5 kid’s activities to do with your old moving boxes

Giant nail salon

This activity from Happy Toddler Playtime is simply glamorous! Not to mention, it is super easy! Bring out your little one’s creative with letting them create their own manicures.

Simply cut down the corner of a moving box, so the box will lay completely flat on the floor. Once the box is nice and flat, use a sharpie to trace your hands and your child’s hands up and down the edges of the box. Next, draw finger nails on the hand (and feet!).

Give your little artists and ice cube tray full of washable kids paint and some brushes and watch their work come alive. It is also a ton of fun to add extra things like glitter or stickers for a little pizazz. Don’t forget to draw on some jewelry as well!

This activity builds hand-eye coordination, fine and gross motor skills, and imaginative and creative play!

Supplies:

• Cardboard Box

• Box cutters

• Black Sharpie

• Ice Cube Tray

• Washable Kids Paints, Glitter, Puff Paint, etc.

• Small Paint Brushes

Ice Cream cone Counting Activity

I scream, you scream, we all scream for counting ice cream cones. Teach your kiddo to count with one of their favorite foods with great colors and fun from Mom of the Galaxy. Definitely give her a follow. All the things she does with cardboard is crazy cool! For this activity, create a stencil for your ice cream cones and ice cream scoops and draw out however many cones you would like to have.

This activity builds counting skills and creativity.

Supplies

• Moving Box

• Craft Paint

• Glitter

• Sharpie

• Craft Puff Balls

• Ex-acto Knife

Cardboard Car

A classic, but always a fan favorite is the cardboard car. Kids love nothing more than their own car and the imagination that it builds. You don’t have to go out and buy a Big Wheel. Just grab a moving box and a few supplies, and you can have a care made up for your mini driver in as little as 5 minutes. See this one by Create Make and Play.

A cardboard car is a great skill builder as well. This can help develop turn taking (if they are having to share), imagination, role playing, and language development.

You can also cut the bottom out of the box so your kiddo can zoom around the house in their new cruiser.

Supplies

• Large box⁣

• 5 paper plates for wheels and steering wheel⁣

• 5 split pins⁣

• Strong tape⁣

• Scissors⁣

Tiny tot washing machine

How stinkin’ cute is this tiny washing machine by Cardboard.kiddo. Little ones love to help mom and dad with chores around the house, and laundry is pretty much unavoidable for families with babies and toddlers. The washing machine is fascinating at a very early age. All of the lights and swirls can keep the intrigued for an hour! Why not let them mimic you with their own little washing machine.

This DIY toy helps with the development of understanding the world, creativity, independence, and social and language skills.

• Cardboard box

• glue

• masking tape

• bubble wrap for the soap drawer

• buttons

• empty tape roll

• split pin for the turning dial

• washi tape to decorate

Tube pattern matching box

Matching is a fantastic way for kids to learn patterns, hand eye coordination, and many more developmental skills. This activity not only recycles moving boxes, but also rolls.

Line both ends of the rolls with different patterned washi tape. I had her help me with this part (extending the activity). Then use box cutters to cut out circles (I traced the end of the rolls to give me a rough estimate of how big to make the holes. You don’t want the holes too big then the rolls will just go all the way through. Line the holes with the same washi used for the rolls.

Then introduce the activity to your toddler or baby. Model for them what you would like them to do.

Supplies

• Cardboard box

• 10-14 paper towel, toilet paper or wrapping rolls

• Washi tape