Cooped up inside with the kids more than usual these days? Did you buy giant, fancy, expensive toys for the holidays only to find that they never use them? A DIY play-anything out of cardboard is creative solution to both counts.
Leni and J. had a great time making this cardboard playhouse. With her son's input, she created a kitchen and bedroom, and has plans to add on a bathroom. We love that this is something parents and children can design and build together. It's malleable and darn near free, and can be manipulated, expanded upon and eventually tossed when their whim changes. Best of all perhaps for the Apartment Therapy crowd? You get to decorate it too.
Find inspiration for this and other DIY cardboard projects on Makedo's blog.
(Images: Leni for Makedo)
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Comments (15)
I really appreciate this sense of creativity that involves parents and their kids. It has a kind of knowledge transmission that is important for intellectual and psychological development of children, in my opinion.
i like this idea
what a wonderful idea!
WTH, is it Kids Month on Apartment Therapy???
I did something similar when I was a kid and my Dad bought a new lawmower. The box was HUGE (to my kid self) and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! :)
It is lovely, but it does mean the boxes can only be one thing - what happens when a cardboard rocket or pirate ship is needed?
we already made a tent, have had car ramps going down the stairs and it will be several more months before spring (for us anyway) love this idea!
This seems like it would be appreciated much more than the kitty cat rocket ship! I would have killed for one of these when I was little!
lol, some of you are way overthinking this! I have a 5 year old who would love this. You make it together, have fun decorating and throw it out a few weeks later. That's it- pure, creative fun!
This is great as the kids can make with their parents love it!
I <3 Makedo.
@MissHeliotrope - the connectors allow the boxes to be made into anything. It's not a kit for a house, it just looks to be what that family chose. We use ours all the time - rockets, boats, pirate ships, etc. And like OLAStyle said - you recycle it a few week's later. The only problem with it is that I am now hoarding cardboard boxes.
My dad sold church organs when I was growing up. Their boxes made the BEST play houses (or once one made a cool space ship for my 2nd grade class).
I really, really want to make this.
I have no children.
Are children necessary for this project?
Hah @Emilyjumpsin. No, I don't imagine children are necessary.
How cute is that kid! Nice house, cute kid!
Emily, I don't see why not. It could be perfect for adding a guest room to your house, making a separate dining area in an open floorplan, having that spaceship you've always dreamed of in the bathroom...