string to the side of the box, then attach a paper cup to the string. Tape another paper cup under the dial for a mouthpiece.

Feelie Box

Cut a hole large enought for a childs hand out of one end, Place a object inside and have child put hand in the hole and guess what the object is.

Cardboard Vehicles

Cut the top and bottom off of a box and decorate to look like a police car, etc. Either make straps that go over the childs shoulders or cut out handles to hold on to.


Sitting in My Box

It's about a child who finds a large box, climbs inside and pretends all sorts of adventures from sailing in a boat to protecting a castle. Any others you know of?

I thought about collecting many jewlery boxes (with lids) of all sorts of sizes and playing a game where the children have to match lids with boxes. Any other "game" type ideas? We will classify from smallest to largest, etc.

For dramatic play I thought about getting a tall box, cutting a door and turning it into a phone booth complete with chair, phone and telephone book (of pictures and real telephone numbers of the children in the class). Maybe even with a coin slot to deposit our poker chip "coins".

How about Valentine candy boxes?

They are boxes but different shaped. You can make cotton ball candies and put them inside. You can number "candies" and have the numbers in the box for matching and counting activities.

How about getting several sizes of boxes and several sizes of objects and asking which box size/shape best fits the object?

Wrap several layers of boxes and have fun passing them around until the last box which will have a treat for each kid.

Don't forget a box OUTSIDE, or several outside. The play will be much different in the outdoors. Maybe several boxes hooked together for a train?

The children can bring in empty boxes/cartons. Tape them closed and have the children use them to make box sculptures. The boxes can be taped to one another, painted, and decorated. It's amazing to see children arrange the boxes to form animals, robots, and buildings.

A fun book is "How Many Bugs in a Box?" It is a pop up counting book.

Mystery boxes involve having the children get a box, find something that can fit into it, and let the others try to guess what is inside(like 20 questions.)

Do you have any fun box ideas we didn't mention here? Send them our way!

About the Author
Jenny Wanderscheid is the owner of ChildFun, a wonderful site geared toward parents, child care and daycare providers, Preschool Teachers, Homeschoolers and Educators.