5 Cardboard Craft Ideas for Your Children

If you have a pile of cardboard boxes to recycle, check out our ideas for easy children's crafts.
5 Cardboard Craft Ideas for Your Children

Last update: 12 May, 2019

Recycling and reusing are essential steps for taking care of the environment. You can find cardboard boxes everywhere along with everyday items. So, we want to show you some cardboard craft ideas that you can make for your children. You can use cardboard boxes, tubes, juice and milk cartons, etc.

You can reuse and transform these objects into something fun for your little ones. They’re also great ways to create something and have a good time with your kids. In our post today, we want to show you 5 children’s crafts with recycled cardboard.

Cardboard crafts for your children

By reusing different cardboard containers that you use every day, you can create wonderful objects for your children. The possibilities are endless. You can create characters, objects, game pieces and much more. You only need to play with your children and use your imagination. Learn about these creative ideas and have fun creating with your little ones.

cardboard crafts imagination

Reuse milk cartons

You can use milk cartons to create all kinds of different objects for your kids to have a blast recycling and playing. Before diving into these awesome children’s crafts, wash and dry the cartons completely.

1. Houses and buildings

Paint the cardboard in your children’s favorite colors. Use acrylic paint to decorate the different sides of the cartons. You can also use decorative papers with different patterns, like brick, to give the buildings more personality and color. Once you’ve finished painting or applying decorative paper, leave the carton to dry for a few hours.

Make sure that you’ve decorated the carton in its upright position. Once it’s dry, use black and white markers to draw on windows and doors. You could create little houses or buildings— it’s up to your children. And voila! Now you have cute reused cardboard toys.

cardboard crafts buildings

2. School bus

Another fun idea is using a milk carton to make a school bus. For this craft, start by putting the carton on its side. Paint it yellow and use a marker to draw on windows. If you have scraps of cardboard or construction paper, cut out 4 wheels and stick them onto the ends of the bus. Make sure they won’t fall off and… you’re done! Now you have a cute milk carton school bus.

Reusing medium-sized cardboard boxes

If you have medium-sized cardboard boxes at home, they could be a great craft opportunity. Here are 2 fun and practical craft ideas that use medium-sized cardboard boxes.

3. Cardboard car

When they reach a certain age, children love racing and playing with toy cars. Creating a personalized car for them out of cardboard boxes could be an awesome idea. Use scissors to cut off the ends of the box. Then, cut the ends on both sides to give the box a rounded shape.

Using the flaps that you cut off previously, make 4 wheels for the car. Let your children paint and decorate their little car however they want. When it’s finished, they can hop in, pick up the sides and speed around at home their car.

cardboard crafts car

4. Sailboat

You can also make a sailboat out of a medium-sized cardboard box. It could be a decorative, play or functional purposes. Place a long cardboard tube vertically in the center of the box. The tube will be the mast. Take some scraps of cloth that you have lying around at home and glue two triangles onto the mast.

Now you have a sail set for your sailboard. Decorate the boat with your choice of colors. Your children can use it to put their toys in.

Transform cardboard tubs

5. Fun dolls

You can make fun dolls out of any cardboard tubes you have at home. Paint and draw on colorful faces. If you want, add synthetic hair, yarn or ribbons to one end of the tube. You children can play with these creative friends, open puppet shows at home or decorate their shelves.

Recycle, reuse and create all kinds of cool crafts for your children. You’ll love the time that you can spend creating and playing with them.