Cardboard Play Ideas by Age Group to Enhance Childcare

[2-Year-Olds] Yarn Threading

Let's play with yarn threading for 2-year-olds

Yarn threading is a great activity for two-year-olds whose finger skills are developing.

To prepare, draw familiar things like animals on a flat piece of cardboard, then use an awl to make holes along the lines.

Making the holes a bit larger will make it easier to thread the yarn.

Add more holes at thoughtful intervals beyond just the lines so children can freely thread in other areas, too.

Finally, attach a pipe cleaner to the end of a cut piece of yarn, wrap it with tape so the tip isn’t sharp, and fix the other end to the cardboard.

Make several of these so the children can freely thread the yarn through the holes.

It’s an adorable activity where you’ll see them fully absorbed in play.

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[0-year-olds] Exploring with cardboard boxes

[Age 0] Exploration play in a house made of cardboard!

If you’re going to play with cardboard boxes with 0-year-olds, try making a little house or a circle enclosure for exploratory play.

Let the children join in from the step of sticking decorations onto the cardboard—the result will be adorable.

If you prepare decorations in various colors and shapes, the children can enjoy the differences while they decorate.

Keeping the circle or house simple in structure helps prevent accidental bumps and collisions.

How they play is up to the children.

Watch over them so they can enjoy the activity in their own way.

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[Ages 3 and up] Let’s play with an air bazooka

Kids’ Easy Craft | Cardboard Air Bazooka (Fun for Children: Toddlers, Kindergarten, Daycare, Indoor Play, Popular, Cute)

Let’s make an air bazooka you can build right away with just a cardboard box and a paper cup.

To make it, first put a lid on a cardboard box assembled with duct tape.

A larger box is recommended because it shoots farther.

Next, turn the box so it’s taller than it is wide, and make a hole in the center of the top face that’s slightly smaller than the rim of the paper cup.

Place the paper cup over the hole, and when you slap both sides of the box at the same time with your hands, the paper cup will shoot off.

It could be fun to compete to see who can launch it the farthest.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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[4-year-olds] Caterpillar Relay

Let's do a caterpillar relay using cardboard for 4-year-olds!

If you want to enjoy a caterpillar race using cardboard with 4-year-olds, start by letting them draw on the cardboard.

They don’t often get the chance to draw on big pieces of cardboard, so they’ll likely dive in with lots of creativity.

Once the colorful cardboard pieces are taped together into a caterpillar shape, enjoy a team caterpillar race! It’s sure to turn into an exciting game where kids can’t help but cheer for their friends’ races, too.

Have a great time together!

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[Ages 5 and up] Handmade Ring Toss

[Craft] Only 2 materials needed! How to make a ring toss

Here’s how to make a ring toss game using a cardboard box and a plastic wrap core—materials that are easy to find in any household.

The best part is that you can play with it after making it! Hold the wrap core against the cardboard box and trace around it with a pencil to make circles.

It’s better if the circles aren’t too close together.

Next, cut out the circles with a utility knife—an adult or teacher should do this.

Once the holes are made, insert the wrap cores into them, write point values as you like, and you’re done.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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[Ages 3 and up] Hamburger Play Set

[Made from Cardboard] Burger Play Set [Craft]

Let’s make a hamburger set out of cardboard and play together.

All you need are flat cardboard and hook-and-loop fasteners.

Sketch shapes to match the ingredients—circles, squares, etc.—on the cardboard and cut them out.

Use paints to create your favorite ingredients like tomatoes, lettuce, fried eggs, and bacon.

Don’t forget to make the buns, too.

If you attach hook-and-loop fasteners on both sides, you can enjoy stacking them in various ways.

You could even make a lot and open a pretend burger shop.

Have fun making delicious hamburgers!

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[Ages 3–5] Free play with cardboard

[Ages 3–5] Cardboard Play

Even if you don’t decide on anything specific to make, just rolling around a bunch of cardboard boxes can, through children’s imagination, turn into all sorts of things and become an unexpectedly delightful play activity.

Gentle prompting from adults can also expand their imagination, so it’s good to ask questions like, “What do you think this is?” or “How do you think this part works?” What’s more, cardboard can be a plaything and also a large canvas, so it’s fun to try drawing big, bold pictures on it.

Together with the children, feel free to express yourselves freely and expansively.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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