Ah, the cardboard box. The inevitable favorite plaything of children everywhere. It seems no matter what a box may contain, sometimes the box itself is the most exciting part. The creative possibilities are endless for easy kids crafts, all you need is your imagination and your favorite OOLY supplies.
Lean in to the experience with this idea that upcycles your cardboard into a tiny town perfect for dolls, trucks, stuffed animals, or your kiddo pretending to be a giant monster. This building, designing and painting craft for kids encourages creativity and imagination, and can be done independently or together with family and friends. OOLY’s Chunkies Paint Sticks are the perfect art and craft paint for this activity because they deposit vibrant color on cardboard.
Time Duration: 60 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced
OOLY Products Needed:
Other Items Needed:
- Scissors (adult supervision required)
- Glue
- Pom poms & pipe cleaners (optional)
Step 1: Gather any empty boxes you have available. Assemble them using tape. Use scissors to cut any details (roofs, awnings, ladders, etc). Have fun with it and get creative with your boxes- lids can become roofs, ‘skylights’ can be created with scissors (adult supervision required).
Step 2: Sketch out your building details using The Ink Works Markers. Add doors, windows, plants, rooftop gardenscapes - whatever you think will make your building pop.
Step 3: Use Chunkies Paint Sticks to color-in the detail. These paint sticks are mess free and give great pay off even on cardboard!
Step 4: Don’t forget to color the inside!
Step 5: Use stickers from OOLY’s Stickiville Collection to add details such as building addresses, cats in windows, dogs walking by, or other fun details! If you’re feeling extra creative, use pipe cleaners, pom poms, or whatever extra craft materials you have handy to create even more dimension and detail. The more you add, the more life you bring to your new tiny town!
The best part about this simple art and craft, is that the completed project is now a new toy that can offer endless hours of play. Your little one will be so proud of the village they built and the new toy they created. And you’ll be so happy to find a way to upcycle all those shipping boxes!
We would love to see photos of your craft projects! Tag us on Instagram at @WeAreOOLY using #OOLYcreateyourhappy.
