How to Make a Cardboard Castle That You Can Stand In
Make a cardboard castle you can stand in by using a large refrigerator or washing machine box. Pretend play, such as the kind with medieval castles, encourages a child's imagination and is essential to their normal development. Crafting your own cardboard castle for your child makes it much more special than a store-bought toy and it is far more rewarding watching a child play in something you made.
Things You'll Need
- Refrigerator box
- Tape
- Utility knife
- Light blue tempera paint
- Paintbrushes
Instructions
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1
Seal up the bottom of the refrigerator box with tape, if necessary. Remove the box's top flaps with a utility knife. An adult needs to perform this step.
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2
Cut out a rectangular piece from the top center of one long side of the box approximately 20 inches long and 6 inches tall. Repeat on the other top center long side of the box to form four towers at each corner.
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3
Cut out castellations or battlements all along the top of the cardboard with an utility knife. Cut them as 6-inch by 6-inch squares roughly 6 inches apart.
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4
Cut out a rounded drawbridge in the bottom center of your box. It needs to be as wide as your child and tall enough so she can crawl into the castle. Leave the bottom of the drawbridge intact so it can be opened and shut.
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5
Paint the exterior of your castle with light blue tempera paint using paintbrushes. Allow it to dry completely.
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Tips & Warnings
The castle can be formed vertically or horizontally. Glue string to the drawbridge and its doorway so it can be lifted up and down.
References
Resources
- "Toymaking With Children"; Freya Jaffke, 2000
- Photo Credit David Woolley/Digital Vision/Getty Images
