Learning from a Cardboard Box

A child’s work is play, and sometimes, a child’s play just takes a little work! 

Oh, the wonder and magic of cardboard boxes! I came home from work to find this creation on my son’s art table.

He eagerly showed me how it operated so that his cars could go in and out of their “garage.” It appeared father and son had been busy at work, building this monument of engineering and architecture.  I was quite impressed.

Besides being fun to make, my son learned a few concepts at the same time, double win! 🙂  I have always been amazed at how much something as simple as a cardboard box can trigger so much creativity and imagination, for all ages!

It reminded me of years ago when I was teaching a class of two and three-year-olds, I decided to try out a little something. One morning before the kids arrived, I put all of the toys away in our storage closet and instead placed cardboard boxes around the room. I had been gathering some different sized boxes, from very small all the way up to appliance-sized, over the course of a week.  The question I was most curious about was how long before someone asked about where the toys were. Guess how long it took?

They never asked. The kids had an absolute ball with the boxes; climbing in and out of them, turning them into cars, ships, microwaves and ovens for their restaurants, and so much more. I did put the toys back, but I left a few boxes too.

It goes to show how powerful a tool imagination can be. So grab some cardboard boxes, read a book to your kids like Not a Box by Antoinette Portis or What To Do with a Box by Jane Yolen, and watch their creativity soar.

Looking for more creative ways to spend some time with your kids? Give these a try!

If you’re looking for a little more concrete but fun teaching tool, these toys provide some great learning opportunities for preschool children. 🙂

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